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KPS Librarians Recommend: Books for Women's History Month
Grades K-3 and up
Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks by Suzanne Slade; illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera Gwendolyn Brooks was the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize, receiving the award for poetry in 1950. In 1958, she was named the poet laureate of Illinois. A bold artist, who from a very young age dared to dream, Brooks will inspire young readers to create poetry from their own lives.
Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice by Nikki Grimes; illustrated by Laura Freeman Discover the incredible story of a young daughter of immigrants who would grow up to be the first woman, first Black person, and first South Asian American ever elected vice president of the United States in this moving picture book biography.
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Aldamuy Denise, illustrated by Paolo Escobar Pura Belpré, the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City, came to America in 1921. Finding a new home at the New York Public Library as a bilingual assistant, she shared her popular stories with children of all cultures. Her legacy is celebrated every year with the Pura Belpré Award honoring Latinx youth literature.
Middle Grade
Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World by Sy Montgomery and Temple Grandin This book examines the life and accomplishments of Temple Grandin, whose childhood diagnosis of autism and love of cows led her to revolutionize the livestock industry.
Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier by Jim Ottaviani and Maris Wicks A graphic novel history of women in space, it explores the struggles that American and Russian women, including Mary Cleave, Valentina Tereshkova, and Sally Ride, faced in their quests to become astronauts.
Proud: Living My American Dream (Young Readers Edition) by Ibtihaj Muhammad An autobiography of the Olympic fencer, Ibthihaj M u h a m m a d , tells how she became the first American woman to compete in the Olympics wearing a hijab.
Young Adult
Shattering the Glass: The Remarkable History of Women’s Basketball by Pamela Grundy and Susan Shackleford Drawing on original interviews with players, coaches, administrators, and broadcasters, “Shattering the Glass” presents a moving, gritty view of the game on and off the court. It is an insightful history and an empowering story of the generations of women who have shaped women’s basketball.
Dissenter on the Bench: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Life and Work by Victoria Ortiz Case histories from Justice Ginsburg’s career are interwoven with an account of RBG’s life and her multi-faceted personality. The cases described, many involving young people, demonstrate her passionate concern for gender equality, fairness, and our constitutional rights.
Modern HERstory: Stories of Women and Nonbinary People Rewriting History by Blair Imani With an inclusive approach to history, “Modern HERstory” profiles and celebrates 70 women and nonbinary champions of progressive social change. Despite making huge contributions to the liberation movements of the last century, many of these trailblazers have been under-celebrated because they come from backgrounds and communities that are traditionally overlooked — not just women, but people of color, queer people, trans people, disabled people, young people, and people of faith.