After hours upon hours of sorting through my children's book library, I discovered online libraries - what a life saver! I can see every book I own in one place and sort them by theme. To cut a long story short, I've ordered my books (both ones I own and those on my wishlist) into themes and I thought I'd share the most important ones with you. The following books are all books intended to inspire the young women in your lives; they include strong women as main characters, detail famous women's lives and achievements, and discuss important issues facing women in the 21st century.
A is for Awesome! by Eva Chen
Go through the alphabet and discover 23 iconic and inspirational women throughout history. This board book is a great way to introduce young girls to the women who built our society and contributed so much to the way we live now. I particularly love that the woman Eva chose to reresent Y is 'you' (the child reading the story) - such an amazing way to show young girls they can do so much with their lives!
see also: 3 2 1 Awesome! by Eva Chen for more inspirational women
Muslim Girls Rise: Inspirational Champions of our time by Saira Mir
A book detailing the contributions of Muslim women to society and how their childhoods shaped them to be the women they are today. With such vibrant illustrations, Saira discusses the importance of Muslim women to space exploration, cookery, fashion and beyond.
The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker learned to read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard
Learning to read at any age is an accomplishment but at 116? Incredible! Mary Walker was born into slavery in 1848 and freed at age 15, but still never given the opportunity her white counterparts were given; no education. An inspiring tale about perserverance and never giving up when things get hard. Mary proves you can do anyything you want to do, even read!
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty
If your budding feminist is a fiction lover, Ada Twist is a young girl in STEM asking the most important question, "why?". Inspired by Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, this book highlights the importance of women in STEM and the need to stay as curious as a child. This book is part of a series of books surrounding women in STEM and I highly recommed them all!
Nothing Stopped Sophie by Cheryl Bardoe
Have you ever been told something was impossible? So had Sophie Germain. But she didn't believe the male scholars and instead tackled the maths herself. Even when her parents told her to stop studying maths and go to sleep, even when she had to submit college documents under a man's name, nothing stopped Sophie - and she became the first woman to win the Academy of Science Prize.
Malala's Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai
Malala tells her own experience of standing up for equal rights in this gorgeous book. As a child, Malala wished for a magic pencil that would erase the bad from the world and allow her to write her own story. She realised a magic pencil wouldn't help but her hardwork and determination might. This story inspires young girls everywhere to hold onto the hope that there is a better world out there and we might reach it someday.
Grace for President by Kelly Dipucchio
Where are the girls in politics? Grace wonders. When she finds out that the USA has never had a female president, she decides she wants to be the first. First stop - the school election! Grace shows all the personality traits of a good leader; she's brave, fair and works hard for everything she earns. This book is a fantastic way to introduce the electoral system to young girls and offers them a look at what a good candidate is.
Greta's Story: The schoolgirl who went on strike to save the planet by Valentina Camerini
What happens when the policiticans aren't dealing with the issues of global warming and the drastic changes to the environment? Greta decided in 2018 that she was going to make them pay attention. At just 15 years old, she began a strike to save the world.
Pie's from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Dee Romito
Georgia Gilmore is one of the hidden heroes of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, supporting well-known activitists such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. She used her cookery skills to fuel the bus boycott, showing how one person can make a huge difference in the fight for what is right.
Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code by Laurie Wallmark
Women in STEM is something I will always advocate for and this is a beautiful book to show the importance of young women getting involved. Grace faced a lot of discrimination and issues as a woman in STEM but she overcame them all and revolutionised the way we code. She was a bit of a rule breaker and trouble maker, the very definition of "don't ask for permission, ask for forgiveness".