WOMXN’S HISTORY MONTH READING LIST Brooklyn Children’s Museum (BCM) works to ensure that all children have access to cultural learning opportunities that build empathy, encourage creative thought and problem solving, and inspire global citizenship. We believe in the power of culture to help children and families find comfort, resilience and stimulation. We are releasing a series of booklists curated by The Conscious Kid National Children’s Social Justice Library, an ​organization that promotes multicultural literacy, anti-bias and empowerment through access to diverse children’s books. All books featured in this reading list support our commitment to cultural learning and will be available to read at BCM throughout Womxn’s History Month. Brooklyn Children’s Museum • brooklynkids.org • The Conscious Kid Library • theconsciouskid.org MY NAME IS CELIA/ME LLAMO CELIA: THE LIFE OF CELIA CRUZ/LA VIDA DE CELIA CRUZ Monica Brown, Illustrated by Rafael Lopez This bilingual book allows young readers to enter Celia
Cruz's life as she becomes a well-known singer in her
homeland of Cuba, then moves to New York City and
Miami where she and others create a new type of
music called salsa. ​School Library Journal​ has named
My Name is Celia ​“[a]n exuberant picture-book
biography...a brilliant introduction to a significant
woman and her music.” Ages 5-8.
I DISSENT: RUTH BADER GINSBURG MAKES HER MARK Debbie Levy, Illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley 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. This
biographical picture book about the Notorious RBG,
tells the justice’s story through the lens of her many
famous dissents, or disagreements. Ages 4-8.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400 SHINING STAR: THE ANNA MAY WONG STORY Paula Yoo, Illustrated by Lin Wang
Born in 1905, Anna May Wong spent her childhood
working in her family's laundry in Los Angeles’s
Chinatown. Whenever she could afford it, Anna May
slipped off to the movies, escaping to a world of
adventure, glamour, and excitement. After seeing a
movie being filmed in her neighborhood, young Anna
May was hooked. She decided she would become a
movie star! Anna May struggled to pursue an acting
career in Hollywood in the 1930s. There were very few
roles for Asian Americans, and many were demeaning
and stereotypical, but she made the most of each
limited part. Finally, after years of unfulfilling roles,
Anna May began crusading for more meaningful
opportunities for herself and other Asian American
actors. As the first Chinese American movie star she
was a pioneer of the cinema. Her spirited determination
in the face of discrimination is an inspiration to all who
must overcome obstacles so that their dreams may
come true." Ages 6-11.
WILMA UNLIMITED: HOW WILMA RUDOLPH BECAME THE WORLD’S FASTEST WOMAN Kathleen Krull, Illustrated by David Diaz
Before Wilma Rudolph was five years old, polio had
paralyzed her left leg. Everyone said she would never
walk again. But Wilma refused to believe it. Not only
would she walk again, she vowed, she'd run. And she
did run—all the way to the Olympics, where she
became the first American woman to earn three gold
medals in a single olympiad. This dramatic and
inspiring true story is illustrated in bold watercolor and
acrylic paintings by Caldecott Medal-winning artist
David Diaz. Ages 4-7.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400 MAMA MITI: WANGARI MAATHAI AND THE TREES OF KENYA Donna Jo Napoli, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Through artful prose and beautiful illustrations, Donna
Jo Napoli and Kadir Nelson tell the true story of
Wangari Muta Maathai, known as “Mama Miti,” who in
1977 founded the Green Belt Movement, an African
grassroots organization that has empowered many
people to mobilize and combat deforestation, soil
erosion, and environmental degradation. Today more
than 30 million trees have been planted throughout
Mama Miti’s native Kenya, and in 2004 she became the
first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Wangari Muta Maathai has changed Kenya tree by
tree—and with each page turned, children will realize
their own ability to positively impact the future. Ages
4-8.
SKY HIGH: THE TRUE STORY OF MAGGIE GEE Marissa Moss, Illustrated by Carl Angel
Maggie dreamed of flying—just like her favorite pilot,
Amelia Earhart. She told her brothers and sisters
stories of flying across oceans and deserts, and all
around the world. But in the 1920s and 1930s, few girls
took to the sky. Then, when Maggie grew up, her whole
world changed overnight: the United States entered
World War II, and everyone in her family was affected.
Maggie knew that this was the time to support her
country—and it was her chance to fly. Young Maggie
Gee became one of only two Chinese American
Women Airforce Service Pilots to serve in WWII. Based
on the true adventures of a girl not bound by gravity,
Marissa Moss's stirring story and Carl Angel's brilliant
illustrations depict what determination, bravery, and
boundless possibilities look like when dreams are
allowed to soar sky high. Ages 5-8.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400 THE YOUNGEST MARCHER: THE STORY OF AUDREY FAYE HENDRICKS, A YOUNG CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST Cynthia Levinson, Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley
Newton
Meet the youngest known child to be arrested for a civil
rights protest in Birmingham, Alabama, 1963, in this
moving picture book that proves you’re never too little
to make a difference. Nine-year-old Audrey Faye
Hendricks intended to go places and do things like
anybody else. So when she heard grown-ups talk about
wiping out Birmingham’s segregation laws, she spoke
up. As she listened to the preacher’s words, smooth as
glass, she sat up tall. And when she heard the
plan—​picket​ those white stores! ​March​ to protest those
unfair laws! ​Fill the jails!—​she stepped right up and
said, I’ll do it! She was going to ​j-a-a-il! ​Audrey Faye
Hendricks was confident and bold and brave as can be,
and hers is the remarkable and inspiring story of one
child’s role in the Civil Rights Movement. Ages 5-10.
TALLCHIEF: AMERICA’S PRIMA BALLERINA Maria Tallchief & Rosemary Wells, Illustrated by Gary
Kelley
Growing up on the Osage Indian reservation, Maria
Tallchief was a gifted pianist and dancer. According to
Osage tradition, women are not permitted to dance, but
Maria's parents recognized her gifts and allowed her to
break the rule. Then when Maria reached the age of
twelve, her father told her it was time to choose
between her two loves. Maria chose ballet. It was a
decision that would change not only the course of her
life, but the face of classical ballet in America. The
fascinating story of Maria Tallchief's rise to become
America's prima ballerina will captivate young readers.
Ages 5-8.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400 JARS OF HOPE: HOW ONE WOMAN HELPED SAVE 2,500 CHILDREN DURING THE HOLOCAUST Jennifer Roy, Illustrated by Meg Owenson
Amid the horrors of World War II, Irena Sendler was an
unlikely and unsung hero. While many people lived in
fear of the Nazis, Irena defied them, even though it
could have meant her life. She kept records of the
children she helped smuggle away from the Nazis’
grasp, and when she feared her work might be
discovered, she buried her lists in jars, hoping to
someday recover them and reunite children with their
parents. This gripping true story of a woman who took it
upon herself to help save 2,500 children from the
Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust is not only
inspirational; it's unforgettable. Ages 9-12.
THAT’S NOT FAIR!/¡NO ES JUSTO!: EMMA TENAYUCA’S STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE/LA LUCHA DE EMMA TENAYUCA POR LA JUSTICIA Carmen Tafolla & Sharyll Tenayuca, Illustrated by Terry
Ybáñez
A vivid depiction of the early injustices encountered by
a young Mexican-American girl in San Antonio in the
1920's. Emma Tenayuca learns to care deeply about
poverty and hunger during a time when many Mexican
Americans were starving to death and working
unreasonably long hours at slave wages in the city's
pecan-shelling factories. Through astute perception,
caring, and personal action, Emma begins to get
involved, and eventually, at the age of 21, leads 12,000
workers in the first significant historical action in the
Mexican-American struggle for justice. Emma’s story
serves as a model for young and old alike about
courage, compassion, and the role everyone can play
In making the world more fair. Ages 5-7.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400 DOLORES HUERTA: A HERO TO MIGRANT WORKERS Sarah Warren, Illustrated by Robert Casilla
A Jane Addam's Children's Book Award Honor Book for
Younger Children. Dolores is a teacher, a mother, and
a friend. She wants to know why her students are too
hungry to listen, why they don't have shoes to wear to
school. Dolores is a warrior, an organizer, and a
peacemaker. When she finds out that the farm workers
in her community are poorly paid and working under
dangerous conditions, she stands up for their rights. This is the story of Dolores Huerta and the
extraordinary battle she waged to ensure fair and safe
work places for migrant workers. The powerful text,
paired with Robert Casilla's vibrant
watercolor-and-pastel illustrations, brings Dolores's
amazing journey to life. A timeline, additional reading,
articles, websites, and resources for teachers are
included. Ages 6-8.
SHE LOVED BASEBALL: THE EFFA MANLEY STORY Audrey Vernick, Illustrated by Don Tate
Effa always loved baseball. As a young woman, she
would go to Yankee Stadium just to see Babe Ruth’s
mighty swing. But she never dreamed she would
someday own a baseball team. Or be the first—and
only—woman ever inducted into the Baseball Hall of
Fame. From her childhood in Philadelphia to her
groundbreaking role as business manager and owner
of the Newark Eagles, Effa Manley always fought for
what was right. And she always swung for the fences. From author Audrey Vernick and illustrator Don Tate
comes the remarkable story of an all-star of a woman.
Ages 4-8.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400 DRUM DREAM GIRL: HOW ONE GIRL’S COURAGE CHANGED MUSIC Margarita Engle, Illustrated by Rafael López
Girls cannot be drummers.​ Long ago on an island filled
with music, no one questioned that rule—until the drum
dream girl. In her city of drumbeats, she dreamed of
pounding tall congas and tapping small bongós. She
had to keep quiet. She had to practice in secret. But
when at last her dream-bright music was heard,
everyone sang and danced and decided that ​both​ girls
and boys should be free to drum and dream. Inspired
by the childhood of Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a
Chinese-African-Cuban girl who broke Cuba's
traditional taboo against female drummers, ​Drum
Dream Girl​ tells an inspiring true story for dreamers
everywhere. Ages 4-7.
I AM JAZZ Jessica Herthel & Jazz Jennings, Illustrated by Shelagh
McNicholas
The story of a transgender child based on the real-life
experience of Jazz Jennings, who has become a
spokesperson for transkids everywhere. "This is an
essential tool for parents and teachers to share with
children whether those kids identify as trans or
not.”—Laverne Cox. From the time she was two years
old, Jazz knew that she had a girl's brain in a boy's
body. She loved pink and dressing up as a mermaid
and didn't feel like herself in boys' clothing. This
confused her family, until they took her to a doctor who
said that Jazz was transgender and that she was born
that way. Jazz's story is based on her real-life
experience and she tells it in a simple, clear way that
will be appreciated by picture book readers, their
parents, and teachers. Ages 4-8.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400 AANI AND THE TREE HUGGERS Jeannine Atkins, Illustrated by Venantius J. Pinto
Based on true events in India in the 1970s, young Aani
and the other women in her village defend their forest
from developers by wrapping their arms around the
trees, making it impossible to cut them down. ​Aani and
the Tree Huggers ​is an important story about ecological
consciousness, community, and environmental
activism. Ages 6-9.
MISSING NIMAMA Melanie Florence, Illustrated by Francois Thisdale
Based on a true story of over 1,000 missing indigenous
womxn in the United States and Canada. This book is
included in honor of womxn who, as a result of
oppression and marginalization, lose their lives or go
missing—they are part of womxn's history too. A young
mother, one of the many missing indigenous womxn,
watches over her small daughter as she grows up
without her nimama, experiencing important
milestones—her first day of school, first dance, first
date, wedding, first child—from afar. A free verse story
of love, loss, and acceptance told in alternating voices.
Missing Nimama shows the human side of a tragic set
of circumstances. An afterword by the author provides
a simple, age-appropriate context for young readers.
Includes a glossary of Cree terms. Ages 6-7. Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400 RAD AMERICAN WOMEN FROM A-Z: REBELS, TRAILBLAZERS & VISIONARIES WHO SHAPED OUR HISTORY...AND OUR FUTURE! Kate Schatz, Illustrated by Miriam Klein Stahl
Like all A-Z books, this one illustrates the alphabet—but
instead of "A is for Apple", A is for Angela—as in
Angela Davis, the iconic political activist. B is for Billie
Jean King, who shattered the glass ceiling of sports.
And the list of great women continues, spanning
several centuries, multiple professions, and 26 diverse
individuals. There are artists and abolitionists, scientists
and suffragettes, rock stars and rabble-rousers, and
agents of change of all kinds. American history was
made by countless rad—and often radical—women. By
offering a fresh and diverse array of female role
models, we can remind readers that there are many
places to find inspiration, and that being smart and
strong and brave is rad. Ages 8-16.
RAD WOMEN WORLDWIDE: ARTISTS & ATHLETES, PIRATES & PUNKS, & OTHER REVOLUTIONARIES WHO SHAPED HISTORY Kate Schatz, Illustrated by Miriam Klein Stahl
Rad Women Worldwide​ tells fresh, engaging, and
amazing tales of perseverance and radical success.
The book features an array of diverse figures from 430
BCE to 2016, spanning 31 countries around the world,
from Hatshepsut (the great female king who ruled
Egypt peacefully for two decades) to Poly Styrene
(legendary teenage punk and lead singer of X-Ray
Spex) and Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft (polar
explorers and the first women to cross Antarctica). An
additional 250 names of international rad women are
also included as a reference for readers to continue
their own research. Grades 6-8.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400 EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN FROM THE MUSLIM WORLD Natalie Maydell & Sep Riahi, Illustrated by Heba Amin
Multi-award winning picture book chronicling the lives of
13 Muslim women in history who have lived
extraordinary lives and influenced their communities in
a positive way, often overcoming extreme hardship and
inaccurate stereotypes that have been placed on the
role of women in Islam. Grades 5+.
WOMEN IN SCIENCE: 50 FEARLESS PIONEERS WHO CHANGED THE WORLD Written and Illustrated by Rachel Ignotofsky
A charmingly illustrated and educational book, ​New
York Times​ best seller ​Women in Science ​highlights the
contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) from the ancient to the modern world. Full of
striking, singular art, this fascinating collection also
contains infographics about relevant topics such as lab
equipment, rates of women currently working in STEM
fields, and an illustrated scientific glossary. The
trailblazing women profiled include well-known figures
like primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as
lesser-known pioneers such as Katherine Johnson, the
African-American physicist and mathematician who
calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission
to the moon. ​Women in Science​ celebrates the
achievements of the intrepid women who have paved
the way for the next generation of female engineers,
biologists, mathematicians, doctors, astronauts,
physicists, and more! Ages 10+.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400