In honor of Women's History Month, we're highlighting children's books that commemorate historic achievements by women, plus a board book that encourages even the youngest "readers" to have a voice.

 

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Feminist Baby Finds Her Voice! by Loryn Brantz

Feminist Baby and her friends aren't afraid to speak up, whether it's about not wanting to take a bath or providing equal rights for everyone.

 

 

A is for Awesome: 23 Iconic Women Who Changed the World by Eva Chen, illustrated by Derek Desierto

Why stick with plain old A, B, C when you can have Amelia (Earhart), Malala, Tina (Turner), Ruth (Bader Ginsburg), all the way to eXtraordinary You--and the Zillion of adventures you will go on? Instagram superstar Eva Chen, author of Juno Valentine and the Magical Shoes, is back with an alphabet board book depicting feminist icons in A Is for Awesome: 23 Iconic Women Who Changed the World, featuring spirited illustrations by Derek Desierto.

 

Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed, illustrated by Stasia Burrington

When young Mae Jemison is asked by her teacher what she wants to be when she grows up, African American Mae tells her mostly white classmates that she wants to be an astronaut, a dream that her parents wholeheartedly support.

 

 

 

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise: How Anne Carroll Moore Created Libraries for Children by Jan Pinborough, illustrated by Debby Atwell

Once upon a time, American children couldn’t borrow library books. Reading wasn’t all that important for children, many thought. Luckily Miss Anne Carroll Moore thought otherwise! This is the true story of how Miss Moore created the first children’s room at the New York Public Library, a bright, warm room filled with artwork, window seats, and most important of all, borrowing privileges to the world’s best children’s books in many different languages.

 

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating, illustrated by Marta Álvarez Miguéns

At 9 years old, Eugenie Clark developed an unexpected passion for sharks after a visit to the Battery Park Aquarium in New York City. At the time, sharks were seen as mindless killing machines, but Eugenie knew better and set out to prove it. Despite many obstacles in her path, Eugenie was able to study the creatures she loved so much. From her many discoveries to the shark-related myths she dispelled, Eugenie's wide scientific contributions led to the well-earned nickname "Shark Lady."

Secret Engineer: How Emily Roebling Built the Brooklyn Bridge by Rachel Dougherty

On a warm spring day in 1883, a woman rode across the Brooklyn Bridge with a rooster on her lap. It was the first trip across an engineering marvel that had taken nearly fourteen years to construct. The woman's husband was the chief engineer, and he knew all about the dangerous new technique involved. The woman insisted she learn as well. When he fell ill mid-construction, her knowledge came in handy. She supervised every aspect of the project while he was bedridden, and she continued to learn about things only men were supposed to know: math, science, engineering. Women weren't supposed to be engineers. But this woman insisted she could do it all, and her hard work helped to create one of the most iconic landmarks in the world. This is the story of Emily Roebling, the secret engineer behind the Brooklyn Bridge.

What Is the Women's Rights Movement? by Deborah Hopkinson

Chronicles the women's rights movement in the United States, from the beginning of the movement in the nineteenth century and the fight for equal rights in the 1960s to such present-day events as the Women's March in 2017.

 

 

 

 

Blast Back! Women's Suffrage by Nancy Ohlin, illustrated by Roger Simó

When people think about the women's suffrage movement, things like voting rights and protests may come to mind. But what was the movement all about, and what social change did it bring? This engaging nonfiction book, complete with black-and-white interior illustrations, will make readers feel like they've traveled back in time. It covers everything from the history of women's rights in the U.S. to women's suffrage movements across the world, and more. Find out interesting, little-known facts such as how the suffragists were the first people to ever picket the White House and how the nineteenth amendment granting women the right to vote passed by only one vote when a legislator changed his vote to "yes" after receiving a letter from his mother telling him to "do the right thing.

Stop by your local library to check them out!

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Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.