Women’s History Month

Biographies of Notable Women

The Brontë Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne by Catherine Reef

To the Victorians, creative writing, or any other sort of artistic undertaking, was considered a male profession. Despite this, three unmarried sisters in Yorkshire—Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë—decided to make a living for themselves by publishing poetry and prose under male pseudonyms. Reef’s biography details their upbringing, their success as authors, and finally, their tragically early deaths. Recommended for Gr 7 Up.

Hidden from History: The Lives of Eight American Women Scientists by Kim K. Zach

Short biographies of eight female scientists who lived and worked during the 20^th century. Their fields of expertise ranged from chemistry, genetics, astronomy, medicine, anatomy, bacteriology, and computer science. Recommended for Gr 7 Up.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: A Woman Living History by Karen Blumenthal

A biography of Hillary Rodham Clinton, the United States’ first female presidential nominee. Recommended for Gr 8 Up.

I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai

A memoir of Malala Yousafzai, an Pakistani girl who, at only 15, survived a near-fatal gunshot to the head by insisting that girls had the right to an education. [Grade recommendation pending]

I Am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields

Biography of Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird and about as far from a Southern Belle as you can get. [Grade recommendation pending]

Rad American Women A-Z by Kate Schatz

In this picture book primer of famous women, the author walks us through twenty-six brief biographies of women both modern and historical. Recommended for Gr 6 Up.

Women’s History and Feminism

#Notyourprincess: Voices of Native American Women, ed. by Lisa Charleyboy

Real-life stories of American Indian women in the modern age. [Grade recommendation pending]

33 Things Every Girl Should Know About Women's History: From Suffragettes to Skirt Lengths to the E.R.A., ed. by Tonya Bolden

Although a bit dated, this anthology is a fascinating hodge-podge of facts on women’s history in America. Inside you will find biographical profiles of famous figures, historical letters and essays, as well as women’s modern-day poetry and prose. [Grade recommendation pending]

Feminism: Reinventing the F-Word by Nadia Abushanab Higgins

A survey of feminism through the ages. History of, etc. Recommended for Gr 9 Up.

Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World, ed. by Kelly Jensen

Anthology of forty-four essays on feminism. Demonstrates the complexity of the concept. Recommended for Gr 9-Up for content best suited for older teens.