Inspiring Children’s Books That Celebrate Great Women In History

Telling the tales of visionary inventors, artists, and scientists alike, “Little Leaders: Visionary Women Around the World” intends to inspire.  With stories of people like Frida Kahlo and Mary Blair, young girls will be inspired by the determination and talent of the women that have left their footprints in our history. Through stunning illustrations, author Vashti Harrison, artfully tells the stories of incredible heroines from around the world.

With inspiring tales from the world’s greatest heroines, ranging from Tennis Player Serena Williams to Queen Elizabeth I of England, young girls get to see stories where the woman is not the damsel in distress but, the hero. Through extraordinary stories and fantastic illustrations, young girls will learn about the lives of 100 women from both the past and present. Told by women, for women, and about women,  “Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women” reinvents the classic fairytale and shows young women and girls that they can be the heroes of their own stories.

Japan’s favorite children’s poet, Misuzu Kaneko, has proven that words have the power of healing during times of crisis. Though Kaneko’s work remains relatively unknown in the English-speaking world, “Are You an Echo?” is a beautifully illustrated picture book of one of her poems and reveals how even words are not limited to their language and culture. With child-like sincerity and empathy, Kaneko’s stanzas remind people of what it means to be human even when faced with terrible odds.

Taking you on an educational roller coaster ride, “Women in Science” highlights the lives of 50 women that worked in fields of science, whether that be engineering or technology. Chalked full of facts, profiles, and tasteful illustrations, author Rachel Ignotofsky celebrates the intrepid ladies that led the way for the generations of females who will become the doctors, astronauts, and physicists of today.

Juliette Gordon Low, known as Daily among her family and friends, wanted to make a difference in the world. From a family of pioneers and pathfinders, Daisy was unlike many girls during the Victorian era that she was born in. With a passion for service, an adventurous spirit, and the belief that girls could do anything, Daisy founded the Girl Scouts. In this illustrated book for young girls, you will learn about the girl who believed that girls could do anything and the legacy that she left behind!

This illustrated true story takes readers on a journey of one brave girl’s fight for education. Malala defied the status quo and risked her life for what she believed in that miraculously changed the world. “For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story” shows how one person, one girl, can make a world of difference.

Telling the true story of a Hidatsa Indian born around 1839, “Buffalo Bird Girl” chronicles the childhood story of the Buffalo Bird Woman. The Buffalo Bird Girl had chores and played with friends but, her life also had a sort of risk. Growing up in a culture so drastically different from today’s world, S. D. Nelson’s “Buffalo Bird Girl” captures what it was like to be apart of this Native American community and the loss of this American way of life.

Wondering why the children she’s teaching can’t hear her over grumbling tummies and why they don’t have shoes to protect the soles of their feet? Dolores Huerta is a woman who was not afraid to ask questions, find answers, and take action. With beautiful watercolor illustrations, Dolores’ fight to stand up for the children in her classroom and the people in her community is brought to life. Dolores’s story shows that human rights are not guaranteed and she is not fearful to take a stance. 

Highlighting the lives and works of black women, Vashti Harrison tells the stories of people like poet Maya Angelou and abolitionist Sojourner Truth who made a difference in a world that didn’t always accept them. Whether these women were one of the first to fly a plane or find the answer to an impossible math equation or even explore outer space, these bold women in black history paved the way for the generations that would follow. Though these women may have been small, the impact they made on society was large, the implications of their actions are evident even today.

Both timely and thought provoking story, “Sonia Sotomayor: A Judge Grows In The Bronx” tells the story of Sonia Sotomayor before she took her seat in the U.S. Supreme Court. Before Sonia sat in the highest court in the land, she sat on her front door steps in the South of Bronx, and though she didn’t have much she had enough. From humble beginnings, Sonia broke down barriers and became the first Latino woman to be nominated for U.S. Supreme Court!

Though she always loved Baseball, Effa Manley never dreamed she would own a team or be the one and only woman to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. From her childhood in Philadelphia to owning the Newark Eagles, Effa always fought for what was right. In this book, author Audrey Vernick and illustrator Don Tate tell the true tale of an all-star woman!

Based on a true story, “The Tree Lady” shows how one woman’s initiative can make an impact. Growing up in Northern California among trees and foliage aplenty, when Katherine Olivia Sessions took a job out of college in the south of her home state, she was shocked by the desert-like landscape. With a little gumption and a green thumb, “The Tree Lady” tells the story of how one woman had the power to transform a town, bringing greenery to the dry desert of San Diego.