Tag Archives: women

International Day of Women and Girls in Science

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February 11, 2025, marks International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In this February blog, we highlight the extraordinary contributions of women in the science field. This international holiday, originating from the United Nations, seeks to promote equal access and participation of women in science. Read along with us as we explore biographies of legendary scientists to fictional tales on what makes science great!

Ahmed, Roda
Illustrator: Burrington, Stasia
Mae Among the Stars. 2018. Picture Book.
Mae Among the Stars is the inspirational biographical tale of Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to travel to space. Jemison’s story serves as inspiration to young readers on the achievement of their dreams and how, as Mae’s mom described, “If you believe it, and work hard for it, anything is possible.” Ahmed brings forth an important message to young readers on aspiring to the impossible, dreaming about their wildest aspirations, and never losing their courage and imagination.
Q. SE. Ah52m

Beaty, Andrea
Illustrator: Roberts, David
Ada Twist, Scientist. 2016. Picture Book.
Ada Twist, Scientist is a part of a larger picture book series titled The Questionnaires and is inspired by real life scientists Marie Curie and Ada Lovelace. Ada Twist is characterized by her sheer curiosity as she wades her way through failed experiments and scientific missions that go sideways, and she learns the important lesson of how to navigate through problems and obstacles while maintaining her curiosity, love of science, and determination to try again.
Q. SE. B381ad

Burleigh, Robert
Illustrator: Colón, Raúl
Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea: Marie Tharp maps the ocean floor. 2016. Picture Book.
This illustrated biography explores the life of Marie Tharp, an American geologist and oceanographic cartographer, who collaborated with Bruce Heezen to produce the first map of the Atlantic Ocean floor. Before Marie Tharp, many other scientists made efforts to measure the depth of the ocean with no luck. Marie’s determination and aspirations despite the obstacles encountered along the way, such as being turned away from a ship due to being a woman and it being considered “bad luck” to have a woman aboard, will be inspirational to any young scientist. Marie never gave up on her dream to give us grander knowledge about our planet.
Q. SB. T3676bu

Dalton, Angela
Illustrator: Semmer, Lauren
To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek helped advance civil rights. 2023. Picture Book.
To boldly go delves into the legacy of Nichelle Nichols, an American actress known for her portrayal of Lieutenant Uhura in the original Star Trek series. Nichols’s character was revolutionary during its time due to being one of the first portrayals of a Black female astronaut on screen. Lieutenant Uhura inspired generations of future astronauts like Mae Jemison, who described seeing Nichols on the screen as inspiration for her later becoming an astronaut herself. Additionally, Nichols used her platform from Star Trek and worked with NASA to recruit minorities to join the agency and STEM fields. To Boldly Go is an important reminder for the audience on the power of representation in media and inspiring young readers to push the barriers.
Q. SB. N517da

Deutsch, Stacia
Girls Who Code: The Friendship Code. 2017. Middle Grade.
Girls Who Code is a middle grade fiction series published in partnership with the Girls Who Code organization and is a perfect recommendation for any reader that is a fan of the Babysitter’s Club or computer science. The Friendship Code is the first book in the series that revolves around a character named Lucy, who is beyond excited to join her after-school coding club that will help her on her quest in developing an app. However, her excitement is short-lived when she is assigned to be in a group with girls she does not know. When Lucy begins to receive cryptic coding messages, she needs to figure out how to translate them, and along the way, she recognizes how friendship and coding alike take time to develop.
S. D4892gf

Larson, Kirsten W.
Illustrator: Roy, Katherine
The Fire of Stars: The life and brilliance of the woman who discovered what stars are made of. 2023. Picture Book.
The Fire of Stars is a biographical picture book based on the astronomer and astrophysicist Cecilia Payne. Payne is famous for discovering the composition of stars, which is hydrogen and helium. The Fire of Stars‘ lyrical prose and vivid text come together beautifully with the graphics from award-winning illustrator Katherine Roy. This biographical story takes you on a journey from the beginning of Cecilia Payne’s life as a curious little girl who utilizes that curiosity to become one of today’s most well-known scientists.
Q. SB. P2933la

Márquez, Melissa Cristina
Illustrator: Kurtz, Devin Elle
Mother of Sharks. 2023. Picture Book.
Mother of Sharks highlights the extraordinary life of Melissa Cristina Márquez, a Puerto Rican marine biologist, conservationist, and much more. She studies Great White Sharks and their relatives. Mother of Sharks focuses on Melissa’s personal story of how she went from living in Puerto Rico and falling in love with the ocean to being renowned as the “Mother of Sharks.” This picture book delves into both the autobiographical story of Melissa’s upbringing and childhood in combination with fantastical elements. Mother of Sharks not only wishes to dispel the misconceptions we may have about sharks and other ocean critters, but to lay the foundations for future Latinas in STEM.
Q. SE. M3484mo

Tanco, Miguel
Count on Me. 2019. Picture Book.
Count on Me is a celebratory picture book honoring math. While everyone in life may have a passion such as music, art, history, or literature, for our heroine in Count on Me, it is math. Our heroine sees it in anything and everything. Whether she observes the world through the concentric circles a stone makes when thrown in a lake, or the geometric shapes on a playground, she sees math in everything. Although everyone in our heroine’s picture book understands that there is math everywhere, our heroine reinforces the ideals of multiple perspectives and that there is more than one way to view the world – math is just one of them.
Q. SE. T154co

Valdez, Patricia
Illustrator: Sala, Felicita
Joan Procter, Dragon Dctor: The woman who loved reptiles. 2018. Picture Book.
This picture book delves into the life of Joan Procter who, when other girls her age were playing with dolls, preferred spending time with reptiles as companions. Procter even brought a crocodile to school once! As the book progresses, it highlights the amazing contributions of Joan, such as designing the Reptile House at the London Zoo. Patricia Valdez’s enthusiastic storytelling accompanied with Felicita Sala’s lively illustrations bring together a memorable story about passion and determination.
Q. SB. P9422v

Wallmark, Laurie
Illustrator: Wu, Katy
Grace Hopper: Queen of computer code. 2023. Picture Book.
Grace Hopper was an American computer scientist, mathematician, and pioneer of computer programming. Laurie Wallmark tells the inspiring tale of a revolutionary woman who broke boundaries in her riveting life. Wallmark explores Grace Hoppers’s contributions to the world of computer programming, such as Hopper coining the term “computer bug” and teaching computers how to “speak English.” With an extraordinary number of witty quotes and elaborate illustrations this book brings to life Grace Hopper’s enormous achievements.
Q. SB. H7985w

EVS, edited by MG

Women Who Changed the World

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With Women’s History Month approaching in March, now is a great time to learn about some extraordinary women who changed the course of history as we know it. Champions of science, art, politics, medicine, education, and so much more, these women challenged societal norms by proving their strength, wit, and perseverance. Explore the list of books below to discover the many life-changing contributions incredible women have made throughout history.

To discover more amazing women who dedicated their lives to challenging the status quo, search our catalog using a combination of subject terms like “women” + “biography” + “juvenile.”

Blumenthal, Deborah.
Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe. 2017.
Ann Cole Lowe learned to sew by watching her mother and grandmother work in their family shop. As an African-American woman in early 1900s Alabama, Ann faced constant hardships enacted by a racist society, but she persevered by graduating design school and going on to become an acclaimed designer for some of the country’s most famous women. (She designed First Lady Jackie Kennedy’s wedding dress!)
[SSHEL S-Collection Q. SB. L92129b]

Copeland, Misty.
Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina. 2016.
With a late start to ballet and family drama that relocated her to various homes and schools, Misty Copeland defied all odds by becoming the first female African-American principal ballerina in the American Ballet Theatre’s history. In this autobiography, Copeland discusses her challenging journey to becoming one of America’s most successful ballerinas.
[SSHEL S-Collection SB. C7826c]

Frier, Raphaele.
Malala: Activist for Girls’ Education. 2017.
Incredibly brave and resilient, Malala Yousafzai triumphed over hate and violence when she survived an attempted assassination at the hands of a terrorist group determined to stop women from getting an education. This biography recounts Malala’s miraculous story and how she continues to use her platform to promote equal education for all children around the world.
[SSHEL S-Collection Q. SB. Y82f]

Hopkins, H. Joseph.
The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever. 2013.
A lifelong lover of nature, Katherine Olivia “Kate” Sessions became the first woman to graduate from the University of California with a science degree. Surrounded by pine trees and redwoods her entire life, Katherine was horrified to find a landscape almost entirely void of trees when she moved to San Diego. Determined to bring life back into the dry earth, Kate trailblazed a movement to plant and create beautifully lush parks throughout the city that are still flourishing today.
[SSHEL S-Collection Q. SB. H775t]

Levy, Debbie.
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark. 2016.
As a young girl, Ruth Bader Ginsburg fought for equality and justice for all. As the second female Supreme Court Justice in American history, she overcame prejudices in the jaded political system and continues to triumph for the inalienable rights of American citizens today. This biography of the “Notorious RBG” will inspire readers of all ages.
[SSHEL S-Collection SB. G493l]

Robbins, Dean.
Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing. 2017.
Margaret Hamilton always loved numbers. Her favorite subjects in school were geometry, algebra, and calculus, and she loved using math to solve “real world” problems all around her. Her love of math sent her to the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology and onto becoming one of the key coders for NASA’s most important missions, like putting a man on the moon.
[SSHEL S-Collection Q. SB. H2191r]

Smith, Matthew Clark.
Lighter than Air: Sophie Blanchard, the First Woman Pilot. 2017.
In 18th century France, Sophie Blanchard dreamed of participating in the “balloonomania” craze and taking to the skies in a hot air balloon. Not only did she achieve this dream, but she also became the first woman to ever navigate her own flight completely independently.
[SSHEL S-Collection Q. SB. B6397s]

Stanley, Diane.
Ada Lovelace, Poet of Science: The First Computer Programmer. 2016.
As daughter of the brilliant mathematician Lady Annabella Byron and the famous Romantic poet Lord Byron, Ada Lovelace grew up with an education focused on both the sciences and the liberal arts. Her academically balanced upbringing led Ada to connect both numbers and writing and turn this duo into the first computer program ever written — 100 years before the first computer was even created!
[SSHEL S-Collection Q. SB. L898s]

Stone, Tanya Lee.
Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors?: The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell. 2013.
In the early 19th century, the concept of a “female doctor” was completely absurd. Women were supposed to grow up to be wives, mothers, or teachers. Determined to challenge the status quo and achieve her dream, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to graduate from medical school in the United States. As a social reformer and a champion for women in the medical field, she changed the course of medical history forever.
[SSHEL S-Collection Q. SB. B632s]

Weatherford, Carole Boston.
Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement. 2015.
As one of the most resilient and effective voices in the Civil Rights Movement, Fannie Lou Hamer battled horrific racism and violence as she fought for equality throughout her entire life. During the Freedom Summer of 1964, Hamer gave a televised speech during the Democratic National Convention recounting her experience of assault and beatings while imprisoned for protesting. Despite efforts from President Johnson to interfere with its broadcasting, her speech helped spur the nation’s support of the Freedom Democrats.
[SSHEL S-Collection Q. SB. H214w]

National Women’s History Month

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March is National Women’s History Month, and the National Womens History Project (NWHP) has made this year’s theme writing women back into history. The NWHP challenges you to recognize the importance of women in history by testing your knowledge of women’s history. The History Channel also has information on Women’s History Month, including photo galleries, speeches, and videos on topics including “Women Factory Workers of World War II” and “Maya Angelou on the Women’s Movement.” In addition, for a great picture book to accompany a lesson plan on National Women’s History Month, try My Name is Not Isabella by Jennifer Fosberry (2008). Isabella spends the day imagining herself as different women in history and at the end of the day feels proud to be herself. This book is located in the Education S Collection, call number Q.SE. F781m. For additional resources see the bibliography below, separated into books about women in history and women today.

Women in History

Anderson, Laurie Halse.
Independent Dames: What You Never Knew About the Women and Girls of the American Revolution. 2008.
With page after page of researched information and detailed illustrations, author Laurie Halse Anderson and illustrator Matt Faulkner prove the case for the part of women during the American Revolution in this entertaining, informative, and long overdue homage to those independent dames!
[Education S Collection S.973.3082 An2394i]

Cummins, Julie.
Women Daredevils: Thrills, Chills and Frills. 2008.
The stories of fourteen women during the period from 1880 to 1929 who performed feats of daring from being shot out of a cannon to high-diving on horseback.
[Education S Collection S.791.0922 C9129w]

Hughes, Susan.
No Girls Allowed: Tales of Daring Women Dressed as Men for Love, Freedom and Adventure. 2008.
Based on legends, poems, letters and first-hand accounts, these seven biographical tales tell of women who disguised themselves as men. From ancient Egypt to the 19th century, this historically accurate graphic treatment transports readers to bygone eras. For the sake of freedom, ambition, love or adventure, these women risked everything.
[Education S Collection S.306.77 H8747n]

Klier, Kimberly.
You Can’t Do That, Amelia! 2008.
This whimsically illustrated picture book captures the spirit of a young Amelia Earhart as she follows the dreams that will one day earn her a place in American history as one of the world’s first female pilots and one of the twentieth century’s most acclaimed adventurers. Well researched and supplemented with biographical information, research notes, and additional sources for the curious.
[Education S Collection SB. E121k]

Krull, Kathleen.
A Woman for President: the Story of Victoria Woodhull. 2004.
Do you know the first woman to run for president? The first woman to have a seat on the Stock Exchange? The first woman to own a newspaper? To speak before Congress? They were all Victoria Woodhull; this picture book tells her story.
[Education Storage Q. SB. W891k]

Nelson, Marilyn.
Sweethearts of Rhythm: the Story of the Greatest All-Girl Swing Band in the World. 2009.
A look at a 1940’s all-female jazz band, that originated from a boarding school in Mississippi and found its way to the most famous ballrooms in the country, offering solace during the hard years of the war.
[Education S Collection S.811 N335s]

Stone, Tanya Lee.
Almost Astronauts: 13 Women who Dared to Dream. 2009.
Here is the tale of thirteen women who proved that they were not only as tough as the toughest man but also brave enough to challenge the government. They were blocked by prejudice, jealousy, and the scrawled note of one of the most powerful men in Washington. But even though the Mercury 13 women did not make it into space, they did not lose, for their example empowered young women to take their place in the sky, piloting jets and commanding space capsules.
[Education S Collection S.629.450092 St724a]

Tafolla, Carmen.
Thats Not Fair! Emma Tenayuca’s Struggle for Justice = No es Justo! la Lucha de Emma Tenayuca por la Justicia. 2008.
Bilingual biography of Emma Tenayuca, who, in 1938, led 12,000 poor Mexican-American workers in a strike for better wages and living conditions.
[Education S Collection Q. S.331.88092 T125t:E]

Wheeler, Jill C.
Gertrude Chandler Warner. 2005.
This picture book looks at the life of the author of the popular children’s series “The Boxcar Children.”
[Education S Collection SB. W281w]

Woelfle, Gretchen.
Jeannette Rankin: a Political Pioneer. 2007.
The author has collected photographs, newspaper clippings, campaign materials, and other historical documents to tell the story of the first congresswoman in American history.
[Education S Collection SB. R2113w]

Women Today

Banting, Erinn.
Condoleezza Rice. 2008.
This biography looks at Condoleezza Rice. She was the first African American Secretary of State and the second woman to serve in this position. She was also George W. Bush’s National Security Advisor and returned in 2009 to teaching at Stanford University as a professor in political science.
[Education S Collection SB. R495b]

Bardhan-Quallen, Sudipta.
Jane Goodall: A Twentieth-Century Life. 2008.
Biography of Jane Goodall who at age twenty-six started a six-month project at the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve on Lake Tanganyika, Africa which became her life’s work.
[Education S Collection SB. G646b]

Cooper, Ilene.
Oprah Winfrey: A Twentieth-Century Life. 2007.
Oprah Winfrey has been called the Queen of All Media for good reason–during her more than thirty-year career, she has left an indelible mark on radio, television, film, theater, magazines, and books. Oprah is also a committed humanitarian.
[Education Storage SB. W768c]

Fournel, Kelly.
Great Women from Our First Nations. 2007.
This book looks at women role models from Canada’s “First Nations” — the Native people of Canada.
[Education S Collection S.305.48 F8271g]

Gelfand, Dale Ewa.
Coretta Scott King: Civil Rights Activist. 2007.
Coretta Scott King helped lead the African-American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s and is also an author with a medal named after her for outstanding African American writers in the field of children’s literature. She died in 2006.
[Education S Collection SB. K521g]

Hinman, Bonnie.
Xtreme Athletes: Danica Patrick. 2009.
This book profiles Danica Patrick, the first woman to win an Indy car race. In 2009 she placed third in the Indianapolis 500, the highest finishing place by a woman in the event’s history.
[Education S Collection SB. P314h]

Lashnits, Tom.
Maya Lin. 2007.
Maya Lin is known for her sculpture and landscape art. When she was 21 she won a public competition to become designer for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
[Education S Collection SB. L735la]

Napoli, Donna Jo.
Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya. 2010.
This story is based on the life of Wangari Maathai, the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner who was head of the National Council of Women in Kenya. She started the Green Belt Movement which encourages women to plant trees to improve their environment and quality of life.
[Education S Collection Q. SB. M112n]

Stinson, Kathy.
Love Every Leaf: the Life of Landscape Architect Cornelia Hahn Oberlander. 2008.
This 96-page biography tells Oberlander’s remarkable life’s story, complete with photographs and plans for the imaginative playgrounds and the innovative museum and embassy grounds she has created around the world, and for green rooftops, her latest passion. Young readers will not only learn about the profession, but also will find inspiration in her love for the natural world and the respect and concern she shows for our environment.

[Education S Collection SB. O124s]