THIS is something that’s super duper important to Dan and I. We find a lot of the literature out there is still kind of tinged with narratives we’d rather not continue, so when a viewer reached-out with a list of baby & kids books with a strong female lead, I jumped at the opportunity to share her list! She’s a librarian and therefore comes across all kinds of books like this in her day to day. I am so pleased to be able to share it with y’all.
Catch up on our baby news! The future is female, Baby Update #1, We’re Having a Baby
For me, Feminism was ultimately about the right for a woman to chose her own path and course in life, and if she chooses the #princess route, more power to her! That being said, I want our baby girl to grow up reading tales of strong girls and women (and people who identify as women) who can save themselves, help others, and are ultimately masters of their own fate.
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Baby Board Books with a Strong Female Lead
Feminist Baby By Loryn Brantz
Meet the irrepressible Feminist Baby in this refreshing, clever board book about a girl who’s not afraid to do her own thing, and wants to make as much noise as possible along the way!
Baby Feminists By Libby Babbott-Klein
What do Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mae Jemison, Frida Kahlo, Barack and Michelle Obama, Gloria Steinem, Dorothy Pitman Hughes, Billie Jean King, Yoko Ono, and Malala Yousafzai have in common? They’re all feminists– and they were all once babies!
Little Feminist Board Book Set by
Mudpuppy’s Little Feminist Board Book Set is comprised of colorful illustrated portraits of real women who have made historical impact on the world.
ABC for Me: ABC What Can She Be? by
Not even the sky is the limit with this fun approach to learning the alphabet. In this title from Walter Foster Jr, ABC What Can She Be? encourages young girls by presenting a colorful variety of choices for their future careers.
Feminist Baby! He’s a Feminist Too! By Loryn Brantz
Kids Books with a strong Female Lead
Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty
Rosie may seem quiet during the day, but at night she’s a brilliant inventor of gizmos and gadgets who dreams of becoming a great engineer. When her great-great-aunt Rose (Rosie the Riveter) comes for a visit and mentions her one unfinished goal–to fly–Rosie sets to work building a contraption to make her aunt’s dream come true.
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty
Scientist Ada has a boundless imagination and has always been hopelessly curious. Not afraid of failure, Ada embarks on a fact-finding mission and conducts scientific experiments, all in the name of discovery. But, this time, her experiments lead to even more stink and get her into trouble!
Me…Jane by Patrick McDonnell
This book dives into the childhood imagination of the renowned Dr. Jane Goodall. This story shows her love of nature and how she fulfilled her dreams of living a life protecting animals, including gorillas.
I am Rosa Parks by Brad Meltzer
Each book tells the story of one of America’s icons in a vivacious, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, those who aren’t quite ready for the Who Was biography series. Each book focuses on a particular character trait that made that role model heroic.
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes her Mark by Debbie Levy
Get to know celebrated Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg — in the first picture book about her life — as she proves that disagreeing does not make you disagreeable! Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has spent a lifetime disagreeing: disagreeing with inequality, arguing against unfair treatment, and standing up for what’s right for people everywhere.
Who Says Women Can’t be Doctors?: The story of Elizabeth Blackwell By Tanya Lee Stone
In the 1830s, when a brave and curious girl named Elizabeth Blackwell was growing up, women were supposed to be wives and mothers. But Elizabeth refused to accept the common beliefs that women weren’t smart enough to be doctors, or that they were too weak for such hard work. This inspiring story of the first female doctor shows how one strong-willed woman opened the doors for all the female doctors to come.
The Most Magnificent Thing By Ashley Spires
The girl has a wonderful idea. But making her magnificent thing is anything but easy, and the girl tries and fails, repeatedly. Eventually, the girl gets really, really mad. She is so mad, in fact, that she quits. But after her dog convinces her to take a walk, she comes back to her project with renewed enthusiasm and manages to get it just right.
Eloise By Kay Thompson
Eloise lives with her nanny at The Plaza Hotel in New York. The daughter of extremely rich parents, she is left daily to her own devices. She knows everything about The Plaza and everyone in it. Henry James would want to study her. Queen Victoria would recognize her as an Equal. The New York Jets would want to have her on their side. Lewis Carroll would love her (once he got over the initial shock).
Grace for President! By Kelly DiPucchio
When Grace’s teacher reveals that the United States has never had a female president, Grace decides to be the first. And she immediately starts off her political career as a candidate in the school’s mock election. But soon, she realizes that she has entered a tough race.
The Girl and the Bicycle By Mark Pett
A little girl sees a shiny new bicycle in the shop window. She hurries home to see if she has enough money in her piggy bank, but when she comes up short, she knocks on the doors of her neighbors, hoping to do their yardwork. They all turn her away except for a kindly old woman. The woman and the girl work through the seasons, side by side. They form a tender friendship. When the weather warms, the girl finally has enough money for the bicycle.
Infinity and Me By Kate Hosford
Uma can’t help feeling small when she peers up at the night sky. She begins to wonder about infinity. Is infinity a number that grows forever? Is it an endless racetrack? Could infinity be in an ice cream cone? Uma soon finds that the ways to think about this big idea may just be . . . infinite.
Elena’s Serenade By Campbell Geeslin and Ana Juan
Who ever heard of a girl glassblower? In Mexico, where the sun is called el sol and the moon is called la luna, a little girl called Elena wants to blow into a long pipe…and make bottles appear, like magic.
But girls can’t be glassblowers. Or can they?
Violet the Pilot By Steve Breen
By the time she’s two years old, Violet Van Winkle can fix nearly any appliance in the house. The kids at school tease her, but they have no idea what she’s capable of. Maybe she could earn their respect by winning the blue ribbon in the upcoming Air Show. Or maybe something even better will happen, something involving her best ever invention, a Boy Scout troop in peril, and even the mayor himself!
Little Dreamers: Visionary Women around the World By Vashti Harrison
Featuring the true stories of 35 women creators, ranging from writers to inventors, artists to scientists, Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World inspires as it educates. Readers will meet trailblazing women. Some names are known, some are not, but all of the women had a lasting effect on the fields they worked in.
Ara the Star Engineer By Komal Sing
Ara is a young girl who loves BIG numbers. She wants to count all the stars in the sky… but how? This is an upbeat adventure of Ara and her sidekick droid, DeeDee (“Beep!”). They use smarts and grit to solve a BIG problem and discover an amazing algorithm! A quest that takes them through a whirlwind of intriguing locations at Innovation Plex – Data Centre, Ideas Lab, Coding Pods, and X-Space.
Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women By Elena Favilli
“Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls” is a children’s book packed with 100 bedtime stories about the life of 100 extraordinary women from the past and the present, illustrated by 60 female artists from all over the world. Each woman’s story is written in the style of a fairy tale. Each story has a full page, full color portrait that captures the spirit of the portrayed hero.
Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls 2: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women By Elena Favilli
The authors, Francesca Cavallo and Elena Favilli, will take you and your kids on an empowering journey through 100 new bedtime stories, featuring the adventures of extraordinary women from Nefertiti to Beyoncé. The unique narrative style of “Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls” transforms each biography into a fairy-tale, filling the readers with wonder and with a burning curiosity to know more about each hero.
She Persisted By Chelsey Clinton
Chelsea Clinton introduces tiny feminists, mini activists and little kids who are ready to take on the world to thirteen inspirational women who never took no for an answer, and who always, inevitably and without fail, persisted.
Little People, BIG DREAMS: Women in Art By Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Meet three inspirational women from the world of art: Frida Kahlo, Coco Chanel, and Audrey Hepburn! This boxed gift set of three hardcover books from the internationally best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series introduces little dreamers to the lives of these incredible women who worked in the arts…and changed the world.
Little People, BIG DREAMS: Women in Science By Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Meet three inspirational women from the world of science: Ada Lovelace, Amelia Earhart, and Marie Curie! This boxed gift set of three hardcover books from the internationally best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series introduces little dreamers to the lives of these incredible women who worked in the field of science…and changed the world.
*** This series has countless books for famous women and men, not just the two collections listed here.
For the right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story By Rebecca Langston-George
She grew up in a world where women were supposed to be quiet. But Malala Yousafzai refused to be silent. She defied the Taliban’s rules, spoke out for education for every girl, and was almost killed for her beliefs. This powerful true story of how one brave girl named Malala changed the world proves that one person really can make a difference.
Hillary Rodham Clinton: Some Girls are Born to Lead By Michelle Markel
In the 1950s, it was a man’s world. Girls weren’t supposed to act smart, tough, or ambitious. Even though, deep inside, they may have felt that way. And then along came Hillary. Brave, brilliant, and unstoppable, she was out to change the world.
I am Michelle Obama: The First Lady By Margina Graham Parker
This book captures the life of Michelle Obama through the eyes of a young girl who aspires to be like her. Through the book she finds out that there is much more to the First Lady Michelle Obama than just a stunning outward appearance. Her mom points out her many accomplishments and outstanding achievements as a woman by telling the story of her life from a young girl, to being a young woman, to becoming a wife, then a mother, and ultimately becoming the First Lady of the United States of America.
Dear Girl By Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosenthal
Dear Girl, is a remarkable love letter written for the special girl in your life; a gentle reminder that she’s powerful, strong, and holds a valuable place in the world.
What If… By Samantha Berger
The girl in this book loves to draw, paint, and write stories, but one day she wonders: what would happen if she had no pencil? Well, that’s easy: she could fold paper to make origami. If the paper was gone… well, she could “chisel the table” or peel away paint on the wall to create a giant sun! In fact, she realizes, creativity and self-expression is something that’s impossible to take away: as long as you have your imagination, your art can always fly free.
The Very Last Castle By Travis Jonker
Everyone in Ibb’s village is sure there is something awful behind the walls of the nearby castle, but Ibb isn’t sure. When she can’t catch the eye of the lone guardsman, she rallies her courage and knocks on the door. It turns out that he’s guarding — and tending — a marvelous topiary garden, and with Ibb’s help, he not only makes some friends in town, but also agrees to make the garden into a public space for all to enjoy.
I am a Warrior Goddess By Jennifer Adams and Carme Lemniscates
You don’t have to be a grownup to be a hero! I Am a Warrior Goddess shows how in the empowering tale of a little girl with big aspirations. Through the clever play between illustration and text, readers see that each day is full of opportunities for little people to make a big impact with ordinary actions.
I’m a Girl! By Yasmeen Ismail
I’m supposed to be made of sugar and spice and all things nice. But I’m sweet and sour and not a little flower. I am a girl! I am a girl! I am a girl!
The girl in this book likes to win, she likes to be spontaneous, fast and strong, and because she also likes to dress in t-shirt and shorts, she is forever getting mistaken for a boy. And when she meets a boy who likes wearing princess dresses and playing dolls, they both quickly discover that they share interests that are wide and varied.
Baby Feminists By Libby Babbott-Klein
What do Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mae Jemison, Frida Kahlo, Barack and Michelle Obama, Gloria Steinem, Dorothy Pitman Hughes, Billie Jean King, Yoko Ono, and Malala Yousafzai have in common? They’re all feminists– and they were all once babies!
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Katia Guzzardi B.A., BLib.so generously put this list together for me, so THANK YOU! Girl knows what she’s talking about. Here’s what she has to say about this list
“In the last 10-15 years, collectively within the library profession, we have realized that less than 10% of books published within that time frame have a strong female lead. Typically, when we do see female characters in books, they tend to be in support roles for strong male leads, and therefore don’t display their own aspirations. Even more concerning, a lot of the books we do see with female characters, tend to see these characters fulfill the princess role, awaiting a prince. This type of narrative is not conducive to a good sense of self, worthiness or even a sense of independence for young girls.
As a librarian working in a the kindergarten to grade eight setting, I have created this list of thirty books with strong female leads; this one in particular is for young readers and introduces difficult concepts in easy-to-read books for girls. We see everything from women in history and their contributions, to brand new characters paving the way through their own story. Most importantly, by uplifting women and girls through literature, we are not downgrading men and young boys but rather creating well rounded individuals. “
