The following is a list of books focused on women and girls' empowerment and titles related to the achievements of, and equal rights for, women, young women and girls.
ADULT:
ABRAMS IMAGE
Bookish Broads: Women Who Wrote Themselves into History
Lauren Marino, Feb.
Illuminates the lives of the greats as well as the literary talents history has wrongfully overlooked.
ALLEN & UNWIN
Jacinda Ardern
Michelle Duff, Apr.
Delves into the New Zealand Prime Minister's beginnings as a nose-ringed teen fighting for equality and her own identity in a devout Mormon family.
ANDREWS MCMEEL
Women Don’t Owe You Pretty
Florence Given, Apr.
A vibrantly illustrated primer on modern feminism for the Instagram generation.
ANGRY ROBOT
The Second Bell
Gabriela Houston, Mar.
A reimagined popular folktale where a headstrong young striga finds herself in a life- threatening situation that tests the bonds between mother and child.
ATLANTIC
The Home Stretch: Why It’s Time to Come Clean About Who Does the Dishes
Sally Howard, June
The author combines history and fieldwork with her own personal story.
ATRIA
As A Woman: What I Learned about Power, Sex, and the Patriarchy After I Transitioned
Paula Stone Williams, June
The author pulls back the curtain on her transition journey and sheds light on the gendered landscape that impacts many in the LGBTQ+ community.
AVE MARIA
Expect More: Dare to Stand Up and Stand Out: A Guide for Women on Reaching Their Potential
Muffet McGraw, Feb.
The retired head coach of the Univ. of Notre Dame women’s basketball team guides women to expect more in their careers and family lives.
BALLANTINE
Unfinished
Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Feb.
Urges a generation to gather their courage, embrace their ambition, and commit to the hard work of following their dreams.
The Soul of a Woman
Isabel Allende, Mar.
The bestselling author offers a passionate and inspiring meditation on what it means to be a woman.
The Bohemians
Jasmin Darznik, Apr.
A novel imagining the wild 1920s in San Francisco that awakened photographer Dorothea Lange’s career-defining grit, compassion, and daring.
BERKLEY
Black Girl, Call Home
Jasmine Mans, Mar.
A poetry collection inspired by the author’s own life explores the intersection of race, feminism, and queer identity.
A Special Place for Women
Laura Hankin, May
A funny novel about a clandestine women’s-only social club and the reporter who sets out to expose its secrets.
BERRETT-KOEHLER
The Body is Not an Apology
Sonya Renee Taylor, Feb.
From PW’s review: “Poet and activist Taylor (A Little Truth on Your Shirt) packs important ideas into this concise volume on body empowerment.”
EMILY BESTLER
To the Greatest Heights: Facing Danger, Finding Humility, and Climbing a Mountain of Truth
Vanessa O'Brien, Mar.
A memoir by the record-breaking American-British explorer who became the first American woman and the first British woman to successfully summit K2, and was named Explorer of the Year in 2018 by the Scientific Exploration Society.
BLOOMSBURY
Girlhood
Melissa Febos, Mar.
A set of stories about the forces that shape girls and the adults they become.
The Mysteries
Marisa Silver, May
An intimate story of two young girls, joined in an unlikely friendship, whose lives are shattered in a single, unthinkable moment.
BLUE STAR
The Gift of Self-Love: A Workbook to Help You Build Confidence, Recognize Your Worth, and Learn to Finally Love Yourself
Mary Jelkovsky, Mar.
Build confidence, boost self-esteem, and overcome body image issues using this interactive self-help book for women.
CHARLESBRIDGE
The Next Smart Step: How to Overcome Gender Stereotypes and Build a Stronger Organization
Kelly Watson and Jodi Ecker Detjen, Feb.
A guide to understanding the challenge of gender imbalance, implementing solutions, and offering tools to ensure positive and enduring change.
CHICAGO REVIEW PRESS
Besharam: On Love and Other Bad Behaviors
Priya-Alika Elias, Apr.
Essays by a lawyer and a feminist writer that touch on themes of family, culture, body image, sex, and feminism.
The Daring Life and Dangerous Times of Eve Adams
Jonathan Ned Katz, May
Uncovers the forgotten story of radical lesbian feminist Eve Adams, and her long-lost book Lesbian Love.
Open Skies: My Life As Afghanistan's First Female Pilot
Niloofar Rahmani, July
The true story of the author’s determination to become Afghanistan's first female air force fighter pilot.
We Are the Baby-Sitters Club: Essays and Artwork from Grown-Up Readers
Edited by Marisa Crawford and Megan Milks, July
A nostalgia-packed, star-studded anthology exploring the lasting impact of the Baby-Sitters Club series.
CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL
Chicken Soup For the Soul: Be You
Amy Newmark, Apr.
Contributors from all ethnicities and the LGBTQ community celebrate their strength and individuality.
Chicken Soup for the Soul: I’m Speaking Now: Black Women Share Their Truth In 101 Stories of Love, Courage and Hope
Amy Newmark and Breena Clarke, June
Black women share their dreams, triumphs and failures, and their lives, which have unique challenges and hardships that are not well understood by others.
CHRONICLE
She Holds A Cosmos: Poems On Motherhood
Edited by Mallory Farrugia, illus. by Karolin Schnoor, Mar.
Thirty poems exploring motherhood in all its dimensions–from pregnancy and birth to the joys, struggles, and hilarious moments that come with raising children.
Why She Wrote: A Graphic History of the Lives, Inspirations, and Influences Behind the Pens of Classic Women Writers
Hannah K. Chapman and Luaren Burke, illus. by Kaley Bales, April
Unexpected and inspiring stories behind eighteen women writers from the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries.
CHRONICLE PRISM
Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions For Success at Work
Melody Wilding, May
Neuroscience-based strategies to reclaim control of your life and set you on the path to personal and professional fulfillment.
CONARI
The Mindful Woman: Gentle Practices for Restoring Calm, Finding Hope, and Opening Your Heart
Sue Patton Thoele, May
A guide offering mindfulness activities, inspiring stories from real women, and lessons for self-healing.
COUNTERPOINT
Blow Your House Down: A Story of Family and Treason
Gina Frangello, Apr.
A debut nonfiction book upending traditional narratives of domestic traditions, middle age, gender, and sexuality for women in contemporary America.
Out of the Shadows: Six Visionary Victorian Women in Search of a Public Voice
Emily Midorikawa, May
Tales of women and the supernatural during the Victorian era illuminate a radical history of female influence on social issues that has been–until now–confined to the dark.
CRAVEN STREET
From Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators Revolutionizing How Our Food Is Grown
Amy Wu, Apr.
How women entrepreneurs are revolutionizing agriculture through high technology.
DIAL
Hungry Hearts
Edited by Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, Feb.
Sixteen innovators, creatives, and thought leaders share intimate stories of uncovering beauty and potential through moments of fear, loss, heartbreak, and uncertainty.
DK
Be Period Positive: Tune Into Your Cycle and Go With Your Flow
Chella Quint, July
Learn what’s really going on inside and how and why it matters with this handbook for all things menstruation.
ECW
This One Wild Life: A Mother-Daughter Wilderness Memoir
Angie Abdou, Apr.
Explores parenting and marriage in a summer of unexpected outcomes and growth for both mother and daughter.
ENCHANTED LION / UNRULY
The Story of a Mouse Who Never Asked for It
Ana Cristina Herreros, trans. by Chloe Garcia Roberts, illus. by Violeta Lópiz, Apr.
A dark and feminist interpretation of an old folk tale.
ENSIGN PEAK
Come, Sweet Day: Holding On to Hope in Dark Times: A Writer’s Journey
Julianne Donaldson, April
The romance writer reveals her thoughts and feelings from a time when her own life was marked by difficult challenges and disappointments.
FEMINIST PRESS
We Too: Essays On Sex Work and Survival
Edited by Natalie West, Feb.
Essays by sex workers that give voice to the fight for agency and accountability across sex industries, and explores sex work as work, and sex workers as laboring subjects in need of respect—not rescue.
I Had A Miscarriage: A Memoir, A Movement
Jessica Zucker, Mar.
Confronts the cultural silence around pregnancy loss, and shares how to transform trauma into human connection.
This Is How We Come Back Stronger: Feminist Writers on Turning Crisis into Change
Edited by the Feminist Book Society, Apr.
Feminist writers from the U.S. and the U.K. respond to the personal and the political in the time of pandemic. Ten percent of every book sold will be donated to the Third Wave Foundation to support youth-led gender justice activism.
FLATIRON
The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation
Anna Malaika Tubbs, Feb.
From Gates Scholar and First Lady of Stockton, Calif., a celebration of the three women who raised and shaped America's most pivotal heroes.
The Husbands: A Novel
Chandler Baker, June
To what lengths will a woman go for a little more help from her husband?
Somebody's Daughter: A Memoir
Ashley C. Ford, June
Recalls a childhood defined by the absence of an incarcerated father and the path we must take to both honor and overcome our origins.
FORGE
Waiting for the Night Song: A Novel
Julie Carrick Dalton, Feb.
Alternates between a young woman’s innocence-ending summer, and her adult self’s scientific work to fight for the natural world she holds dear.
Gathering Dark: A Novel
Candice Fox, Mar.
A convicted killer. A gifted thief. A vicious ganglord. A disillusioned cop. Together, these three women are a missing girl’s only hope.
The Widow Queen: A Novel
Elzbieta Cherezinska, Apr.
The epic story of a Polish queen whose life and name were all but forgotten until now.
WALTER FOSTER
Art Makers: Empowered Embroidery
Sarah Hand, Mar.
Learn to transform sketches into embroidery patterns and stitch strong, iconic women from the past and present.
GALLERY
Believe IT: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable
Jamie Kern Lima, Feb.
The founder of IT Cosmetics shares the wild but true story of how a once struggling waitress turned her against-the-grain idea into an international bestselling sensation, eventually selling the company for over a billion dollars and becoming the first female CEO of a brand in L’Oréal’s 100+ year history.
GRAND CENTRAL
Radiant: The Dancer, The Scientist, and A Friendship Forged in Light
Liz Heinecke, Feb.
The true story of an unlikely friendship between a dancer, Loie Fuller, and a scientist, Marie Curie, brought together by an illuminating discovery.
The Unfit Heiress: The Tragic Life and Scandalous Sterilization of Ann Cooper Hewitt
Audrey Clare Farley, Apr.
Chronicles the fight for inheritance, both genetic and monetary, between Ann Cooper Hewitt and her mother Maryon.
We Are Watching Eliza Bright: A Novel
A.E. Osworth, Apr.
A woman has her whole life turned upside down after speaking out against workplace hostility–and inadvertently becomes the leader of a cultural movement.
GREYSTONE
Pain and Prejudice: How the Medical System Ignores Women–And What We Can Do About It
Gabrielle Jackson, Mar.
The author’s story of endometriosis, alongside interviews with medical practitioners and years of her own dogged research, to explore how our culture treats the health concerns of women.
HANOVER SQUARE
The Jigsaw Man: A Novel
Nadine Matheson, March
A serial killer and his copycat are locked in a violent game of cat and mouse. Can D.I. Anjelica Henley stop them before it’s too late?
HARLEQUIN
The Vineyard at Painted Moon: A Novel
Susan Mallery, Feb.
A woman walks away from a comfy (but loveless) marriage and a lucrative (but dead end) job to start her own winery and pursue happiness.
HARPERHORIZON
Strong Women Lift Each Other Up
Molly Galbraith, Mar.
Evidence-based, actionable guidance on overcoming scarcity mindset, gain confidence, and create a better world with more opportunity for women and girls.
HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW
Glass Half-Broken: Shattering the Barriers That Still Hold Women Back at Work
Colleen Ammerman and Boris Groysberg, Apr.
Institutional and managerial strategies to overcome and mitigate barriers and finally shatter the glass ceiling.
HCI
The Woman Code
Sophia Nelson, Mar.
Revised and updated with new insights from the economic and societal shifts that have changed our world with the advent of the global pandemic, calling women to live out a powerful life code that will lead them to purposeful and successful lives.
HOLT
Love Like That: Stories
Emma Duffy-Comparone, Mar.
A collection of stories about brilliant, broken women discovering what it means to get lost in love, and do what it takes to find themselves again.
Your Turn: How to Be an Adult
Julie Lythcott-Haims, April
Practical strategies for living a more authentic adulthood.
Leaving Breezy Street: A Memoir
Brenda Powell-Meyers with April Reynolds, June
How the author (aka Breezy) found the strength to break from a brutal world of prostitution and save not only herself but future Breezys.
INDIGO
Ogadinma: Or, Everything Will Be All Right
Ukamaka Olisakwe, Mar.
A woman struggles against the shackles of a Church-dominated patriarchal society amid rising political turmoil.
INTERLINK
All the Women Inside Me
Jana Elhassan, Apr.
A stark appraisal of how far women are pushed and the lengths to which they will go to escape a reality that is rotten at the core.
KENSINGTON
The Menopause Manifesto: Own Your Health with Facts and Feminism
Dr. Jen Gunter, May
Counters myths and misunderstandings about menopause with hard facts, real science, historical perspective, and expert advice.
KEYLIGHT
The Hive: A Novel
Melissa Scholes Young, June
In a racially and politically divided rural Midwestern town during the Obama years, four daughters and their newly widowed, doomsday prepper mother struggle to keep their pest control business from bankruptcy during a recession.
FRANCES LINCOLN
Forces of Nature: The Women who Changed Science
Anna Reser and Leila McNeill, Apr.
Charts the history of women’s discoveries in science.
MANGO
The Fearless Woman’s Guide to Starting a Business: What Every Woman Needs to Know to be a Courageous, Authentic, and Unstoppable Entrepreneur
Aimeé Quiriconi, Apr.
Dares you to dream big about what being the head of a woman-owned business can do for you.
Betrayed by Work: Women’s Stories of Trauma, Healing and Hope after Being Fired
Julia Erickson and Suzanne Vosburg, May
Hope and companionship for those coping with either their own job loss or the sudden job loss of someone they know or love.
Unabashed Women: The Fascinating Biographies of Bad Girls, Seductresses, Rebels and One-of-a-Kind Women
Marlene Wagman-Geller, June
Women in history who defied the expectations of conventional society to live the lives they chose, regardless of what others thought.
METROPOLITAN
Persist
Elizabeth Warren, Apr.
The charismatic senator and bestselling author mixes vivid personal stories with a passionate plea for political transformation.
NELSON
Limitless: The Power of Hope and Resilience to Overcome Circumstance
Mallory Weggemann, Mar.
The Paralympic gold-medalist, world champion swimmer, ESPY winner, and NBC Sports commentator uses her extraordinary story to equip others to meet whatever challenges they face in life.
Checking In: How Getting Real about Depression Saved My Life–And Can Save Yours
Michelle Williams, May
The Grammy Award-winning member of Destiny’s Child shares the intimate, never-before-told story of how, even in the midst of enormous fame and success, she battled depression, leading her to find her true calling as an advocate for mental health.
NEW PRESS
Mouths of Rain: An Anthology of Black Lesbian Thought
Edited by Briona Simone Jones, Feb.
Traces the long history of intellectual thought produced by Black Lesbian writers, spanning the nineteenth century through the twenty-first century.
NORTH ATLANTIC
Missing Witches: Recovering the True Histories of Feminist Magic
Risa Dickens and Amy Torok, Mar.
Explores the history of witchcraft around the globe as well as the womxn history has tried to erase, and how to incorporate their rituals into a modern daily life.
PARK ROW
Honey Girl: A Novel
Morgan Rogers, Feb.
A young Black woman just finishing her Ph.D in astronomy impulsively gets married in Vegas and decides to leave her perfectly ordered life for a summer in New York with the wife she barely knows.
The Lost Apothecary: A Novel
Sarah Penner, Mar.
A female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them–setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course.
Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine
Olivia Campbell, Mar.
The true story of three pioneering Victorian women who broke down barriers in the medical field to become the first women doctors, detailing how they banded together to enter this male-dominated field and revolutionize the way women receive healthcare.
The Woman with the Blue Star: A Novel
Pam Jenoff, May
A tale, inspired by harrowing true stories, of unfathomable sacrifice and unlikely friendship during World War II.
PENGUIN
The Daughters of Kobani: A Story of Rebellion, Courage, and Justice
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Feb.
Draws from hundreds of hours of interviews to spotlight the all-female Kurdish militia–intent on not only defeating the Islamic State on the battlefield but also changing women's lives in their corner of the Middle East and beyond.
PENGUIN LIFE
Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual
Luvvie Ajayi Jones, Mar.
The book Jones wishes she could give to her ten-year-old self, to remind her to be bold, to be different, and to make good trouble.
PHAIDON
Own It: The Secret to Life
Diane von Furstenberg, Mar.
The fashion designer and philanthropist offers a collection of words to live by, a manifesto for turning problems into assets, and enjoying personal growth at any age.
PRINCETON ARCHITECTURAL
Extra Bold: A Feminist, Inclusive, Anti-racist, Nonbinary Field Guide for Graphic Designers
Ellen Lupton, Jennifer Tobias, et. al. (May)
Demonstrates how to navigate power structures through interviews with people at different stages of their careers, and biographical sketches of individuals marginalized by sexism, racism, and ableism.
PUTNAM
Think Like a Breadwinner: A Wealth-Building Manifesto for Women Who Want to Earn More (and Worry Less)
Jennifer Barrett (Apr.)
Reveals, from hard-won experience and in-depth interviews with dozens of women, that there is nothing more empowering than knowing you can take care of yourself and your future without needing to depend on anyone else.
Mergers and Acquisitions (Or, Everything I Know About Love I Learned on the Wedding Pages)
Cate Doty (May)
Former New York Times wedding writer takes readers inside its wedding announcement section.
Blush: A Novel
Jamie Brenner, June
Three generations of powerful women discover that the "trashy" novels of a bygone era might hold the key to saving their family's coastal winery–and to finding the love that's eluded them.
RED LIGHTNING
Dear Kamala: Women Write to the New Vice President
Edited by Peggy Brooks-Bertram, Feb.
Seeing a model of themselves filling the second-most-powerful office in the Free World, women of all ages, races, and nations share their hopes, fears, desires, advice, and support with the new Vice President.
LYNNE RIENNER
The Women of 2018: The Pink Wave in the U.S. House Elections … and Its Legacy in 2020
Barbara Burrell, Mar.
Explores the unprecedented number of female candidates who ran for elected office in the United States in 2018, why they chose to run, the nature of their campaigns, and their legacy as reflected in the 2020 elections.
ROCK POINT
Beautifully Brave: An Unconventional Guide to Owning Your Worth, Cultivating Self-Love, and Standing In Your Power
Sarah Pendrick, Apr.
A road map for building self-belief and self-love with practices that promote growth, including a variety of creative and interactive activities.
ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD
Exploring American Girlhood through 50 Historic Treasures
Ashley E. Remer and Tiffany R. Isselhardt, Apr.
Color photographs of objects that girls left behind tell unique stories about America.
RUNNING PRESS
Bravely: Inspiring Quotes & Stories from Trailblazing American Women
Quotabelle, Pauline Weger, Alicia Williamson, Mar.
Powerful quotes and stories from 100 courageous American women history-makers past and present.
Women on Top of the World: What Women Think About When They're Having Sex
Edited by Lucy-Ann Holmes, May
A collection of 50 true disclosures by 50 women from around the world, from all ages and all walks of life–revealing their innermost thoughts and feelings during sex.
SCRIBNER
The Agitators: Three Friends Who Fought for Abolition and Women's Rights
Dorothy Wickenden, Mar.
Following Harriet Tubman and her two friends and fellow Underground Railroad collaborators, from two decades before the Civil War to two decades after, to illuminate the role of women during one of the most pivotal eras in American history.
I Am a Girl from Africa
Elizabeth Nyamayaro, Apr.
The former United Nations Senior Advisor on Gender and Equality recounts her journey from childhood in a small Zimbabwean village, to achieving her dream of working for the UN, where she would eventually found the groundbreaking HeForShe campaign.
SEVEN STORIES
The New Handbook for a Post-Roe America: The Complete Guide to Abortion Legality, Access, and Practical Support
Robin Marty, Mar.
A completely new edition–with a new introduction by Amanda Palmer–of Marty's best-selling manual on what to do if/when Roe v. Wade is overturned.
SOURCEBOOKS
The Girl Explorers: The Untold Story of the Globetrotting Women Who Trekked, Flew and Fought for Human Rights Around the World
Jayne Zanglein, Mar.
From PW’s review: “With careful research and clear enthusiasm for her subjects, Zanglein makes a strong case that restoring these pioneers to the spotlight will ‘give a new generation of women courage to chisel away at the glass ceiling.’”
STREET NOISE
I’m a Wild Seed
Sharon Lee De La Cruz, Feb.
A collection of lively autobiographical comics guiding the reader through an understanding of queerness and what it means to one woman of color.
TARCHERPERIGEE
Your Fully Charged Life: A Radically Simple Approach to Having Endless Energy and Filling Every Day with Yay
Meaghan B Murphy, Feb.
Spanning health, work, family time, and more, this book reveals small changes in outlook and habits that yield big results, without ever sacrificing who you are.
Unbound: A Woman's Guide to Power
Kasia Urbaniak, Mar.
Practical instruction in how to stand in your power, find your voice, and use it well, based on insights from the author’s experiences as a dominatrix, her training to become a Taoist nun, and the countless women she has taught to expand their influence.
TOP READS
Self Belonging: Embrace the Wisdom of Soul and Science and Live Your Best Life
Luann Robinson Hull, Apr.
The author’s path to freeing herself from a toxic and debilitating relationship to reach a sense of freedom, creativity, and happiness.
TOR
The Echo Wife
Sarah Gailey, Feb.
Martine, a genetically cloned replica made from Evelyn Caldwell’s award-winning research, is having an affair with Evelyn’s husband. Now, the cheating bastard is dead, and both Caldwell wives have a mess to clean up.
The Helm of Midnight
Marina Lostetter, Apr.
A legendary serial killer stalks the streets of a fantastical city, and a young woman seeks to prove herself by stopping them.
The Last Watch
J.S. Dewes, Apr.
In this fast-paced, sci-fi adventure, the edge of the universe is collapsing and taking everyone and everything with it. Can Adequin Rake be humanity’s last chance against annihilation?
The Library of the Dead
T.L. Huchu, June
Ropa, a precocious and cynical teenager, drops out of school to become a ghostalker who speaks to Edinburgh’s dead, carrying messages to those they left behind.
She Who Became The Sun
Shirley Parker Chan, July
A bold, queer, and lyrical reimagining of the rise of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
TORDOTCOM
Burning Girls and Other Stories
Veronica Schanoes, Mar.
A work that crosses borders and genres with stories of fierce women at the margins of society who are burning their way toward the center.
UNIV. OF MINNESOTA
Hudson Bay Bound: Two Women, One Dog, Two Thousand Miles to the Arctic
Natalie Warren, Feb.
Retraces the women’s journey from inspiration to Arctic waters, giving readers an insider view of the journey from the practicalities of planning a three-month canoe expedition to the successful accomplishment of the adventure of a lifetime.
Skiing into the Bright Open: My Solo Journey to the South Pole
Liv Arnesen, June
Describes the exhausting, exhilarating experience of being the first known woman to ski unsupported to the South Pole.
UNIV. OF WISCONSIN
Loving Before Loving
Joan Steinau Lester, May
A personal memoir communicating the deep pains of sexism, racism, and solitude.
VERSO
The Rise and Decline of Patriarchal Systems: An Intersectional Political Economy
Nancy Folbre, Feb.
Asks the defining question of feminist political economy: why is gender inequality so pervasive?
Tomorrow Sex Will Be Good Again: Women and Desire in the Age of Consent
Katherine Angel, Mar.
A provocative analysis of female desire, consent, and sexuality in the age of #MeToo.
WORKMAN
Why We Cook: Women on Food, Identity, and Connection
Lindsay Gardner, Mar.
Essays, profiles, recipes, and more celebrating the achievements of more than 100 women restaurateurs, activists, food writers, professional chefs, and home cooks–all of whom are changing the world of food.
Yoke: My Yoga of Self-Acceptance
Jessamyn Stanley, June
A series of autobiographical essays that explore issues of self-love, body-positivity, race, cultural appropriation in American yoga, personal experiences with sexual assault and its effect on her psyche, cannabis, and more.
YELLOW PEAR
Mother Daughter Activity Journal: Connecting Better with Each Other
Lisa McGuinness, May
A fresh new supportive place to keep each other’s secrets as well as share thoughts, dreams, worries, cares, and life experiences–and have fun too.
ABRAMS
Chicks Rock!
Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, illus. by Renée Kurilla, Mar.
Each bringing their own strengths and skills, Rocker Chick’s friends help her find her inner rock star and step into the spotlight in this companion to Chicks Rule! Ages 4-8.
Code Breaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizebeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars
Laurie Wallmark, illus. by Brooke Smart, Mar.
The story of Elizebeth Friedman, a brilliant code breaker who took down Nazi spy rings and created the CIA's first cryptology unit, and whose story came to light when her secret papers were declassified in 2015. Ages 6-up.
The Stuff Between the Stars: How Vera Rubin Discovered Most of the Universe
Sandra Nickel, illus. by Aimée Sicuro, Mar.
A biographical picture book about a female astronomer who makes huge discoveries about the mysteries of the night sky and changed the way we look at the universe. Ages 6-9.
Beyoncé
Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl, illus. by Tammy Taylor, Apr.
This title in the First Names Series introduces the woman who changed music forever and as a successful businesswoman and activist, helps bring issues of race and gender into the global conversation. Ages 8-12.
ALGONQUIN
Girlhood: Teens Around the World in Their Own Voices
Edited by Masuma Ahuja, Feb.
Thirty teens from 27 countries share their own stories of growing up through diary entries and photographs, with reporting and research to help understand the circumstances and communities they live in. Ages 12-18.
AMULET
Tell No Tales
Sam Maggs, illus. by Kendra Wells, Feb.
A swashbuckling adventure inspired by the historical exploits of real-life female pirates. Ages 10-14.
The Chance to Fly
Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz, Apr.
Based on the author’s real life, a 13-year-old theater-loving girl who uses a wheelchair for mobility to defy expectations–and gravity. Ages 8-12.
Athena: Goddess of Wisdom and War
Imogen Greenberg, illus. by Isabel Greenberg, June
Follow the goddess of wisdom through her adventures with gods and mortals, discover the perils of crossing her, and see how she eventually learned to better understand and aid humanity. Ages 8-12.
ATHENEUM
How to Change Everything: The Young Human's Guide to Protecting the Planet and Each Other
Naomi Klein, adapted by Rebecca Stefoff, Feb.
A young human's guide to battling climate change. Ages 10-up.
Dreams for a Daughter
Carole Boston Weatherford, illus. by Brian Pinkney, Mar.
Celebrates a Black mother’s hopes and dreams for her daughter. Ages 4-8.
Kidstory: 50 Children and Young People Who Shook Up the World
Tom Adams, illus. by Sarah Walsh, Mar.
Meet 50 kids who changed the world in this collection of short biographies. Ages 8-up.
Nightingale
Deva Fagan, Apr.
A plucky orphan girl stumbles into a conflict centuries in the making in this fantasy about unexpected heroes, the power of friendship, and one boisterous enchanted sword. Ages 8-12.
BEACH LANE
Nerdycorn
Andrew Root, illus. by Erin Balzer, May
Fern isn’t your usual unicorn: she loves chemistry and math more than glitter or flowers—and she refuses to change who she is. Ages 3-8.
BLOOMSBURY
Love Is a Revolution
Renée Watson, Feb.
A love story about not only a relationship, but how a girl finds and falls in love with who she really is. Ages 13-up.
Reckless, Glorious, Girl
Ellen Hagan, Feb.
From the co-author of Watch Us Rise, a novel in verse about the drama of growing up recklessly, gloriously, girl. Ages 8-11.
A Most Clever Girl: How Jane Austen Discovered Her Voice
Jasmine A. Stirling, illus. by Vesper Stamper, Mar.
A picture book biography of author Jane Austen and how she asserted her unique voice. Ages 5-9.
Send a Girl: The True Story of How Women Joined the FDNY
Jessica M. Rinker, illus. by Meg Hunt, Mar.
A picture book biography of one of the first female firefighters in New York City. Ages 4-8.
Every Body Shines: Sixteen Stories About Living Fabulously Fat
Edited by Cassandra Newbould, May
An intersectional feminist YA anthology that celebrates body diversity and fat acceptance through short stories. Ages 14-up.
Don't Hate the Player
Alexis Need, June
A funny feminist YA debut set in the male-dominated world of competitive gaming. Ages 13-up.
BOYDS MILLS & KANE
Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls Answer the Call: The Heroic Story of WWI Telephone Operators
Claudia Friddell, illus. by Elizabeth Baddeley, Feb.
Led by 25-year-old Grace Banker, 32 telephone operators—affectionately called “Hello Girls” in the U.S.—became the first female combatants in World War I. Ages 7-10.
The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest
Heather Lang, illus. by Jana Christy, Feb.
Spotlights conservationist Margaret “Meg” Lowman, who was determined to investigate the undiscovered world of the rainforest treetops. Ages 7-10.
View from Pagoda Hill
Michaela MacColl, Apr.
In the late 1800s, a Chinese-American girl is forced to leave her home in Shanghai to go to America with a father she barely knows. Based on the family history of the author. Ages 12-up.
CANDLEWICK
Wonder Women of Science: Twelve Geniuses Who Are Currently Rocking Science, Technology, and the World
Tiera Fletcher and Ginger Rue, illus. by Sally Wern Comport, Mar.
Learn what it takes to be a STEM genius in these profiles of a dozen contemporary women who are on the cutting edge of scientific research. Ages 9-12.
CHICAGO REVIEW PRESS
Thrill Seekers: 15 Remarkable Women in Extreme Sports
Ann McCallum Staats, Mar.
The stories of a diverse selection of women in extreme and unique sports. Ages 12-up.
Girl Warriors: How 25 Young Activists Are Saving the Earth
Rachel Sarah, Apr.
Interviews with 25 eco-activist teens present a hopeful picture of the future of environmentalism. Ages 9-12.
CHRONICLE
Nia and the New Free Library
Ian Lendler, illus. by Mark Pett, June
A twist on the folktale Stone Soup, about the joy of books, the power of community, and the way even the biggest things can start with almost nothing at all. Ages 5-8.
CINCO PUNTOS
Thirty Talks Weird Love
Alessandra Narváez Varela, Apr.
Set in Mexico during a femicide crisis in the ‘90s, this novel in verse follows 13-year-old Anamaria as she's visited by her 30-year-old self from the future. Ages 12-up.
CLARION
Secrets of the Sea: The Story of Jeanne Power, Revolutionary Marine Scientist
Evan Griffith, illus. by Joanie Stone, Mar.
The curiosity, drive, and perseverance of the 19th-century woman scientist who pioneered the use of aquariums to study ocean life. Ages 6-9.
CROWN
Women in Science: Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
Rachel Ignotofsky, June
A board book edition of the author’s Women in Science, with simpler text and signature illustrations to provide role models while inspiring a love of science. Ages up to 3.
Women in Sports: Fearless Athletes Who Played to Win
Rachel Ignotofsky, June
A board book edition of the author’s Women in Sports, with simpler text and signature illustrations to provide role models while inspiring a love of sports. Ages up to 3.
DELACORTE
The Gilded Ones
Namina Forna, Feb.
The first in a West African-inspired, feminist fantasy series set in a world where girls are outcasts by blood, and warriors by choice. Ages 12-up.
Like Home
Louisa Onome, Feb.
A girl’s life is turned upside down after one local act of vandalism throws both her relationships and neighborhood into turmoil. Ages 12-up.
Rebel Daughter
Lori Banov Kaufmann, Feb.
A young woman survives the unthinkable in this tale of family, love, and resilience, set against the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Ages 14-up.
Red Tigress
Amélie Wen Zhao, Mar.
This sequel to Blood Heir follows a princess hiding a dark secret and the con man she must trust to liberate her empire from a dark reign. Ages 14-up.
Soul Lanterns
Shaw Kuzki, Mar.
A Japanese girl's understanding of the historic and tragic bombing of Hiroshima is transformed by a memorial lantern-floating ceremony. Ages 10-up.
DIAL
Tell Me My Name
Amy Reed, Mar.
A gender-flipped YA Great Gatsby about the cost of being a girl in a world that takes so much, and the enormity of what is regained when we take it back. Ages 14-up.
DOTTIR
The Hill
Ali Bryan, Mar.
In a dark near-future where overconsumption and the climate crisis have come to a chaotic head, Wren is the newly chosen leader of a secret clan of girls taught to survive by their own wits. Ages 11-up.
DOUBLEDAY
G My Name Is Girl: A Song of Celebration from Argentina to Zambia
Dawn Masi, Feb.
A diverse alphabetic picture book celebrating girls around the world. Ages 3-7.
DUTTON
We Are the Ashes, We Are the Fire
Joy McCullough, Feb.
A girl struggles with guilt and a desire for revenge after her sister's rapist escapes with no prison time. Ages 14-up.
ETCH
Before They Were Artists: Famous Illustrators as Kids
Elizabeth Haidle, Apr.
This graphic novel anthology brings to life the childhood experiences of beloved artists and illustrators, including three women artists. Ages 8-12.
FEIWEL AND FRIENDS
Life in the Balance
Jen Petro-Roy, Feb.
Veronica struggles to balance softball, friends, and family turmoil in this middle-grade novel that tackles the issue of alcoholism. Ages 8-12.
The Mirror Season
Anna-Marie McLemore, Mar.
When two teens discover that they were both sexually assaulted at the same party, they develop a cautious friendship through her family’s possibly magical pastelería, his secret forest of otherworldly trees, and the swallows returning to their hometown. Ages 13-up.
FIRST SECOND
Pepper Page Saves the Universe
Landry Walker, illus. by Eric Jones, Feb.
A futuristic superhero story about a shy comic book geek becoming her own superhero inspiration. Ages 8-12.
The Leak
Kate Reed Petty, illus. by Andrea Bell, Mar.
A middle-grade graphic novel about corruption, pollution, and freedom of the press, and the young journalist at the center of it all. Ages 8-12.
The Fifth Quarter
Mike Dawson, May
Inspired by the author’s daughter, a passionate basketball player is relegated to “the fifth quarter,” but with hard work and determination, gets better and more confident. Ages 8-12.
FLATIRON
Tokyo Ever After
Emiko Jean, May
An ordinary Japanese-American girl discovers in her senior year of high school that her father is the Crown Prince of Japan. Ages 12-18.
FLYAWAY
Walking Toward Peace: The True Story of a Brave Woman Called Peace Pilgrim
Kathleen Krull, illus. by Annie Bowler, Mar.
The life story of Peace Pilgrim, a female activist and spiritual leader who sacrificed everything to travel on foot around America promoting peace. Ages 3-7.
FSG
There Goes Patti MGgee! The Story of the First Women's National Skateboard Champion
Tootie Nienow, illus. by Erika Medina, Feb.
A picture book biography of the first-ever professional female skateboarder and winner of the 1964 National Skateboard Championship for Women. Ages 4-8.
GRAPHIC UNIVERSE
Brontë
Manuela Santoni, May
Faced with an ailing father and an alcoholic brother, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë pursue independence through art in this graphic vision of the lives of three legendary writers. Ages 13-18.
HARPERCOLLINS
Living the Confidence Code: Real Girls. Real Stories. Real Confidence.
Katty Kay, Claire Shipman, and JillEllyn Reilly, Feb.
Thirty true stories of real girls from all over the world, pursuing their passions, along the way figuring out how to build their own brand of confidence. Ages 8-12.
13 Things Strong Kids Do: Think Big, Feel Good, Act Brave
Amy Morin, illus. by Jennifer Naalchigar, Apr.
The author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do empowers tweens, teaching them how to think, feel, and act stronger than ever. Ages 8-12.
Finding Junie Kim
Ellen Oh, May
Inspired by her mother’s real-life experiences during the Korean War, the We Need Diverse Books cofounder creates a story of family, hope, and survival. Ages 8-12.
Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey
Erin Entrada Kelly, May
An illustrated novel about summer, friendship, and overcoming fears. Ages 8-12.
Unsettled
Reem Faruqi, May
An #OwnVoices immigration story following a girl who moves from Karachi, Pakistan to Peachtree City, Ga., and must find her footing in a new world. Ages 8-12.
Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman
Sharice Davids and Nancy K. Mays, illus. by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, June
The story of Sharice Davids, one of the first Native American women elected to Congress, and the first LGBTQ congressperson to represent Kansas. Ages 4-8.
HOLT
An Equal Shot: How the Law Title IX Changed America
Helaine Becker, illus. by Dow Phumiruk, Feb.
A picture book introduction to the history and importance of the Title IX civil rights legislation. Ages 4-8.
Lady Bird Johnson, That’s Who! The Story of a Cleaner and Greener America
Tracy Nelson Maurer, illus. by Ginnie Hsu, Feb.
A picture book biography of Lady Bird Johnson, focusing on her environmentalist passion and legacy as First Lady. Ages 5-9.
Latinitas: Celebrating 40 Big Dreamers
Juliet Menéndez, Feb.
A collection of short biographies, spotlighting how 40 influential Latinas from Latin America and the United States became the women we celebrate today. Ages 8-12.
Game, Set, Sisters! The Story of Venus and Serena Williams
Jay Leslie, illus. by Ebony Glenn, Mar.
A picture book biography about the Williams sisters, admired for both their athletic prowess and their advocacy. Ages 6-10.
Sarah and the Big Wave
Bonnie Tsui, illus. by Sophie Diao, May
A picture book biography of Sarah Gerhardt, one of the first female big-wave surfers. Ages 4-8.
IMPRINT
Sunrise Summer
Matthew Swanson, illus. by Robbi Behr, Apr.
In her family’s Alaskan expeditions, a girl has her first taste of independence and responsibility as her role changes. Ages 4-7.
INKYARD
This Golden Flame
Emily Victoria, Feb.
Asexual Karis, a servant to the mysterious Scriptorium, accidentally awakens long-dormant automaton Alix, initiating an adventure full of magic, rebellion, and finding where you truly belong. Ages 13-up.
These Feathered Flames
Alexandra Overy, Apr.
In this queer #OwnVoices retelling of the Russian folktale The Firebird, the princesses learn what their roles entail, who they can trust, who they can love—and who killed their mother. Ages 13-up.
INTERLINK
Wanda
Sihle Nontshokweni and Mathabo Tlali, illus. by Chantelle and Burgen Thorne, Mar.
A South African girl learns to appreciate that her hair is a crown, not a burden, and is something to be proud of. Ages 3-8.
Planting Peace: The Story of Wangari Maathai
Gwendolyn Hooks, illus. by Margaux Carpentier, May
The story of the women’s rights activist, one of the first environmental warriors, and the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Ages 7-up.
KNOPF
American Betiya
Anuradha D. Rajurkar, Mar.
A young artist grapples with first love, family boundaries and the complications of a cross-cultural relationship. Ages 12-up.
Off the Record
Camryn Garrett, May
The behind-the-scenes access of Almost Famous meets the searing revelations of #MeToo in this story of a teen journalist who uncovers the scandal of the decade. Ages 14-up.
Becoming Vanessa
Vanessa Brantley-Newton, June
Vanessa wants to blend in, with a simple name like the other girls—until her mother tells her the meaning behind her name. Ages 3-6.
The Cardboard Kingdom #2: Roar of the Beast
Chad Sell, June
This sequel to The Cardboard Kingdom follows the kids as they solve the mystery of a new neighborhood monster. Ages 9-12.
Stranger Things: Rebel Robin
A.R. Capetta, June
A coming-of-age story set in the 1980s about one girl's realization that the only person she needs to be accepted by is herself. Ages 14-up.
Unbound: The Life and Art of Judith Scott
Joyce Scott and Brie Spangler, illus. by Melissa Sweet, June
An introduction to the life and art of the renowned artist born with Down syndrome, was deaf, and never learned to speak—as told by her twin sister. Ages 4-8.
KOKILA
Fatima's Great Outdoors
Ambreen Tariq, illus. by Stevie Lewis, Mar.
An immigrant family embarks on theirITS? first camping trip in the Midwest in this picture book debut by the outdoors activist and founder of @BrownPeopleCamping. Ages 4-8.
Laxmi’s Mooch
Shelly Anand, illus. by Nabi H. Ali, Mar.
A body-positive picture book about an Indian-American girl's journey to accept her body hair and celebrate her heritage after being teased about her mustache. Ages 4-8.
The Legend of Auntie Po
Shing Yin Khor, June
While she works in a Sierra Nevada logging camp in 1885, 13-year-old Mei reimagines the myths of Paul Bunyan as starring a Chinese heroine. Ages 10-14.
Samira Surfs
Rukhsanna Guidroz, illus. by Fahmida Azim, June
A middle grade novel-in-verse about an 11-year-old Rohingya refugee living in Bangladesh, who finds peace and empowerment in a local surf club for girls. Ages 8-12.
WENDY LAMB
Fierce as the Wind
Tara Wilson Redd, June
Heartbreak pushes a Hawaiian girl to find her strongest self. Ages 12-up.
LEVINE QUERIDO
Osnat and Her Dove: The True Story of the First Female Rabbi
Sigal Samuel, illus. by Vali Mintzi, Feb.
Five hundred years ago, in a time when few believed that girls should learn to read, Osnat convinced her scholar father to teach her to read, and grew up to teach others, becoming a wise scholar in her own right—the world's first female rabbi. Ages 4-8.
Dawn Raid
Pauline Vaeluaga Smith, Mar.
Told through 12-year-old Sofia's diary entries, how one ordinary New Zealand girl learned how to stand up and fight. Ages 8-12.
The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst
Jaclyn Moriarty, Mar.
How can Esther, who is not talented like her sisters nor an adventurer like her cousin, save her family, her school and possibly her entire world. Ages 10-up.
Middletown
Sarah Moon, Apr.
Eli and Anna are used to telling lies as a means of survival, but as they navigate a world without their mother, they must learn how to accept help, and let other people in. Ages 8-12.
FRANCES LINCOLN
Megan Rapinoe
Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, illus. by Paulina Morgan, Feb.
Part of the Little People, Big Dreams Series, about the life of the world record–breaking soccer player and activist. Ages 4-7.
Mary Anning
Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, illus. by Popy Matigot, Mar.
Part of the Little People, Big Dreams Series, about the life of the woman considered the mother of paleontology. Ages 4-7.
Malala Yousafzai
Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, illus. by Manal Mirza, Mar.
Part of the Little People, Big Dreams Series, about the life of the activist for girls' education. Ages 4-7.
This Book Is Feminist: An Intersectional Primer for Feminists in Training
Jamia Wilson, illus. by Aurelia Durand, July
The author, director of the Feminist Press, explores the history and meaning of the feminist movement through 15 reasons why feminism improves life for everyone. Ages 10-14.
LITTLE, BROWN
Ambitious Girl
Meena Harris, illus. by Marissa Valdez, Feb.
When a girl sees a strong woman on TV labeled as “too assertive,” it sends her on a journey of discovery through past, present, and future about the challenges faced by women and girls and the ways in which they can reframe, redefine, and reclaim words meant to knock them down. Ages 4-8.
The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee
Julie Leung, illus. by Julie Kwon, Feb.
A picture book biography of the first Chinese-American woman to fly for the U.S. military in the Women Airforce Service Pilots during World War II. Ages 4-8.
Michelle’s Garden: How the First Lady Planted Seeds of Change
Sharee Miller, Mar.
How Michelle Obama gathered the help of local students, the White House staff, and even President Barack Obama, to not only grow a garden, but inspire a nation. Ages 4-8.
We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World
Malala Yousafzai, Mar.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner introduces the girls and women—herself included—behind the statistics and news stories about the millions of people displaced worldwide. Ages 14-up.
Parks & Recreation: Leslie for Class President
Robb Pearlman, illus. by Melanie Demmer, June
Will Leslie be able to keep her big campaign promises and become the best class president Pawnee Elementary has ever seen? Ages 4-8.
Margie Kelly Breaks the Dress Code
Bridget Farr, July
One girl’s fight against gender inequality at her middle school and the lessons about her own privilege and intersectionality that she learns along the way. Ages 8-12.
LITTLE STEPS
Brave Adventures, Little Girl
Iresha Herath, June
Can Anika’s grandfather help her overcome the fear she sometimes feels when trying new things? Ages 3-5.
MILLBROOK
Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer
Traci Sorell, illus. by Natasha Donovan, Mar.
How a passion for math and the Cherokee values she was raised with shaped the life and work of the woman who designed classified airplanes and spacecraft as Lockheed Aircraft Corporation's first female engineer. Ages 7-11.
ONI
Girl Haven
Lilah Sturges, illus. by Meaghan Carter, lettered by Joamette Gil, Feb.
Follow seventh-grader Ash as they find themselves stuck in a girl-only fantasy land and have to face the truth about why, if no boys are allowed, is Ash there. Ages 10-up.
Delicates
Brenna Thummler, Mar.
This sequel to Sheets follows Marjorie as she must decide if being part of the popular group is what she wants after all. Ages 10-up
Martian Ghost Centaur
Mat Heagerty and Steph Mided, Mar.
What happens when gentrification meets small hometown as Louie is forced to face hard truths about her favorite place in the world, and take matters into her own hands even as the world's expectations of her come bearing down. Ages 12-up.
The Tea Dragon Tapestry
K. O'Neill, June
The finale to the Tea Dragon Society series follows Greta and Minette as they are forced to decide what they truly want, even if it means questioning everything they thought they'd left behind. Ages 9-12.
ORCHARD
Standing on Her Shoulders
Monica Clark-Robinson, illus. by Laura Freeman, Feb.
Encourages girls to learn about the trailblazing women who laid the path for their own lives, and empowers them to become role models themselves. Ages 4-8.
PAGE STREET KIDS
Princesses Can Fix It!
Tracy Marchini, illus. by Julia Christians, May
Three princesses take on their castle’s alligator problem in this STEAM-focused take on the classic tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Ages 4-8.
NANCY PAULSEN
Starfish
Lisa Fipps, Mar.
In her swimming pool, Ellie feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world, can stretch herself out like a starfish, and can take up all the room she wants. Can she cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life—by unapologetically being her own fabulous self? Ages 10-up.
PHILOMEL
She Persisted: Claudette Colvin
Lesa Cline-Ransome and Chelsea Clinton, illus. by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint, Feb.
Before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Ala., 15-year-old Claudette Colvin made the same choice, and in doing so, fought for equality, fairness, and justice. The first in a chapter book series inspired by Chelsea Clinton’s She Persisted. Ages 6-9.
She Persisted: Sally Ride
Atia Abawi and Chelsea Clinton, illus. by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint, Mar.
After leaving NASA, Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, created science and engineering programs to help other girls and women make their dreams come true. Ages 6-9.
She Persisted: Virginia Apgar
Sayantani DasGupta and Chelsea Clinton, illus. by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint, Apr.
After a medical school professor discouraged Virginia Apgar from becoming a surgeon, she became an anesthesiologist instead and created the Apgar test to check the health of newborn babies—a test that's still used in hospitals across the world today. Ages 6-9.
She Persisted: Nellie Bly
Michelle Knudsen and Chelsea Clinton, illus. by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint, May
How journalist Nellie Bly, one of the first-ever investigative reporters, went undercover to expose wrongdoing and raced around the world so she could write about the experience for her newspaper. Ages 6-9.
She Persisted: Florence Griffith Joyner
Rita Williams-Garcia and Chelsea Clinton, illus. by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint, June
A chapter book biography of Florence Griffith Joyner (aka Flo Jo), considered the fastest woman of all time, who set two world records in 1988 that still stand today. Ages 6-9.
She Persisted: Sonia Sotomayor
Meg Medina and Chelsea Clinton, illus. by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint, June
How Sonia Sotomayor overcame many challenges on the way to becoming the country’s first Latina Supreme Court Justice. Ages 6-9.
G.P. PUTNAM’S SONS
Girl Stuff
Lisi Harrison, Feb.
The bestselling author of The Clique returns with a series where girls help each other tackle issues of friendship, crushes, and new experiences. Ages 10-up.
Treasure of the World
Tara Sullivan, Feb.
A girl must find a way to help her family survive in a desolate and impoverished Bolivian silver mining community. Ages 10-up.
Saving American Beach
Heidi Tyline King, illus. by Ekua Holmes, Apr.
A picture book biography of MaVynee Betsch, an African American opera singer turned environmentalist. Ages 4-8.
Some Girls Do
Jennifer Dugan, May
In this YA contemporary queer romance from the author of Hot Dog Girl, an openly gay track star falls for a closeted, bisexual teen beauty queen with a penchant for fixing old cars. Ages 12-up.
RANDOM HOUSE GRAPHIC
Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human
Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan, Mar.
A comprehensive guide, in graphic novel form, covering relationships, friendships, gender, sexuality, anatomy, body image, safe sex, sexting, jealousy, rejection, sex education, and more. Ages 14-up.
RANDOM HOUSE STUDIO
Areli Is a Dreamer: A True Story by Areli Morales, a DACA Recipient
Areli Morales, illus. by Luisa Uribe, June
A DACA dreamer tells her own powerful immigration story. Ages 4-8.
Indelible Ann: The Larger-Than-Life Story of Governor Ann Richards
Meghan P. Browne, illus. by Carlynn Whitt, June
A picture book biography of Ann Richards, the late governor of Texas who was inspired by Eleanor Roosevelt and in turn became an inspiration to Hillary Clinton and countless other women in politics today. Ages 4-8.
Isobel Adds It Up
Kristy Everington, illus. by Agstet Ford, June
Isobel is a math-loving problem-solver, but trying to figure out who is causing all the noise next door is one problem she can't quite work out–yet. Ages 3-7.
REBEL GIRLS
Rebel Girls Lead: 25 Tales of Powerful Women
Rebel Girls, Jan.
Celebrates the inspiring stories of 25 women leaders in politics, business, sports, activism, and more, written in fairy tale form and illustrated by female artists from around the world. Ages 6-9.
RUNNING PRESS
We Got Game! 35 Female Athletes Who Changed the World
Aileen Weintraub, May
Meet 35 female athletes who played hard, broke records, and inspired girls around the world and throughout history. Ages 8-up.
S&S
Girls with Rebel Souls
Suzanne Young, Mar.
The girls make their final stand in this third and final novel in the near-future series about a girls-only private school that is far more than it appears to be. Ages 14-up.
SCHOLASTIC PRESS
Muted
Tami Charles, Feb.
Inspired by true events, an exploration of the dark side of the music industry, the business of exploitation, how a girl's dreams can be used against her—and what it takes to fight back. Ages 12-up.
I Am Defiance: A Novel of WWII
Jenni L. Walsh, Feb.
A gripping story about a real-life youth resistance group in WWII Germany, and about the power of thinking for yourself in the fight against hatred. Ages 8-12.
The Poetry of Secrets
Cambria Gordon, Feb.
A love story about identity, religious intolerance, and female empowerment, set against the harrowing backdrop of the Spanish Inquisition. Ages 12-up.
The Vanished
Nic Stone, Feb.
When Shuri, the Princess of Wakanda (and sister to the Black Panther), hears of exceptionally talented girls across the world going missing, she is determined not to let them be forgotten. Ages 8-12.
You Are Enough: A Book About Inclusion
Margaret O'Hair and Sofia Sanchez, illus. by Sofia Cardoso, Mar.
Sanchez, an 11-year-old model and actress with Down syndrome, reminds readers how important it is to embrace your differences, be confident, and be proud of who you are. Ages 4-8.
The Little Blue Bridge
Brenda Maier, illus. by Sonia Sánchez, Apr.
The heroine from The Little Red Fort returns in this spin on The Three Billy Goats Gruff, weaving folklore, feminism, STEM, and a Latinx cast into a read-aloud that celebrates creativity and building bridges of friendship and community. Ages 4-8.
You’ve Got This! (Popsugar)
Jessica MacLeish, June
A creativity workbook offering activities and prompts to encourage kindness, self-confidence, and the importance of friendship. Ages 9-12.
ANNE SCHWARTZ
Shirley Chisholm Dared: The Story of the First Black Woman in Congress
Alicia D. Williams, illus. by April Harrison, June
The inspiring story of the first Black woman elected to Congress and to run for president. Ages 4-8.
SHADOW MOUNTAIN
Stella
McCall Hoyle, Mar.
A former service beagle named Stella must find the courage to overcome her fears and use her special nose to save a girl’s life. Ages 8-11.
Strong Like the Sea
Wendy S. Swore, May
Twelve-year-old Hawaiian-born Alexis is afraid of the ocean—but now she’ll need to overcome her fear to help save her new friend. Ages 8-11.
SLEEPING BEAR
Headstrong Hallie! The Story of Hallie Morse Daggett, the First Female “Fire Guard”
Aimee Bissonette, illus. by David Hohn, Feb.
Hallie Morse Daggett grew up loving nature, and was willing to defy conventional gender roles in order to protect her beloved forests; she became the first female “fire guard” to be hired by the U.S. Forest Service. Ages 6-9.
June Almeida, Virus Detective! The Woman Who Discovered the First Human Coronavirus
Suzanne Slade, illus. by Elisa Paganelli, Mar.
A picture book biography exploring the origins of the human coronavirus by examining the life of the woman who first discovered it. Ages 6-9.
GIBBS SMITH
Celestina the Astronaut Ballerina
Donald Jacobsen, Mar.
Celestina is a little girl with a big dream—but can she overcome peer pressure and bullying to accomplish her astral ambition? Ages 2-7.
SOUNDS TRUE
Whole Girl: Live Vibrantly, Love Your Entire Self, and Make Friends with Food
Sadie Radinsky, Feb
The teenage blogger and recipe creator shares insights, practices, and delicious treat recipes to help young women love themselves exactly as they are. Ages 14-up.
SUNBIRD
It’s Her Story: Dolly Parton
Emily Skwish, illus. by Lidia Fernandez, July.
Continues the It’s Her Story graphic novel series by spotlighting country music star Dolly Parton, who has become a successful businesswoman, actress, and philanthropist. Ages 7-10.
It’s Her Story: Ida B. Wells
Anastasia Magloire Williams, illus. by Alleanna Harris, July.
Continues the It’s Her Story graphic novel series by spotlighting Ida B. Wells, born into slavery and freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, who was an American journalist, educator, and an early leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Ages 7-10.
TOR TEEN
The Stolen Kingdom
Jillian Boehme, Mar.
Vintner’s daughter Maralyth has no idea that her hidden magic is proof of a secret bloodline. Ages 13-18.
Victories Greater Than Death
Charlie Jane Anders, Apr.
In this YA space opera, Tina and her ragtag crew of friends and the Royal fleet are with her to save all the worlds—but first she will have to save herself. Ages 13-18.
A Chorus Rises
Bethany Morrow, June
Naema navigates a personal and public reckoning, confronting the evolving nature of popularity in a society that chooses “exceptions” and rewards “model minorities.” Ages 13-18.
Witchshadow
Susan Dennard, June
As villains from legend reawaken across the Witchlands, Iseult must summon a magic more dangerous than anything she has faced before to heal the land. Ages 13-18.
The Queen Will Betray You
Sarah Henning, July
The sequel to The Princess Will Save You continues the gender-swapped Princess Bride-esque adventure. Ages 13-18.
VERSIFY
Your Mama
NoNieqa Ramos, illus. by Jacqueline Alcántara, Apr.
A mix of Spanish and English twists the old “yo’ mama” joke into a point of pride that honors the love, hard work, and dedication of mamas everywhere. Ages 4-7.
VIKING
The Case of the Missing Cheetah
Veronica Mang, Mar.
The first in the new Secret Spy Society series about three sleuthing girls and some of the most enigmatic women in history who worked as spies. Ages 5-9.
From Little Tokyo, with Love
Sarah Kuhn, May
Biracial Rika's search for a storybook ending takes her to unexpected places in both her beloved L.A. neighborhood and her own guarded heart. Ages 14-up.
WANDER
A Gentle Tyranny
Jess Corban, Mar.
When 17-year-old Reina is selected as a candidate to become Nedé’s ninth Matriarch, she discovers their women’s Eden has come at a cost she’s not sure she’s willing to pay. Ages 13-up.
WATTPAD
Revenge of the Sluts
Natalie Walton, Feb.
Lead high school reporter Eden and seven young women band together to find who anonymously emailed intimate pictures of them to the entire school. Ages 14-17.
ALBERT WHITMAN
Summer of Brave
Amy Noelle Parks, Mar.
A novel about honesty and speaking up, that tackles preteen experiences with academic pressure, first crushes, parental divorce, and sexual harassment. Ages 9-12.
Listening to the Stars
Jodie Parachini, Apr.
This picture book biography of Jocelyn Bell Burnell, the woman astrophysicist who discovered pulsars, joins the She Made History series. Ages 4-8.
Shaped by Her Hands
Anna Harber Freeman and Barbara Gonzales, Apr.
The untold story of Maria Povika Martinez, the most renowned Native American Indian potter of her time, co-written by her great-granddaughter. Ages 4-8.
WORKMAN
You Don’t Have to Be Everything: Poems for Girls Becoming Themselves
Diana Whitney, Mar.
An illustrated anthology by diverse poets grappling with questions of gender, sexuality, harassment, and pain while celebrating beauty, risk, and making mistakes. Ages 12-18.
ZEST
#MeToo and You: Everything You Need to Know about Consent, Boundaries, and More
Halley Bondy, Feb.
Detailed scenarios, both real and hypothetical, provide valuable examples of what's acceptable and what is not, along with tools to help everyone treat others appropriately and to stand up for themselves and their peers. Ages 11-up.
ZONDERKIDZ
Big, Bold, and Beautiful: Owning the Woman God Made You to Be
Kierra Sheard, Apr.
Part of the legendary gospel family the Clark Sisters breaks down hard-won lessons on body positivity, self-care and goal setting. Ages 13-up.
