Kids Books for Women’s History Month

March is Women’s History Month. It is no secret that the roles of women have been minimized in our schools and that our shared history has been told predominantly by men about men. In fact, in 2017 the National Women’s History Museum issued a comprehensive report of state curricular standards and determined approximately one woman for every three men is mentioned in states' social studies or history standards.

Women have been integral in the shaping of our world—in big ways and small—and there are a few books to shine the light on some of the important women from the past and of today.

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A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon

4 to 8 years

The true story of mathematician Katherine Johnson—made famous by the movie Hidden Figures—who started college at 15, joined NASA and helped put a man on the moon. Her hard work and intelligence broke both race and gender barriers while advancing space exploration.

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Alex and The Amazing Lemonade Stand

4 to 8 years

Alexandra Scott was diagnosed with a form of pediatric cancer called neuroblastoma shortly before her first birthday. When she was just 4 years old, she set up her first lemonade stand in her front yard to raise money for childhood cancer research. Sadly, she died in 2004, but her family, plus other individuals and organizations, continues her legacy through Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

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She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World

4 to 8 years

Featuring Harriet Tubman, Helen Keller, Clara Lemlich, Nellie Bly, Virginia Apgar, Maria Tallchief, Claudette Colvin, Ruby Bridges, Margaret Chase Smith, Sally Ride, Florence Griffith Joyner, Oprah Winfrey, Sonia Sotomayor and one special cameo, this book celebrates American women who changed the world through their persistence and bravery.

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The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist

5 to 10 years

This moving picture book, which tells the story of the youngest known child to be arrested for a civil rights protest in Birmingham, Alabama, proves you’re never too little to make a difference.

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Herstory: 50 Women and Girls Who Shook Up the World

8 and up

In this uplifting and inspiring book, follow the stories of 50 powerhouse women from around the world and across time who each managed to change the world as they knew it forever.

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Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors?: The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell

Elizabeth Blackwell was determined and focused from early childhood, and she used that strength to become the first female doctor. Breaking that barrier paved the way for aspiring female doctors today.

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Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls 2

8 and up

Featuring 100 stories of extraordinary women from history and of today, this second edition of Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls will inspire young minds and encourage big dreams.

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Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina

Growing up, Maria Tallchief was a gifted pianist and dancer. According to her Osage Indian tradition, women are not permitted to dance, but Maria's parents recognized her gifts and allowed her to break the rule. When Maria reached the age of 12, her father told her it was time to choose between her two loves. Maria chose ballet. It was a decision that would change not only the course of her life, but the face of classical ballet in America.

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Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World

8 to 12 years

Featuring the true stories of 35 women creators, ranging from writers to inventors, artists to scientists, readers will meet trailblazing women who made an impact. Some names are known, some are not, but all of the women had a lasting effect on the fields they worked in.

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Inside Out and Back Again

8 to 12 years

Inspired by the author's childhood experience as a refugee—fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama—this coming-of-age debut novel told in verse has been celebrated for its touching child's-eye view of family and immigration.

This paperback edition also includes an interview with the author, an activity you can do with your family, tips on writing poetry and discussion questions.

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The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science

10 to 12 years

One of the first naturalists to observe live insects directly, Maria Sibylla Merian was also one of the first to document the metamorphosis of the butterfly. She didn’t care that people considered bugs to be “beasts of the devil” or that studying them up close wasn’t what girls did. This is the story of one of the first female entomologists and a woman who flouted convention in the pursuit of knowledge and her passion for insects.

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I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World

Malala Yousafzai was only 10 years old when the Taliban took control of her region. They said music was a crime. They said women weren't allowed to go to the market. They said girls couldn't go to school. Malala stood up for her right to be educated, and she was shot for it. She survived and is now an international symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize winner.

In this Young Readers Edition of her bestselling memoir, we hear firsthand the remarkable story of a girl who knew from a young age that she wanted to change the world—and did.

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Women in Sports: 50 Fearless Athletes Who Played to Win

Grades 4 and up

Women in Sports not only highlights the achievements and stories of 50 notable female athletes from the 1800s to today, it also contains infographics on topics like muscle anatomy, a timeline of women’s participation in sports, pay and media statistics for female athletes and influential women’s teams.

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Rad Women Worldwide: Artists and Athletes, Pirates and Punks, and Other Revolutionaries Who Shaped History

Grades 6 and up

This collection features an array of diverse figures from 430 BCE to 2016, spanning 31 countries around the world and touching on Egyptian leaders, polar explorers, Nobel Peace prize winners, musicians and more.

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