Celebrate Women's History Month by reading one of these great books! Below are biographies and profiles of women from all over the world. If you are looking for some strong female protagonists in historical fiction, check out our booklist!
Women Throughout History
Code Name Badass: the True Story of Virginia Hall by Heather Demetrios
To say Virginia "Dindy" Hall was ambitious would be an understatement. She was that girl at your high school who makes everyone else look like a slacker, no matter how hard they're working. But how many of them can say they've been on Nazi Germany's Most Wanted list? At a time when most women were expected to becomes wives and mothers, Virginia craved adventure. And with the world gearing up for a second World War, this fearless woman knew that she had to find a way to get involved. When the State Department proved to be a sexist boy's club that wouldn't allow her in, she went to England to join their Special Operations unit, which was more than happy to hire this talented, brilliant woman. Even after a terrible accident left her needing a wooden leg, she remained undeterred. Soon Virginia became an essential part of the Allied mission and the French Resistance, earning the dangerous honor of being named "the most dangerous of all Allied spies" by the Gestapo. This is a smart and spirited celebration of Virginia Hall, a woman with audacious courage and kickass spy skills.
Teen Trailblazers: 30 Fearless Girls Who Changed the World Before They Were 20 by Jennifer Calvert
Looks at inspiring and accomplished young women who have done incredible things before the age of twenty, including Cleopatra, Phillis Wheatley, Frida Kahlo, Anne Frank, and Malala Yousafzai.
Rolling Warrior: the Incredible, Sometimes Awkward, True Story of a Rebel Girl on Wheels by Judith Heumann
One of the most influential disability rights activists in US history tells her story of fighting to belong in school and society - a powerful role model for young adults with a passion for activism.
Fight Like a Girl: 50 Feminists Who Changed the World by Laura Barcella
An introduction to the history of feminist activism in the U.S. profiles fifty notable women, including Hillary Clinton, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Roxane Gay.
Wonderful Women of the World by Laurie Halse Anderson
Wonder Woman has been an inspiration for decades, and while not everyone would choose her star-spangled outfit for themselves, her compassion and fairness are worthy of emulation. We'll be presenting tales of the real-world heroes who take up Diana's mantle and work in the fields of science, sports, activism, diplomacy, and more!
Being Jazz: My Life as a (transgender) Teen by Jazz Jennings.
Teen activist and trailblazer Jazz Jennings--named one of "The 25 most influential teens" of the year by Time--shares her very public transgender journey, as she inspires people to accept the differences in others while they embrace their own truths.
How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of a War Child by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
Sandra Uwiringiyimana was just ten years old when she found herself with a gun pointed at her head. The rebels had come at night -- wielding weapons, torches, machetes. She watched as her mother and six-year-old sister were gunned down in a refugee camp, far from their home in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The rebels were killing people who weren't from the same community, the same tribe. In other words, they were killing people simply for looking different. "Goodbye, life," she said to the man ready to shoot her. Remarkably, the rebel didn't pull the trigger, and Sandra escaped into the night. Thus began a new life for her and her surviving family members. With no home and no money, they struggled to stay alive. Eventually, through a United Nations refugee program, they moved to America, only to face yet another ethnic disconnect. Sandra may have crossed an ocean, but there was now a much wider divide she had to overcome. And it started with middle school in New York. In this memoir, Sandra tells the story of her survival, of finding her place in a new country, and of her hope for the future.
On Top of Glass: My Stories as a Queer Girl in Figure Skating by Karina Manta
A memoir of Karina Manta, the first female member of USA Figure Skating to come out as queer.
Brazen by Pénélope Bagieu
With her characteristic wit and dazzling drawings, celebrated graphic novelist Penelope Bagieu profiles the lives of these feisty female role models, some world famous, some little known. From Nellie Bly to Mae Jemison or Josephine Baker to Naziq al-Abid, the stories in this comic biography are sure to inspire the next generation of rebel ladies.
Atomic Women the Untold Stories of the Scientists Who Helped Create the Nuclear Bomb by Roseanne Montillo
They were leaning over the edge of the unknown and afraid of what they would discover there: Meet the World War II female scientists who worked in the secret sites of the Manhattan Project. Recruited not only from labs and universities from across the United States but also from countries abroad, these scientists helped in -- and often initiated -- the development of the atomic bomb, taking starring roles in the Manhattan Project. In fact, their involvement was critical to its success, though many of them were not fully aware of the consequences. The atomic women include: Lise Meitner and Iraene Joliot-Curie (daughter of Marie Curie), who led the groundwork for the Manhattan Project from Europe; Elizabeth Rona, the foremost expert in plutonium, who gave rise to the "Fat Man" and "Little Boy," the bombs dropped over Japan; Leona Woods, Elizabeth Graves, and Joan Hinton, who were inspired by European scientific ideals but carved their own paths.
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