SJPL Picks: Celebrating Women's HistoryLike this list

50 items

• Little Rosetta and the Talking Guitar

  the Musical Story of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the Woman Who Invented Rock and Roll

  Pinkney Barlow, Charnelle,

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  This warm, inspiring story of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, a pioneering Black artist whose rural roots inspired rock-and-roll, shows how she made her dream become reality through hard work and dedication.

• Troublemakers in Trousers

  Women and What They Wore to Get Things Done

  Albee, Sarah,

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  Introduces readers to 21 women, both trailblazers and troublemakers, throughout history who, for different reasons, wore men's clothing, pretended to be men and broke the rules in order to do something they wanted -- or needed -- to do.

• A Take-charge Girl Blazes a Trail to Congress

  the Story of Jeannette Rankin

  Woelfle, Gretchen,

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  This empowering biography of America?s first congresswoman shows how, from a very early age, she was a take-charge girl, becoming an activist who campaigned for women?s voting rights to change the laws that failed to protect children. 15,000 first…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Milloo's Mind

  the Story of Maryam Faruqi, Trailblazer for Women's Education

  Faruqi, Reem,

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  This powerful picture book biography traces the life of Maryam Faruqi, the founder of the Happy Home Schools, which provided education to thousands of girls across India and Pakistan at a time when girls weren't encouraged to go to school.

• The Green Piano

  How Little Me Found Music

  Flack, Roberta,

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  Legendary singer Roberta Flack reflects on her early childhood and her love of music.

• Holding Her Own

  the Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes

  Todd, Traci N.,

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  An inspiring picture book biography of the first Black woman cartoonist to be nationally syndicated in the U.S. who, in post-World War II America, stayed true to her art while remaining honest about the inequalities Black people had been fighting.

• Love Is Loud

  How Diane Nash Led the Civil Rights Movement

  Wallace, Sandra Neil,

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  Introduces young readers to civil rights leader Diane Nash, whose fight against segregation in the 1960s with strong words of truth and action garnered the support of Martin Luther King Jr. and the president himself.

• We're in This Together

  a Young Readers Edition of We Are Not Here to Be Bystanders

  Sarsour, Linda, 1980-

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  In this middle grade edition of We Are Not Here to Be Bystanders, the Muslim American activist author shares the pivotal moments in her life that led her to being an organizer of one of the largest single-day protests in U.S. history.

• She Sang for India

  How M.S. Subbulakshmi Used Her Voice for Change

  Subramaniam, Suma,

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  A timely historical picture book biography of the first Indian woman to perform at the United Nations who used her voice to advocate for justice, feminism and peace through song, changing the world one lyric at a time.

• Wonderful Hair

  the Beauty of Annie Malone

  Catarevas, Eve Nadel, 1957-

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  Madam C. J. Walker is commonly thought to be the first black woman millionaire. That honor actually belongs to Annie Turnbo Malone. Annie turned her personally developed hair products into a thriving business, including a school that taught her…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• If You Were a Princess

  Homzie, Hillary,

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  Through facts and profiles of real-life princesses intertwined throughout, three best friends learn what being a princess truly means, empowering them to work toward making a difference in their own communities.

• The Girl Who Built An Ocean

  An Artist, An Argonaut, and the True Story of the World's First Aquarium

  Keating, Jess,

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  A seamstress for the Parisian aristocracy, Jeanne Villepreux-Power moves to the seaside where she becomes fascinated by the ocean's mysteries, leading to the building of the world's first aquarium that paved the way for countless scientific…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• A Book, Too, Can Be a Star

  the Story of Madeleine L'Engle and the Making of A Wrinkle in Time

  Voiklis, Charlotte Jones,

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  Paints a beautiful portrait of author Madeleine L'Engle and the making of the classic A Wrinkle in Time, revealing how her fascination with the stars and her love of books inspired her to write and share her own.

• I Am Ruby Bridges

  Bridges, Ruby,

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  When Ruby Bridges was six years old, she became the first African American student to integrate an elementary school in the South. Told in the perspective of her six year old self and based on the pivotal events that happened in 1960, Ruby tells her…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• On Her Wings

  the Story of Toni Morrison

  Nolen, Jerdine,

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  his gorgeous nonfiction picture book biography focuses on Toni Morrison, who grew up listening to the stories all around her, as she became a groundbreaking American author writing about her people.

• Phenomenal AOC

  the Roots and Rise of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

  Denise, Anika,

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  In 2019, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest congresswoman in America. How did this young Puertoriqueña become an unstoppable force in politics? Find out in this accessible and engaging book for young readers. AOC's remarkable story begins…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Bessie the Motorcycle Queen

  Smith, Charles R., Jr., 1969-

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  An empowering picture book that inspires children to follow their dreams recounts the story of Bessie Stringfield, the motorcycle queen of Miami and a trailblazer in the world of women's racing and motorcycling, as she crisscrossed the country in…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• A Life of Service

  the Story of Senator Tammy Duckworth

  Soontornvat, Christina,

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  In this narrative biography of Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Army veteran and the first woman with a disability to serve in the House and Senate, children will be riveted by her tireless determination to keep going against staggering odds.

• Finding My Dance

  Thundercloud, Ria,

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  A professional Indigenous dancer, the author shares her dance journey, from dreaming of her future to performing as a professional, in this debut picture book filled with eye-catching illustrations that bring her graceful movements to life.

• Fighting for Yes!

  the Story of Disability Rights Activist Judith Heumann

  Cocca-Leffler, Maryann, 1958-

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  A picture book biography celebrating the life and work of disability rights activist and icon Judith Heumann, highlighting one of her landmark achievements--leading the historic 504 Sit-in in 1977.