SJPL Picks: Celebrating Women's HistoryLike this list

50 items

• Be the Light

  How She Became Angela Davis

  Peoples, Daria,

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  Before she was an iconic civil rights activist, before she was one of the FBI’s Most Wanted, before she was a teacher, Angela Davis was a young girl in Birmingham, Alabama. In this resonant and timely picture book biography of Angela Davis,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Dragonflies of Glass

  the Story of Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls

  Rubin, Susan Goldman,

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  Dragonflies of Glass celebrates the innovation, determination, and ambition of the brilliant woman artist behind the world-famous Tiffany glass. In the mid-nineteenth century, most women who weren't raising families became teachers or nurses. But…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• A Line Can Go Anywhere

  the Brilliant, Resilient Life of Artist Ruth Asawa

  McAlister, Caroline, 1960-

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  Growing up on a dusty farm in central California, Aiko Ruth Asawa lived between two worlds. She was Aiko to some and Ruth to others, an invisible line she balanced on every day. But when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, thrusting the world into war,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Lady of the Lines

  How Maria Reiche Saved the Nazca Lines by Sweeping the Desert

  MacColl, Michaela,

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  When visiting Peru in 1941, Maria Reiche trekked across the land and discovered hidden lines covered in centuries of clay and sand. But in the midst of these discoveries, she found out the land was going to be used for farming. She got to work…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Ablaze

  the Story of America's First Female Smokejumper

  Lawson, Jessica, 1980-

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  Deanne loved being outdoors. As she grew older, her love of nature only grew. So when the heat rose each fire season and the blazes burned near and far, she noticed. Deanne knew she had to do her part in fighting the fires. She spent years on…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• A Banquet for Cecilia

  How Cecilia Chiang Revolutionized Chinese Food in America

  Leung, Julie,

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  Relish in the savory, tangy, and sometimes spicy dishes of Cecilia Chiang, a revolutionary who changed the way Americans viewed Chinese food. From an early age, Cecilia Chiang could be found delighting in the sounds and smells from her favorite…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Becoming a Ballerina

  the Story of Michaela Mabinty DePrince

  Obuobi, Laura,

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  A triumphant nonfiction picture book about ballet star Michaela Mabinty DePrince, one of the most celebrated ballerinas of our generation. This lyrical true tale follows her childhood, from Sierra Leone orphan to world famous dancer.

• The Girl Who Wore Pants

  Isern, Susanna,

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  Luisa was a brave girl from Puerto Rico who, ever since she was young, fought for what she believed was right and defended women's rights. She lived in a time when women had to wear skirts, even though they were often uncomfortable and did not allow…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Yvonne Clark and Her Engineering Spark

  Wells, Allen R.

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  Based on a true story, this inspiring picture book is about a curious, tinkering girl who grew up to become one of the first Black female engineers for NASA.

• At Last She Stood

  How Joey Guerrero Spied, Survived, and Fought for Freedom

  Kelly, Erin Entrada,

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  A biography of the legendary and inspiring Josefina "Joey" Guerrero: World War II spy, Filipina guerrilla fighter, war hero, Medal of Freedom recipient, leprosy survivor, teacher, and peacemaker.

• Best Believe

  the Tres Hermanas, a Sisterhood for the Common Good

  Ramos, NoNieqa,

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  Rhythmic verse presents three sisters who moved from Puerto Rico to New York City as children and grew up to be pioneering activists in their Bronx community, focusing on schools, libraries, and the arts.

• Daughter of the Light-footed People

  the Story of Indigenous Marathon Champion Lorena Ramírez

  Cabot, Belen Medina,

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  From the copper canyons of Mexico her swift footsteps echo. Clip clap, clip clap. Experience a 60-mile run with indigenous athlete Lorena Ramirez, who captured the world's attention when she won an ultramarathon in Mexico wearing a skirt and rubber…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Bridges Yuri Built

  Williams, Kai Naima,

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  Growing up an Asian-American in Southern California during the Interwar period, Yuri Kochiyama joined clubs and volunteered to better her community. From Yuri’s incarceration in a Japanese-American concentration camp during World War II to her…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Dazzling Zelda

  the Story of Fashion Designer Zelda Wynn Valdes

  Lewis, Aura,

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  The dazzling true story of Black fashion icon and design pioneer Zelda Wynn Valdes, whose dresses, gowns, and costumes helped make people shine.

• The Girl Who Figured It Out

  The Inspiring True Story of Wheelchair Athlete Minda Dentler Becoming An Ironman World Champion

  Dentler, Minda,

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  The uplifting true story of Minda Dentler, the first female wheelchair athlete to complete the Ironman World Championship triathlon. Minda Dentler made history when she became the first female wheelchair athlete to complete the world's toughest…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Up, Up, Ever Up!

  Junko Tabei : a Life in the Mountains

  Yasuda, Anita,

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  Junko Tabei dreamed of a life climbing mountains. But men refused to climb with her. Sponsors told her to stay home. And gloves were not made to fit her hands. Junko, eager and unstoppable, wouldn’t let these obstacles get in her way. Instead, she…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Toypurina

  Japchivit Leader, Medicine Woman, Tongva Rebel

  Stone, Cheyenne M.,

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  This bold picture book highlights an important, lesser-known leader in Indigenous history, medicine woman Toypurina, who led a revolt against the San Gabriel mission and Spanish colonization in California on October 25, 1785.

• Go Forth and Tell

  the Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller

  McDaniel, Breanna J.,

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  A luminous picture book biography about librarian and storyteller Augusta Baker, the first Black coordinator of children's services at all branches of the New York Public Library.

• The Heartbeat Drum

  the Story of Carol Powder, Cree Drummer and Activist

  Havrelock, Deidre,

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  Author Deidre Havrelock's and illustrator Aphelandra's The Heartbeat Drum is an uplifting picture book biography of a Cree activist and musician who founded an Indigenous hand drumming group, led by women and children, that spreads joy, healing, and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Mercedes Sosa

  Voice of the People

  Perez-Prado, Aixa,

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  Mercedes Sosa was an Argentinean folksinger and human rights advocate. Affectionately known as La Negra, Mercedes used her musical talents and powerful voice to speak out against poverty and inequality in her home country.