Women

Lynne Cheney and Robin Preiss Glasser collaborated on America: A Patriotic Primer, which captured the imagination of American children and became a national best-seller. Now they turn their hands to A is for Abigail: An Almanac of Amazing American Women and bring the great women of American history to life. Filled to the brim with words and pictures that celebrate the remarkable (although often unmarked) achievements of American women, this is a book to relish and to read again and again.

In an exciting tale set in 17th-century China, a girl who is trained in the warrior arts of kung fu sets out to teach her fighting skills to a princess. While both girls learn to protect themselves against bullies, they also learn that the true meaning of kung fu is more than kicking and punching.

This innovative and well-researched book by Penny Colman uses primary source material (journals, letters, photographs, and magazines) to tell the story of real-life girls from pre-Colonial times to the present. Girls will help you inspire your students to keep their own journals and record their own histories.

Pinkney tells the stories of ten African American women — from Soujourner Truth to Rosa Parks — who faced prejudice and oppression with amazing courage and grace. In the end, all ten women paved the way for changes in the lives of future generations.

Krull’s book makes it clear that men are not always the ones in charge. In this colorfully illustrated book, she introduces 20 women that have been queens, warriors, prime ministers, revolutionary leaders, and Indian chiefs. She also features first ladies who refused to stand by while others ran the show.

Clever Liza Lou has the stuff that makes leaders. In this fanciful tale, she faces off against “swamp haunts,” witches, devils, “gobblygooks,” and more! Not only is Liza Lou victorious against these evil forces, but she gets them to do her chores.

This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the story of Molly Bannaky, a brave but lesser-known figure from Colonial history. Bannaky, a former indentured servant, marries a slave and starts a farm with him.

In this exciting volume there are 13 “folktales about heroes — regular sword-wielding, spear-throwing, villain-stomping, rescuing-type heroes who also happen to be female.” Feisty and fearless females, ranging from the Greek Atalanta to the Nigerian Nana Miriam, are all represented as strong and resourceful.

Eleven famous leaders — including Pocahontas, Harriet Tubman, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Helen Keller, and Margaret Mead — are profiled in this picture biography. A women’s history time line and bibliography are included.

Ann Maria Weems was a slave who lived during the mid-1800s in Maryland. When she was 13 years old, she disguised herself as a boy and escaped to Canada. This carefully researched historical novel tells her story, which is one of adventure and escape fused with careful details about the Underground Railroad.