Libraries & Librarians

Celebrating Women’s History Month: Inspiring Children’s Books About Trailblazing Women

February 25, 2025

Bridges Instead of Walls: The Story of Mavis Staples by Mavis Staples, with Carole Boston Weatherford. The legendary, 85-year-old gospel singer tells her own story (in the third person) with assistance from well-respected children’s author Weatherford. Staples looks back at her early touring with her family, the racism they experienced, their work with Martin Luther King, Jr., and devotion to the Civil Rights. And today? She’s still singing and reaching out to work with current artists like Jon Baptiste and Ice Cube. Back matter includes a timeline and recommended films and recordings.

Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park by Lori Alexander. When Hoyt and her husband moved to Los Angeles from Mississippi, she would often escape from the urban bustle to her beloved Mojave Desert, full of the strange Joshua trees. However, back in the 1920s, people freely littered in the desert, and conservation of trees was unheard of. Minerva acted, bringing large displays of the desert around the country and enlisting FDR and other officials to have the site become a National Park. Backmatter includes more biographical details and information on wildlife, National Parks, tips for environmental activists, an author’s note and a bibliography.

Finding Rebecca: The Forgotten Life of Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, America’s First Black Female Doctor by Shani Mahiri King. Skewing older than a picture book, this short volume explains how the details of this trailblazer were lost to time, and how the author researched the murky details to piece together a tale of this remarkable life.

Go, Wilma, Go!: Wilma Rudolph, from Athlete to Activist by Amira Rose Davis. After winning three gold medals at the 1960 Olympics in Rome—at just 20 years of age—Rudolph toured Europe, whose integrated cities showed her that life could be different than where she grew up on the segregated American South. Upon her return, her hometown of Clarkesville, Tennessee planned a “Wilma Rudolph Day,” in which she refused to participate unless laws were changed. The backmatter goes into more details of her advocacy work.

World More Beautiful: The Life and Art of Barbara Cooney by Angela Burke Kunkel. Two-time Caldecott winner Cooney grew up in New York City but spent summers in Maine, surrounded by art, light, and color. Her success as an illustrator allowed her to travel and further become inspired by everyday occurrences. It concludes with her raising money to build a local library, and with a note from her child.

I hope you get to read some inspiring books this month as well as share some with children!

This post addresses the core competencies of IV. Knowledge, Curation, and Management of Materials and VII. Professionalism and Professional Development.

The post Celebrating Women’s History Month: Inspiring Children’s Books About Trailblazing Women appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Women’s History Month is around the corner, and it’s time to get your displays ready so children can learn the fascinating and sometimes little-known stories captured in the following children’s books. Dig in and enjoy! Bridges Instead of Walls: The Story of Mavis Staples by Mavis Staples, with Carole Boston Weatherford. The legendary, 85-year-old gospel singer tells her own story (in the third person) with assistance from well-respected children’s author Weatherford. Staples looks back at her early touring with her family, the racism they experienced, their work with Martin Luther King, Jr., and devotion to the Civil Rights. And today? She’s still singing and reaching out to work with current artists like Jon Baptiste and Ice Cube. Back matter includes a timeline and recommended films and recordings. Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park by Lori Alexander. When Hoyt and her husband moved to Los Angeles from Mississippi,…
The post Celebrating Women’s History Month: Inspiring Children’s Books About Trailblazing Women appeared first on ALSC Blog. Read More