Welcome to Day 3 of my Girl Power Books series! Throughout this week, I will be sharing books about strong women, both real and fictional, that will inspire and engage readers of all ages! If you have missed previous days, check out the other links here!

My parents raised my sister and I to believe that we could do anything. I want my daughter to grow up believing the same. So in addition to trying to be a great role model for her, I am always looking for books that share stories of inspirational women that she can look up to. From women in government to women who took a stand, these are all remarkable women that I want my daughter to know. There are some wonderful books about women in history, and this list includes some of our favorites right now.

Standard Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission from purchases you make through the links in this post. I received some of these books in exchange for my honest review. These will be marked with an *. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth’s Long Walk Toward Freedom*

Written by Gary D.  Schmidt and illustrated by Daniel Minter

This emotional tale of Sojourner Truth’s life begins when she is a child born into slavery. As the story follows her through childhood into adulthood, it shares the terrible tragedies of slavery, as well as the ways that her family was constantly torn apart. The rest of the book shares details of the years she spent travelling the country and sharing the terrible truths about slavery. The text is interspersed with lyrical poetry about slavery and freedom. The detailed and sumptuous illustrations use a variety of beautiful techniques to add to the emotion of the story. The back of the book includes biographical notes, a bibliography, and notes from the illustrator.

Aim for the Skies: Jerrie Mock and Joan Merriam Smith’s Race to Complete Amelia Earhart’s Quest*

Written by Aimee Bissonette and illustrated by Doris Ettlinger

In this inspirational tale, two women go on a quest to chase their dreams and honor their hero – Amelia Earhart. Both women had dreams of finishing Amelia Earhart’s trip around the world, and they happened to plan their flights around the same time. The news coverage pitted them against one another and made it a race to finish. The story details the troubles that both of them had to overcome both overseas and at home to fulfill their quest, and shares the remarkable determination that they both showed. The illustrations are beautiful and delicate, showcasing some of the beautiful sites that they saw and the troubles they encountered. The back of the book includes author’s notes and a bibliography.

Turning Pages: My Life Story*

Written by Sonia Sotomayor and illustrated by Lulu Delacre

In this fun spin on the typical biography, Sonia Sotomayor uses her favorite childhood books to show how the written word shaped her life and the person she would become. The text explores the many books that she has read and loved, and how each played an important role in her life. The illustrations are detailed and imaginative, using different colors and techniques to show the many phases of her life. Read more about this book here, as well as how we used it to examine the important books in our lives!

Pocket Bios: Rosa Parks*

Written and illustrated by Al Berenger

This small biography introduces young readers to Rosa Parks and her legacy. Each two page spread focuses on a set of years in her life. The text is very easy for young kids to understand. The illustrations are brightly colored and engaging, drawing little ones into the story. This is a great way to teach young readers about this important woman and her place in history.

For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story

Written by Rebecca Langston-George and illustrated by Janna Bock

This remarkable story about Malala Yousafzai introduces readers to the young Nobel Peace Prize recipient. The text dives into her history with education as well as her desire to continue learning, despite the threats from the Taliban. The illustrations are beautiful and colorful, showcasing her determination and optimism despite all the fear and danger she has faced.

Mary Wears What She Wants

Written and illustrated by Keith Negley

This book shares the remarkable story of Mary Edwards Walker, a doctor who was repeatedly arrested for wearing pants. The story follows her on her quest to challenge the rules and stand up for what she believes is right, even when it costs her. The illustrations use a blue, red and yellow color palette and cartoon like characters to engage kids in the historical story. The end of the book includes a note from the author with more information on Mary Edward Walker’s life and accomplishments.

Anthologies of Amazing Women

A Is for Awesome!: 23 Iconic Women Who Changed the World*

Written by Eva Chen and illustrated by Derek Desierto

This compilation of strong women uses the letters of the alphabet to introduce readers to remarkable women and their accomplishments. For each letter, the simple text explores the remarkable accomplishments of the woman featured. It often uses alliteration to emphasize the woman’s qualities as well. (Some of the letters focus on encouraging the reader to be fabulous on her own, hence 23 women and not 26). The illustrations are colorful and eye catching, highlighting each woman’s talents.

Dream Big, Little One

Written by Vashti Harrison

This engaging board book adaptation of Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by the same author, explores the accomplishments of 18 amazing black women in American history. The simple text tells the reader what each woman did (in very few words), while the cute illustrations include subtle details about their work and legacies. This is a great introduction to inspirational black women for very young readers. It is also a great jumping off point for further research and discussion.

Heroes for My Daughter

Written by Brad Meltzer

This compilation of inspirational women (and men) was put together by the author so he could share their amazing stories with his daughter. The people in this book range from visionaries and historical figures to artists and comedians. All of them have remarkable stories to share. The way he presents them is easy for kids of various age levels to understand and appreciate. The book even includes a space at the end for the reader to include the story of her own hero.

Tomorrow…

Come back tomorrow for Day 4 of my Girl Power Series, when I will be sharing books about strong and intelligent princesses!

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