March is Women’s History Month, and it’s a time to commemorate, celebrate, and study the vital role of women in American history. So many powerful women in our past have made life what it is today.
Many of these women never set out to be trailblazers but stepped up to face and overcome challenges when called to do so. Just as many were unsung heroes during their lives, but thanks to observances like Women’s History Month and the countless books published about them, we can learn about their lives and triumphs, here are our top book picks for Women’s History Month.
The Women with Silver Wings: The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II by Katherine Sharp Landdeck
The brainchild of trailblazing pilots Nancy Love and Jacqueline Cochran, the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) gave women a chance to serve their country—and to prove that women aviators were just as skilled as men. While not authorized to serve in combat, the WASP helped train male pilots for service abroad and ferried bombers and pursuits across the country.
Ironically, WASPs were considered civilians and paid less than their male counterparts. And for the thirty-eight WASP that did not survive the war, the military did not pay for their funerals.
The WASPs played a vital role in the war effort and have only recently been publicly honored for their service. The Women with Silver Wings is an in-depth, and much-needed, look at these fearless unsung heroes.
Sweet Dreams, Sarah by Vivian Kirkfield
Sarah E. Goode was among the first African-American women to get a US patent. Working in her furniture store, she recognized a need for a multi-use bed and invented her unique cupboard bed through hard work, ingenuity, and determination. She built more than a piece of furniture. She built a life far away from slavery, where her sweet dreams could come true.
The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest by Heather Lang
This picture book biography tells the story of Meg Lowman, a groundbreaking female scientist called a “real life Lorax” by National Geographic, who was determined to investigate the marvelous, undiscovered world of the rainforest treetops.
Meg Lowman was always fascinated by the natural world above her head — the colors, branches, leaves, and mysterious organisms. Meg set out to climb up and investigate the rainforest tree canopies — and to be the first scientist to do so. But she encountered challenge after challenge. Male teachers would not let her into their classrooms; the high canopy was challenging to get to, and people were logging and clearing the forests. Meg never gave up or gave in. She studied, invented, and persevered, creating a future for herself as a scientist and ensuring that the rainforests also had a future. Working closely with Meg Lowman, author Heather Lang and artist Jana Christy beautifully capture Meg’s world in the treetops.
Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor (Volume 4) (People Who Shaped Our World)by Laurie Wallmark
Movie star by day and an ace inventor by night, Hedy Lamarr was a brilliant and trailblazing woman.
To her adoring public, she was a glamorous movie star, widely considered the most beautiful woman in the world. But in private, she was something more: a brilliant inventor. And for many years, only her closest friends knew her secret.
Now Laurie Wallmark and Katy Wu, who collaborated on Sterling’s critically acclaimed picture-book biography Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code, tell the inspiring story of how, during World War Two, Lamarr developed a groundbreaking communications system that still remains essential to the security of today’s technology.
The First Woman in Space: Valentina Tereshkova by Ben Hubbard
This vibrant picture book shares a gripping account of how Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to journey into space on 16 June 1963.
As the post-war world was gripped by the Space Race between the USA and the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union surged ahead by putting the first woman in space in 1963. Discover how Valentina Tereshkova accomplished this top-secret, dangerous mission, from the arduous selection and training to the dangerous flight itself and her triumphant return to Earth.
It is fully illustrated throughout, with fresh, modern artwork breathing new life into this famous story. Perfect for readers aged 8 and up.
Making the Rounds: Defying Norms in Love and Medicine by Patricia Grayhall
What was it like to survive an illegal abortion, come out as a lesbian, and train to become a doctor in the late 1960s and early ’70s—before Roe v. Wade, before Title IX, and in a largely homophobic nation?
In this unflinching and riveting coming-of-age memoir, Patricia Grayhall battles sexism in a male-dominated profession. She plunges into a life that is never boring—and certainly never without passion.
Tossed around in the rough seas of medical training, chronically exhausted and emotionally drained, Patricia chafes at the toxic masculinity of the culture of medicine—and yearns for the same care and support her male colleagues receive from their wives and girlfriends. Although the sexual revolution and women’s movement in 1970s Boston celebrate female eroticism, she finds few role models for moving beyond a desire to sustain a healthy, long-term relationship with a woman. Can she find the love she seeks without jeopardizing her career?
This book, named one of Kirkus Reviews’s Best 100 Indie Books of 2022, is the inspiring true story of how one woman navigates these stormy seas without signposts to reach her goals—often battered, but never broken.
From My Head to My Toes by Aly Raisman (Author), Bea Jackson (Illustrator)
This picture books is a joyful ode to loving and caring for our bodies by Olympic gold medalist and advocate Aly Raisman and bestselling artist Bea Jackson.
My body is my own.
My body is just right for me,
From my head to my toes
From My Head to My Toes gently introduces young readers to the topics of consent and bodily autonomy in a positive way. Cheerful and informative, this story focuses on the powerful message of self-love. Aly’s inspiring words are paired with expert-vetted resources, giving adults the tools to begin having these essential conversations with kids from a young age.
Born Hungry: Julia Child Becomes “the French Chef” by Alex Prud’homme
How did Julia Child become one of America’s most celebrated and beloved chefs? Her grandnephew reveals her story in this picture book that Jacques Pepin calls a “vivid portrait . . . an enjoyable read.” Julia’s kid-friendly recipe for Oeufs Brouillés (Scrambled Eggs) is included!
Julia Child was born hungry, but she was not born a chef. Julia didn’t discover her passion for cooking until she had a life-changing luncheon in France and became determined to share her newfound love of food with everyone.
In Paris, Julia devoured recipe books, shopped in outdoor markets, consumed various foods, and whipped through culinary school. And although she wasn’t always successful in the kitchen, she was determined to “master the art” of French cooking. Through perseverance and grit, Julia became a chef who shared her passion with the world, making cooking fun and turning every meal into a special event.
Alex Prud’homme’s firsthand knowledge, paired with Sarah Green’s vibrant and energetic illustrations, showcases Julia’s life and celebrates her enduring legacy.
My Own Words Paperback by Ruth Bader Ginsburg
The New York Times bestselling book from Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg—“A Comprehensive Look Inside Her Brilliantly Analytical, Entertainingly Wry Mind, reveals the fascinating life of one of our generation’s most influential voices in both law and public opinion” (Harper’s Bazaar).
My Own Words “showcases Ruth Ginsburg’s astonishing intellectual range” (The New Republic). In this collection Justice Ginsburg discusses gender equality, the workings of the Supreme Court, being Jewish, law and lawyers in opera, and the value of looking beyond US shores when interpreting the US Constitution. Throughout her life, Justice Ginsburg has been (and continues to be) a prolific writer and public speaker. This book’s sampling is selected by Justice Ginsburg and her authorized biographers Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams, who introduce each chapter and provide biographical context and quotes gleaned from hundreds of interviews they have conducted.
One More Thing..,
Does your heart long to roam? Find new adventures? Maybe even go on a Pilgrimage?
Evans Bowen’s new book, Pilgrimage: A Modern Seeker’s Guide, speaks to those who crave spiritual travel and soul-seeking adventures.
Inspired by her 500-mile walk on the Camino to Santiago, Spain, with her 20-year-old daughter in 2014, Bowne has created an amazing spiritual guidebook for all those yearning to wander.
Her 40-day pilgrimage inspired this book, and she is also the first one to note that a pilgrimage does not have to involve a trip across the sea or a journey to a faraway place.
“Pilgrimages are personal, profound, and spiritual and as simple or as complex as you’d like.”
A tradition of all religions, Pilgrimage is a journey to sacred sites as an act of devotion and dedication. It is time to expand the definition of Pilgrimage to inform modern life. Taking time to visit a place near home or around the globe, to open the mind and heart to the Divine, brings healing and new meaning to life. Pilgrimage is both an external journey to a place longed for and an internal journey to the center of our most authentic self.
Each part of the journey, from the first desire to visit a holy place to the return home to integrate the experience, becomes the pilgrimage to expand our world, both body and soul. Combining practical steps for the physical journey and 40 days of inspiration for the spirit, this guidebook gives this time-honored journey to the Divine to inform the whole person in our increasingly fragmented world. Click here to view deeper details on this beautiful new book.
