10 Collective Biographies for Women's History Month

March is dedicated to celebrating women's contributions to history, culture, and society in the U.S. These 10 collective biographies of hardworking, determined, fierce women will teach and inspire young readers.

March is dedicated to celebrating women's contributions to history, culture, and society in the U.S. But all around the globe, women are working for a more just and accepting world. These 10 collective biographies of hardworking, determined, fierce women will teach and inspire young readers.

 

Troublemakers in Trousers: Women and What They Wore to Get Things Done by Sarah Albee. illus. by Kaja Kajfez­. Charlesbridge. ISBN 9781623540951. 
Gr 4-9–The prolific Albee explores the impact of social mores in which women had to break the law, confounding social order to achieve their goals—in pants. With such an engaging premise, the stories of 20 women are detailed. Women disguised themselves as men for many reasons: fighting for freedom, supporting their families, and creating art. The strength of these short biographies is the subjects themselves; a diverse, international, and exceptional group.

Colors of Awesome!: 24 Bold Women Who Inspired the World by Eva Chen. illus. by Derek Desierto. Feiwel & Friends. ISBN 9781250816672. 
K-Gr 4–This color-themed picture book showcases the accomplishments of 24 iconic women via short descriptions of their lives, quotes, and lavish cartoon illustrations. The activists, scientists, artists, and entertainers highlighted in the text are grouped by the colors they have worn in their most recognizable moments. Chen describes the feelings evoked by a particular hue and what that color can represent, summarizes important moments in the lives of the women, and includes a direct quote from each of them featured in a speech bubble.

She Persisted in Science: Brilliant Women Who Made a Difference by Chelsea Clinton. illus. by Alexandra Boiger. Philomel. ISBN 9780593353295. 
K-Gr 3–This collective biography of diverse women scientists—doctors, mathematicians, botanists, climate activists, and more—powerfully demonstrates that women’s contributions to science have improved the world, and continue to do so. Florence Nightingale, Jane Goodall, and Temple Grandin are joined by women who are not always featured in classrooms but who are equally important—Gladys West, Zaha Hadid, and Ellen Ochoa. 

 Stand Up!: 10 Mighty Women Who Made a Change by Brittney Cooper. illus. by Cathy Ann Johnson. Orchard. ISBN 9781338763850. 
K-Gr 3–This empowering picture book explains that “Standing up is a powerful thing.” Readers are reminded that when they first learned to stand, their view of the world changed. Standing up for what one believes can also be a shift in perspective and can take many forms. All ten of the Black women and girls in this book chose to speak out, act on their convictions, and resist the pressure to sit down and be quiet in the face of what they saw to be unjust. 

 Girls Who Green: Thirty-Four Rebel Women Out to Save Our Planet by Diana Kapp. illus. by Ana Jarén. Delacorte. ISBN 9780593428054. 
Gr 6 Up–Readers will be energized by these diverse women who are actively problem-solving the greatest challenges of climate change while making money. Each profile includes a full-color illustrated, personable portrait, a fun-fact survey, each entrepreneur’s life story, and the genesis of the seed idea to its funding and development into a green business. 

 

Gamer Girls: 25 Women Who Built the Video Game Industry by Mary Kenney. illus. by Salini Perera. Running Pr. ISBN 9780762474561. 
Gr 7 Up–Video games wouldn’t be what they are today without the contribution of women from all around the world. Women have been integral in shaping the field, from some of the first text-based games in the 1970s to the high-tech games players know and love today. This engaging book features 25 women, including women of color, trans women, teenagers, and women who changed careers later in life. 

Women Who Led the Way: Great Explorers and Adventurers by Mick Manning. illus. by Brita Granström. Otter-Barry. ISBN 9781913074432. 
Gr 4-7–The notion that a woman’s age, ethnicity, education, financial circumstances, or nationality does not define her abilities or passions is the theme of this delightfully illustrated book. Manning showcases these explorers and adventurers by recreating their stories in short, first-person conversational narratives. 

Mathematics for Ladies: Poems on Women in Science by Jessy Randall. Goldsmiths. ISBN 9781913380489. 
Gr 7 Up–Beginning with an explanatory foreword, this book of short, free verse poems introduces a wide array of remarkable women. Seventy poems range from short anecdotal snippets to deeper reflections, all intriguing and serving as invitations to discover more about the featured scientist, engineer, mathematician, or physician. 

Rebel Girls Powerful Pairs: 25 Tales of Mothers and Daughters. Rebel Girls. ISBN 9781734877076. 
Gr 2-4–This pocket-size volume celebrates the powerful things mothers and daughters can accomplish together. The 25 selections include songwriters, activists, hikers, scientists, influencers, and more. The short biographies emphasize the strength of the mother-daughter bond and how they came to join forces for the good of the world. 

Idea Makers: 15 Fearless Female Entrepreneurs by Lowey Bundy Sichol. Chicago Review. ISBN 9781641606745. 
Gr 6-10–An entrepreneur can be defined as an innovator who creates and operates a new business, taking on most of the risks and realizing most of the rewards. This engaging book embraces this definition as it introduces readers to inspirational risk-takers. The book is organized by the specific topics of food, health and beauty, science and technology, education, and clothing and fashion.

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