30 books to celebrate International Women's Day

Dreams for our Daughters

Baby and Toddler 3+ readers

Author: Ruth Doyle Illustrator: Ashling Lindsay Format: Paperback Release Date: 03/02/2022

‘Dream big, little one’ is the message in this beautiful picture book, and it offers so many dreams to follow. They are wild, liberating and oh, so inspiring, invitations to be a star-gazer, trail-blazer; a fierce freedom-leader, a bold self-believer; a keeper of kindness and champion of change. The illustrations – vibrant and lively in a rich, warm palette – show young girls exploring the world and vividly express the hopes and joy contained in the text. Striking to look at and exhilarating to read aloud, this is very special and a lovely book to give to any little girl.

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The Girls

3+ readers 5+ readers

Author: Lauren Ace Illustrator: Jenny Lovlie Format: Paperback Release Date: 10/01/2019

January 2019 Debut of the Month | The Girls is a glorious and uplifting description of female friendship. It stars four girls and simply but beautifully describes in words and pictures their enduring friendship as they grow from little children into adults. In just 32 pages we get to know the girls really well: adventurous Lottie, practical Sasha, clever Leela and Alice, who can always make them laugh. As a result, we follow the ups and downs of their lives with real interest. The book’s message about the comfort, joy and support friends provide is delivered with real charm and this is a story which will reassure all young readers about what they can achieve and which will inspire them for their futures.

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One Girl

3+ readers 5+ readers 7+ readers

Author: Andrea Beaty Illustrator: Dow Phumiruk Format: Hardback Release Date: 06/10/2020

Beautifully told and illustrated this luminous allegorical adventure describes how one little girl’s dark and lonely existence is lit up by the arrival of ‘one spark’ in the form of a book – ‘faint and fading in the dark’. The spark’s embers glow and catch light and we see the girl follow them through an extraordinary world, brightened always by books, falling Alice in Wonderland-like from the sky, sprouting flowers and always shining in the dark. Enrolled at school, her heart’s delight, her story takes flight again from the pages of a book to transform another lonely girl’s life. There’s lots to wonder at, but the overall message is clear – the transforming, empowering, joy-bringing importance of books and education. The rhyming text carries readers along and the illustrations seem lit up from within. A book that deserves a wide audience and one that will start both dreams and discussions. For similar books take a look at Girl Power - Inspiring and Informative Books with a Feminist Edge

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Ada and the Galaxies

3+ readers 5+ readers

Author: Alan Lightman & Olga Pastuchiv Illustrator: Susanna Chapman Format: Hardback Release Date: 03/03/2022

March 2022 Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month March 2022 | Ada loves watching the stars. Its hard to see them well from her home in New York City where there are always so many lights on – even at night. So she can’t wait to visit her grandparents in their quiet home by the sea. Here the nights get properly dark so that the stars shine really brightly. Ada is impatient for night to fall . To entertain her until it does, her grandfather introduces her to all the things of interest on the sea shore as well as telling her all about how the stars are made. He explains the gigantic scale of the galaxies and the incredible and impossible amount of time it would take her to actually reach the stars…Full of life and wonder and raising many of the questions that all children ask, the book is given an extra dimension by the clever interweaving of vivid contemporary illustrations with mind-expanding photographs taken from the Hubble telescope.

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Leonora Bolt: Secret Inventor

5+ readers 7+ readers

Author: Lucy Brandt Illustrator: Gladys Jose Format: Paperback Release Date: 20/01/2022

February 2022 Debut of the Month | Inventors don’t come much more inventive than young Leonora Bolt. In her home on remote Crabby Island, shared with her otter Twitchy, eccentric housekeeper Mildred and (occasionally) with her nasty Uncle Lester, Leonora comes up with all sorts of amazing gadgets and most astonishing of all is the Switcheroo, which can make objects swap places, via a nifty bit of quantum computing. Despite her brilliance, Leonora has never yet left the island and Uncle Luther seems determined to keep it that way. When a boy called Jack is washed up though, Leonora has to help and in the process she discovers secrets her uncle was keeping (we knew he was a bad un!). The story is full of fun and surprises, plus a fair bit of tension: will Leonora escape the island and Uncle Luther? Were her parents really lost at sea? Favourite scenes include a ride in a hot air balloon, suspended from a wonderful variety of inflatables, and another in the stinkiest cave in fiction. Lots of fun, this is one to recommend to readers who like their adventures wild, wacky and full of invention(s).

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Sofia Valdez and the Vanishing Vote

5+ readers 7+ readers

Author: Andrea Beaty Illustrator: David Roberts Format: Hardback Release Date: 08/10/2020

What a great little book and a wonderful way of explaining democracy and the intricacies of the voting system: Perfectly timed for the American Presidential Elections. What was so clever was Valdez’s ability to explain whilst still maintaining an interesting and fun children’s story. There were also other messages running through the story, such as loyalty to one’s friends and peer rivalry within a classroom. I also liked learning about Mexican cookery with the odd baking tip thrown in for good measure! Managing to explain the freedom of information, fake news and what a boycott is to such young children is quite a feat. I think her quote, ‘never a perfect candidate in an election. How could there be? People aren’t perfect’ was particularly poignant. I think my favourite message however was ‘read, question, think’ – a message for life for all of us. A clever informative book with some great illustrations by David Roberts.

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Respect

5+ readers 7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Rachel Brian Illustrator: Rachel Brian Format: Hardback Release Date: 09/01/2020

January 2020 Book of the Month | “Your body belongs to you, and you get to set your own rules.” At once inspiring, informative and entertaining, this perfectly-pitched consent primer covers the concept of consent, setting boundaries, having control over your personal space and body, and being self-aware.Ideal for use in the classroom as a fun and enlightening teaching aid, the appealingly bold cartoons present big issues in an admirably relatable manner. Alongside the clear explanation of what consent is and how to set boundaries, this empathy-nurturing book also shares valuable insights into how to be a supportive friend, making it a uniquely useful navigational tool.

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The Last Bear

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Hannah Gold Illustrator: Levi Pinfold Format: Paperback Release Date: 06/01/2022

Winner of the Blue Peter Awards 2022 Best Story | A heart-warming and magical story of a very special relationship between a child and a polar bear which will inspire readers of all ages to realise that they, like April, can make a difference in the battle against climate change. When animal loving April arrives on Bear Island in the Arctic Circle where she will live for the next six months while her father runs the scientific operations she is told that, despite the island’s name, there are no bears on it. The melting ice caps mean that the polar bears can no longer arrive from the nearest mainland near Svalbard. But April soon finds out that there is one bear left. And April needs to do everything she can to keep him alive. Confident of her ability to communicate with the bear and to feed him, April nourishes the bear and even plans his return to safety. Beautifully illustrated by Levi Pinfold, The Last Bear invites readers to care about the science behind the fate of an endangered species and to believe in one girl’s magical solution to the problem. **The images and illustrations in this extract are subject to copyright © Levi Pinfold and may not be used without permission.

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Cookie and the Most Mysterious Mystery in the World

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Konnie Huq Illustrator: Konnie Huq Format: Paperback Release Date: 03/02/2022

Mysteries pile up on top of one another in Cookie’s latest hilarious adventure. There are numerous secrets to uncover, several codes to crack, a number of unusual occurrences and a very important Nani who arrives from Bangladesh for a visit. Underlying all the gripping mystery and the comedy there is a simple message about the importance of both arts and science in school. Konnie Huq’s fast-paced story is brilliantly brought to life in her witty line illustrations which have a raft of jokes all of their own. With lots of additional information about codes as well as instructions on some of the things Cookie loves to make, this is a book to return to again and again. Konnie Huq was our Guest Editor in September 2021 - find out more about the Cookie series and her top children's book recommendations!

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Marie Curie and Her Daughters

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Imogen Greenberg Illustrator: Isabel Greenberg Format: Hardback Release Date: 21/01/2021

A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month January 2021 | The story of the brilliant scientist Marie Curie, the chemist/ physicist who made life saving discovery in medicine and won the Nobel Prize for her work has long been an inspiration to all budding scientists. Marie Curie overcame much prejudice against women scientists to succeed as she did and, in doing so, opened the doors for future generations of women. But Marie Curie had another important role as an inspiration to future generations: she was the mother of two scientists who also grew up to become women scientists in their own right. This rounded life of Marie Curie and her daughters is beautifully realised in words and pictures by sisters Imogen and Isobel Greenberg in a book that will encourage all readers to take bold steps in life.

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Counting on Katherine

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Helaine Becker Illustrator: Dow Phumiruk Format: Paperback Release Date: 15/04/2021

Winner of the UKLA Book Awards 2020 Information book category | Told with crystalline clarity and verve, and fabulously enhanced by the stylish illustrations, this tells the remarkable against-the-odds tale of Katherine Johnson from her days as an exceptional African American schoolgirl whose “boundless curiosity turned her into a star student”. But despite her brightness, ten-year-old Katherine faced the terrible restraints of segregation – as an African American she wasn’t permitted to study at her local high school. As she “burned with fury”, her family determined to get Katherine the education she deserved and so they moved to a town with a high school for black students. Her path to working on Project Apollo required incredible perseverance, but thanks to that, and to her outstanding mathematical skills, the world could count on Katherine to set the moon landings back on course. Shot-through with a rousing sense of Katherine’s determination and dedication to her work, and with her shining mathematical brilliance, this beautiful book deserves to be on the shelves of every space-loving child.

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Fantastically Great Women: True Stories of Ambition, Adventure and Bravery

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Kate Pankhurst Illustrator: Kate Pankhurst Format: Hardback Release Date: 14/10/2021

This eye-catching book is a compendium of inspiring women who dared to stand up for what mattered to them and to do things that those around them said they shouldn’t or couldn’t. In words and pictures - equally lively and informative – Kate Pankhurst tells fifty true-life stories of artists, writers, doctors, scientists, champions and campaigners. To put them in chronological order (and a handy timeline at the end does just that), she features great women from Hatshepsut, Egyptian Pharoah in 1479 BCE, to NASA scientist Katherine Johnson, who died just last year. Each has a double page to themselves, cleverly laid out to be visually appealing while delivering large amounts of information. Bringing together Pankhurst’s individual volumes but adding new faces too, this is a must read for every young person, and will fascinate their parents too.

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It’s Her Story: Shirley Chisholm

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Patrice Aggs Illustrator: Markia Jenai Format: Hardback Release Date: 03/02/2022

‘Shirley Chisholm was one of those people who didn’t look left or right – but just looked straight ahead’ said President Obama of the extraordinary woman whose life-story is told in this inspiring, short graphic novel-style book, and readers will understand exactly how accurate his statement is. Growing up in Brooklyn after a childhood in Barbados, Shirley worked hard at school and college, but still found opportunities for her and other Black people were limited. She set out to change things, entering politics and making a difference locally before winning a seat on the New York Assembly in 1964, only the second Black woman ever to do so. She carried on getting things done, breaking rules when necessary, and taking ‘unbought and unbossed’ as her slogan. She became the United States’ first Black congresswoman and then, in 1972, broke the biggest (unspoken) rule of all: she ran for President. Though she didn’t win, Shirley Chisholm changed the way her country looked at women in politics, and her story, as told here, will prove to today’s young readers that it is possible to change things for the better with determination, hard work and by refusing to accept the status quo.

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It's Her Story: Amelia Earhart

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Kim Moldofsky Illustrator: Alan Brown Format: Hardback Release Date: 03/02/2022

March 2022 Graphic Novel of the Month | Young readers meet Amelia Earhart in the new book in this lively and inspiring graphic novel series, and what a character she was. If you don’t know much more about her other than the final tragic details – she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 attempting to become the first woman to fly around the world – then this short but information-packed biography fills in the rest brilliantly. It quickly paints a picture of a determined, adventure-obsessed young woman who would do whatever it took to fly aeroplanes and whose courage and determination opened up the way for other women fliers to achieve their dreams. While we encounter other people who helped Amelia on her way, including the redoubtable Neta Snook, who taught her to fly (and drive), it’s clear why Amelia became the poster girl for women in aviation and the quote which ends this story of her life, is as inspiring today as it was when she said the words, ‘Adventure is worthwhile in itself.’ There are some great illustrated biographies of famous figures from history being published at the moment, look out for the Little People, Big Dreams series as well and the First Names books.

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Fantastically Great Women Artists and Their Stories

7+ readers 9+ readers

Author: Kate Pankhurst Illustrator: Kate Pankhurst Format: Paperback Release Date: 03/02/2022

March 2022 Non-Fiction Book of the Month | Here’s another brilliantly presented and engaging book from Kate Pankhurst. Typically accessible and readable, Fantastically Great Women Artists introduces eight inspiring women artists plus one culture-changing female collector (Peggy Guggenheim). They lived at different times and came from different countries and backgrounds, but all these women were talented and ready to stand up to those who told them they shouldn’t or couldn’t be artists. Young readers may have come across Frida Kahlo, one of the greats included, but are much less likely to have heard of Amrita Sher-Gil, Elisabeth Le Brun, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Faith Ringgold, Kathe Kollwitz or Dame Laura Knight. Pankhurst tells their stories through lively text, fully integrated with illustrations which carry even more information and insight, so that readers get a very vivid sense both of the lives of these women and of the art they produced or, in Guggenheim’s case, promoted. We understand the worlds they lived in, just how much hostility they faced, and why it mattered to them to create the work they did. This is so much more than a book about the women featured, it’s about history and art and women’s rights – everyone should buy a copy.

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Work It, Girl: J. K. Rowling

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Caroline Moss Illustrator: Sinem Erkas Format: Hardback Release Date: 04/03/2019

Boss the bestseller list like | In this imaginatively illustrated book from the Work It, Girlseries, discover how Harry Potter series creator J. K. Rowling became a bestselling author and publishing sensation in the true story of her life. Then, learn 10 key lessons from her work you can apply to your own life.

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Love Your Body

7+ readers 9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Jessica Sanders Illustrator: Carol Rossetti Format: Hardback Release Date: 03/03/2020

March 2020 Book of the Month | ‘My body is strong. My body can do amazing things. My body is my own.’ That’s the message for young girls to take from this comforting, uplifting and much-needed self-help guide. Our bodies are unique and amazing, it says, all of them, and there’s no one size, shape or colour that’s perfect. The message is demonstrated via colour illustrations featuring a range of young women happy with the way they look and who they are. The accompanying text reinforces this and also provides self-help tips for those times when you’re feeling down or insecure. There’s a really useful ‘Now What?’ section too full of self-care practices, while the jacket doubles as a poster for your wall, a self-care list for everyday life. It’s been carefully thought out from beginning to end, while illustrator Carol Rossetti’s young women feel like a group of friends cheering you on. “When girls are worried about how their bodies look, 8 out of 10 of them will opt out of important life lessons such as engaging with friends and loved ones. This is a feminist issue.” – Jessica Sanders You can find more books with a strong feminist message in our collection; Work It Girl - Inspiring and Informative Books on Feminism for All Ages

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Goddess

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Janina Ramirez Illustrator: Sarah Walsh Format: Hardback Release Date: 24/02/2022

50 Goddesses, Spirits, Saints and Other Female Figures Who Have Shaped Belief | Using photographs of objects from the British Museum collections beside bold, bright, clear illustrations of the female characters, the stories and animals often associated with them. This is most definitely a book to dip into repeatedly. Each double page spread looks at a specific person, their legends, the stories that have altered over time and their often-multiple names. The book is arranged into five different sections covering Ruling and Guiding figures, New Life figures, War and Death figures, Love and Wisdom figures and Animal and Nature figures. The whole of the history of beliefs seem to be covered from Africa to Wales, Aztec to Maori, Far Eastern to Norse to name but a few! The Introduction shares thoughts on the way the word Goddess has changed its meaning over the years and Dr Ramirez shares a very useful Glossary of unusual terms as well as indexing individual goddesses – always a huge benefit that unfortunately some authors and publishers fail to appreciate. A beautiful book I can imagine being included in many topic boxes and school libraries.

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All Together Now Dick, Kerr Girls

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Eve Ainsworth Format: Paperback Release Date: 03/02/2022

March 2022 Book of the Month | Rooted in the remarkable real-life story of the pioneering female football team that blazed a trail for women’s football (and beyond), this third book in Eve Ainsworth’s inspiring Dick, Kerr Girls series is an absolute screamer of a novel. A top-of-the-league triumph with clear appeal for female football fans and players, plus plenty to grip and move all kinds of readers, for it’s also a universal story of determination, family life and strife, friendship, confusing new emotions, and hope. Twelve-year-old Martha, little sister to Hettie and Freddie who’ll be known to readers from the previous novels, has just started training alongside the world-famous, world-class Dick, Kerr football team, which provokes envy and snide sexist remarks from some of the local lads she’s always enjoyed football kickabouts with. But inspired by the team’s star player, Lily, Martha is determined to succeed. Alongside this, though, Martha’s hard-working dad falls seriously ill. Then, as the women’s game draws record-breaking crowds, pioneers playing evening matches under searchlights, and raises huge sums of money for former servicemen, detractors raise their voices. Some believe “men’s football is still the only proper sport”, that “no girl should be out playing rough sport”, and Martha’s teacher believes “God never intended for women to be running up and down football pitches”. The wider historic context is fascinating, too, and many areas of the characters’ lives illuminate this period of British history, from the prejudice against women’s football, and Hettie working in the Dick, Kerr & Co munitions factory, to Freddie forging a new career after being injured in WWI, and people having to pay for medical care in this pre-NHS era. These strands of social history will provoke thought and discussion as Martha’s struggles and determination resonate, grip and inspire. She’s loving and perceptive, bold and confident, but prone to patches of self-doubt — a fully-rounded, relatable character readers will root for.

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Girls for the Vote

9+ readers 11+ readers

Author: Linda Newbery Format: Paperback Release Date: 03/05/2018

Brings the past brilliantly to life and introduces inspirational women to today's girls. Historically strong, this is a dramatic story with a real sense of atmosphere which in turn sheds an impressively wide light on the social and economic picture of its time. Girls for the Vote was originally published as Polly's March.

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Kemosha of the Caribbean

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Alex Wheatle Format: Paperback Release Date: 03/02/2022

Compelling and characterful, Alex Wheatle’s Kemosha of the Caribbean is an illuminating ode to women of the Caribbean who fought for freedom. Interweaving the piratical history of Captain Henry Morgan with the determination and compassion of an extraordinary heroine, it’s a magnificently spirited story - enjoy as a fine companion to Wheatle’s Cane Warriors. Jamaica, 1668. Amidst the brutal power-play of England consolidating colonial control from Spain, 15-year-old Kemosha is enslaved on Captain Tate’s plantation, resolute that “They will never tek me dream from me”. And that dream? Freedom from slavery, freedom to be her own person, freedom to liberate those she loves. Then, as Kemosha is sold to work in a tavern in Port Royal, “the wickedest place on earth”, she swears “to all the African gods dat me will come back for me liccle brudder”. In the tavern, battle-scarred white men gamble and brawl while drunk on “firewater”, with the heady atmosphere evoked in all its colour - Wheatle’s writing always strikes a brilliant balance between action and lyricism. Though subjected to lascivious stares and grabbing hands, Kemosha won’t put up with worse from an English navy man. She fights back and flees, finding refuge with Jamaica’s most skilled barrel-maker, who teaches her the art of sword fighting. Through him, after proving her skills, she joins Captain Morgan, the Welsh-born “richest man in the Caribbean”, who’s heard word of her sword play and bravery. Life at sea is harsh, with worse horrors awaiting when Kemosha follows the crew to land. Surrounded by the appalling aftermath of a brutal battle, she utters a powerful statement: “Why does one group of people want more than de next group of people?... Why does one have to conquer the other? Why does one have to be de slave and one have to be de masser?” Remaining steadfast to her dream, Kemosha fights on to bring about the freedom she’s so long desired. Quite simply, Kemosha of the Caribbean swells with storytelling brilliance.

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The Body Image Book for Girls

9+ readers 11+ readers 13+ readers YA readers

Author: Charlotte Markey Format: Paperback Release Date: 30/09/2020

Love Yourself and Grow Up Fearless | The Body Image Book for Girls, published by Cambridge University Press, is certainly worth a place in any school library. Authored by a Professor in Psychology, whose research specialises in body image issues, the reader can have every confidence that the contents are backed up by authoritative evidence, but this is no dry academic tome. As she states in her introduction, Dr Markey is a mother of teenagers, a boy and a girl, and she really cares about girls having the information they need to make the right decisions and to develop healthy habits. When young girls are bombarded with images of airbrushed celebrities and social media pressures it is no wonder that most girls are dissatisfied with some aspect of their bodies and this can lead to anxiety, depression and worse. With an estimated 1.25 million people in the UK having an eating disorder there can be no doubt that there is a real need for a book like this to counter the misinformation out there. The ten chapters cover very clearly and concisely an enormous amount of information ranging from puberty and body changes to self-care, mental health, basic nutritional science, healthy eating habits and making food fun, physical activity and loving our bodies for what they do (not how they look)and how to handle social media and challenging fat shaming language. Each chapter has My Story sections with real life experiences, myth busting boxes, Q&A and a valuable concluding summary of the key points. Combined with an excellent glossary and helpful illustrations the reader can quickly find the information that they need at any given time. But the unpatronizing and non-didactive tone also makes this an enjoyable and engaging read likely to be read from cover to cover. Highly recommended for age nine upwards to the many adults who would benefit from its wisdom too! For more books with a strong, feminist theme, visit our Girl Power feature.

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We Are All Greta

11+ readers 13+ readers

Author: Valentina Giannella Illustrator: Manuela Marazzi Format: Paperback Release Date: 23/09/2019

October 2019 Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month October 2019 | Follow in Greta Thunberg's footsteps and join the global mission to save our planet from climate change. With in-depth text and data, this necessary and timely book will answer readers' questions on what climate change means, what its consequences will be, and what must be done to protect our world. For more ideas on tackling climate change, read the follow-up title Green Nation Revolution written by Valentina Giannella & Lucia Esther Maruzzelli.

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Our Beautiful Game

11+ readers 13+ readers

Author: Lou Kuenzler Format: Paperback Release Date: 01/07/2021

The eye opening and fascinating true story of Lily Parr, Alice Woods and their teammates in the Dick Kerr Ladies Football team are the inspiration behind this engrossing story of football obsessed Polly Nabb, who would much rather kick a ball than stay at home and help her mother, which is the role society expects her to fulfil. As men, including her beloved brother, were sent to fight in the war, women and girls took their place in munitions factories. When Polly sees these women playing football in their breaks, she lies about her age to get a job there too and eventually she is recruited to the famous Sparks team, who were playing public matches to sell-out crowds, but also on the receiving end of public vilification and scorn. Indeed, despite drawing crowds of 50,000, women's football was to be outlawed by the Football Association in 1921, who deemed it 'unsuitable for females'. This little-known fact will astonish modern fans of the Lionesses England team, as will the authentic detail of the dangers of the munition factories and the wider struggle for female independence and respect. This is a very well-rounded picture of life on the Home Front during the First World War, full of fascinating detail and incident, populated by vivid and memorable characters and infused with a real passion for the game of football. A very entertaining and enjoyable read that adds useful depth to any historical study of the period and a salutary lesson for any sexist sports fans!

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Becoming: Adapted for Younger Readers

11+ readers 13+ readers

Author: Michelle Obama Format: Hardback Release Date: 02/03/2021

April 2021 Book of the Month | This bestseller that dominated the adult charts for some considerable number of weeks has now been adapted for younger readers losing something like 100 pages in the process. This is the life story of Michelle Obama, from her poor but happy childhood on the Southside of Chicago to her current position as an ex-First Lady of the United States. It is written in a text that flows well – and gives the reader a searingly honest view of what life was like, the struggles and triumphs of a thoughtful, driven young black woman to get to top class US universities and gain excellent qualifications from them and to find her place in the world. Her meeting with Barack and their early life before politics impinged. Then, through the stages of their political life as a family – told in such a way that it is relatively easy to understand the complex political set-up in the US (something I always find rather confusing!) The highlight for me was seeing just how much Michelle was passionate about helping young people get what they needed – a better life, better nutrition, minority recognition and a sense of self-worth – which started whilst she was in college and continues right through her story. Her love of family and dislike for partisan politics – even whilst she had to exist within the political system – give one hope for the future and those young people she helped. A very readable and accessible biography for anyone with an interest in recent US history. Highly recommended.

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A Girl's Guide to Being Awesome

11+ readers 13+ readers YA readers

Author: Suzanne Virdee Format: Paperback Release Date: 10/09/2020

Empowering Advice for Teenage Life | From finding your sparkle (which the author defines as “unleashing the natural talent inside you” and "feeling and believing you can do anything”), to dealing with anti-social media, Suzanne Virdee’s A Girls’ Guide to Being Awesome is a pitch-perfect guidebook for girls navigating the confusing path to adulthood. The author, an award-winning TV journalist and radio broadcaster, contextualises her approach and advice through her experience as a tenacious, aspiring journalist who refused to give up. Sassy inspirational soundbites (“life is tough but so are you”; “success is a decision”; “don’t wish for it, work for it”) sit alongside detailed discussions of big issues, among them education, anxiety, sex and online grooming. The book also suggests empowering practical exercises, and provides nicely-designed space for readers to jot down their own thoughts on the likes of dreams and ambitions, using one’s sparkle, social media, and feminist icons, which will surely prompt deeper thinking and help young women hone valuable life skills.

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I, Ada

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Julia Gray Format: Paperback Release Date: 03/09/2020

Ada Lovelace: Rebel. Genius. Visionary | At once a passionate portrait of a scientifically seminal young woman, and a fascinating account of the lives of well-to-women in the early 19th-century, I Ada lays bare the many faces of Ada Lovelace. Ada the inquisitive. Ada the adventuress. Ada the visionary genius who defied convention to become the world’s first computer programmer, the seeds of which are sown in this portrayal of her early life. Driven by drama and a spirit of affection, this is as lively as it is informative. Fathered by flamboyant, notorious Lord Byron, it’s perhaps no wonder how easily Ada slips “into the unbordered realms of the imagination” as a child living on her grandparents’ country estate. Ada thinks of him often, and wonders why her mother speaks little of him. But then, Ada’s relationship with her strict, distant mother is often strained. Ada’s flighty tendencies jar with Lady Byron’s more rigid intellectual outlook. But they’re both inspired by their Grand Tour of Europe - Lady Byron seizes an opportunity to research ideas for her progressive school, while Ada’s mind is opened to a world of possibilities. Back in England, Ada’s desires are constrained by societal conventions, though female thinkers and mathematicians are among her circle, and then she meets a revolutionary inventor whose work chimes with her own innovative scientific ideas…

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Things a Bright Girl Can Do

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Sally Nicholls Format: Paperback Release Date: 01/02/2018

UKLA Longlist Book Awards - 2019 | Shortlisted for the YA Book Prize 2018 | Shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2019 | February 2018 Book of the Month | This inspirational novel about three young Suffragettes from very different backgrounds is at once a riveting character-driven read, and an outstandingly rich account of British social history between 1914 and 1917. Seventeen-year-old Evelyn is exasperated by the unfairness of a society in which her academically disinterested brother is afforded the expensive privilege of going up to Oxford while her genuine desire to broaden her mind is dismissed as pointless. “These university women lead very sad lives, I'd hoped for better things for you - a husband, and a family, and a home of your own,” her mother poo-poo’s. But, shirking familial disapproval, Evelyn joins the Suffragette movement and finds herself at the heart of a highly-charged rally, with serious repercussions. Then there’s May, a flamboyant fifteen-year-old who revels in being different and is encouraged to do so by her liberal Quaker mother. May is also a passionate Suffragette, and passionate, too, about Nell, a working class girl from Poplar. The flowering of their love and lust is brilliantly portrayed, as is the contrast between their respective backgrounds. Then, the political conflict of WWI heralds personal conflicts for the three young women, not least when Nell’s desire to contribute to the war effort angers pacifist May. The nature and struggles of masculinity are also excellently explored through, for example, Nell’s brother who wrestles with "feeling much less of a man than he should be”. This novel is the perfect tribute to the incredible women who blazed a trail during the early twentieth century, and its inspirational scope and storytelling excellence cannot be praised enough. I loved it.

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Grown: The Black Girls' Guide to Glowing Up

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Melissa Cummings-Quarry & Natalie A Carter Illustrator: Dorcas Magbadelo Format: Paperback Release Date: 30/09/2021

The authors of this excellent book have been friends since school and the book grew out of their own experiences of life as teenagers, the things they wish they’d known or been told. They write as if they are addressing younger sisters, recognising the extra challenges their readers will face growing up as Black girls, and that makes this an extraordinarily direct, authentic and empowering guide. There are chapters on subjects such as identity, friendship and understanding your body, as well as on hair, make-up and feeling your best, plus an excellent section on managing your finances. Quotes, anecdotes and advice from other influential Black women is included too, making the book even more effective and inspiring, and establishing a wider sense of community. “My wish is that this book can be the safe space you turn to when you need inspiration or comfort” says Natalie A. Carter in her introduction and the book is all that, and more.

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Medusa

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Jessie Burton Illustrator: Olivia Lomenech Gill Format: Hardback Release Date: 28/10/2021

November 2021 Book of the Month - A November 2021 Star Book! | Jessie Burton’s fiery feminist re-telling of the Greek myth of Medusa blazes with intrigue and beauty courtesy of author’s elegant style and Olivia Lomenech Gill’s fabulously evocative colour illustrations. It’s an incredible feat of intellect and imagination that takes down toxic masculinity and victim-blaming culture through an ingenious reframing, reclaiming of Medusa. The gods have exiled Medusa to a remote island, with no one for company but the snakes she has for hair. That is, until impossibly beautiful Perseus arrives and transfixes her: “I know a lot about beauty. Too much in fact. But I’d never seen anything like him…I wanted to eat him up like honey cake.” Desires awoken, Medusa won’t reveal her name, or let him see her: “I was just going to sit on the other side of this entrance rock and pretend that boys like him washed up on desert islands all the time.” This excerpt encapsulates one of the many marvellous things about this book. The writing - cleverly, and compellingly - feels both timeless and modern. Medusa’s narrative, and the dialogue, is laced with wit, and infused with tremendous detail. But betrayal swoops in the wake of desire, and all-too familiar mechanisms of patriarchy come into play with ferocity. Ultimately, though, and with a magnificent sense of sisterhood, Medusa comes to a new state of being: “Self-awareness is a great banisher of loneliness. And my sisters, the immortals, are with me.” This is terrifically inspiring and empowering in the ways of timeless myths, but also in ways that are very, very real - “you will find me when you need me, when the wind hears a woman’s cry and fills my sails forward. And I will whisper on the water that one must never fear the raised shield, the reflection caught in an office window, or the mirror in a bathroom.”

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Sovay

13+ readers YA readers

Author: Celia Rees Format: Paperback Release Date: 14/10/2021

Set in Britain against the backdrop of the French Revolution, Sovay once again confirms Celia Rees’ tremendous talent for unpacking and enlivening major historical events through new perspectives, most notably through the eyes and experiences of strong female leads who refuse to do as they’re told. Born into a wealthy English family, Sovay has lived a pretty privileged life, though through her forward-thinking father, she has an acute awareness of the principles of justice and liberty. We meet Sovay in splendidly dramatic style when, dressed as a highwayman, she entraps her lover and proves his intentions and commitment are not what she’d hoped - not what she deserves. Amidst this personal anger and turmoil, her father vanishes, and it seems her brother has vanished from his Oxford college. Cue Sovay’s intrepid investigation of what’s happened, cue many more highwaywoman incarnations, and cue the unravelling of a web of political corruption, secret societies and monstrous science as the impact of the French Revolution hits very close to home. Packed with passion, political intrigue and rip-roaring, death-defying action, this is the kind of page-turner that could well spark a desire to dig deeper into history.

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Bad Habits

YA readers

Author: Flynn Meaney Format: Paperback Release Date: 11/02/2021

Introducing Alex - the formidable, purple-haired President of her high school’s Feminist Society, which is quite a role given that St Mary’s is a strict co-ed Catholic boarding school ruled by servants of the patriarchy. Determined to get kicked-out from said patriarchal prison, Alex sets about staging a performance of The Vagina Monologues - a sure-fire way to secure her expulsion, while enlightening pupils, priests and nuns, and de-stigmatising the word “vagina”. Author Flynn Meaney has outstanding flair for creating authentic, engaging characters and dialogue, not least through Alex’s quips and comebacks. But, while she’s razor-sharp, with an ability to wither the bolshiest of boys, Alex is also the person people go to “for the stuff you can’t say to a nun or your room-mate”, and a loyal, loving friend, especially when supporting her own roommate. A romantic Disney Princess to Alex’s invincible warrior, Mary Kate’s relatable dreams and worries balance Alex’s irrepressible rebelliousness, and their friendship is a life-affirming joy. Then there’s Hockey Player Pat, who’s not quite the boorish jock Alex initially takes him for. In fact, he comes up with a cunning way for The Vagina Monologues to be performed. The question is, can Alex bring herself to cooperate with her no-sex-before-marriage-advocating nemesis for the greater good? With a flamin’ hot finale, this rip-roaring read blazes with rebellion, friendship and the power of speaking out.

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Rise Extraordinary Women of Colour who Changed the World

YA readers

Author: Maliha Abidi Format: Hardback Release Date: 26/10/2021

Relating the remarkable stories of 100 extraordinary women of colour, Maliha Abidi’s Rise is an inspirational, informative showstopper of an anthology. Global in scope and engagingly lively in style, it’s a powerful and beautifully curated testament to trailblazing women of colour from all walks of life, from all fields of endeavour (literature, science, engineering, business, banking, mathematics, politics, law, medicine, human rights activism, sport, art, music, dance), from all corners of the world. What a glorious gift this is to treasure - and draw inspiration from - for a lifetime. Featuring women from over 40 countries, these are pioneers who’ve risen above multiple challenges to have huge impact on the world, whether in the public eye, or behind the scenes. While the book includes seminal icons who are household names (among them Beyonce, Frida Kahlo, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Rosa Parks and Serena Williams), Rise also highlights lesser-known names whose work has had huge impact on our world. Like the women themselves, Maliha Abidi’s writing style is engaging and keenly focussed, and her striking portraits of each innovator are an exuberant, life-filled joy.

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Not Here To Be Liked

YA readers

Author: Michelle Quach Format: Paperback Release Date: 16/09/2021

October 2021 Debut of the Month | Refreshing, funny and packed with essential feminist themes, not to mention an authentic, engaging protagonist in Eliza Quan (a no-nonsense teenager who doesn’t give two hoots about what people think of her), Michelle Quach’s Not Here To Be Liked is at once deliciously entertaining and empowering. With pithy observations like “Girls get judged for their past; guys get judged for their potential”, it’s also a thought-provoking reminder (if one were needed) that there’s some way to go before patriarchal structures are disassembled - thanks goodness, then, that Eliza is on hand to speed up the process. Oh, and the novel features a whole lot of cute kissing to boot. Eliza is set to be the new editor-in-chief of her high school newspaper. Firstly, she’s the most qualified candidate. Secondly, she’s the only candidate…until former baseball player Len joins the paper for want of something better to do and winds up winning the vote. Justifiably angry that he - male, handsome, popular and utterly inexperienced - was picked over her - Eliza’s venting inspires a feminist movement that exposes the gulf between those who want - and recognise the need for - gender equality, and those who think she’s just annoyed about being overlooked. Alongside exploring such pertinent themes in slick style, the novel also sees Eliza face the ultimate conflict when she finds herself falling for Len. Fast and furious, Not Here To Be Liked flies in the face of anyone dumb enough to think that books about feminism (and feminists themselves) can’t be smart and funny.

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Tough Women

YA readers

Author: Jenny Tough Format: Paperback Release Date: 13/08/2020

As Tough Women’s subtitle declares, these are “stories of grit, courage and determination”. True tales from twenty-two tough women who undertake awe-inspiring adventures across the globe, from canoeing the Canadian wilderness, to hiking Pakistan, to cycling South America. Its editor is the intrepid Jenny Tough, a Canadian mountaineering expert who notes in her introduction that “the outdoor industry is actually fully of women, but when it comes to the highest level of media…the demographic dwindles to one”. Fortunately, this sexist state of affairs could be on the verge of changing - through giving voice to the “badass outdoorswomen” who here tell their extraordinary stories, this book might just change that narrow narrative and inspire new generations of female adventuresses. Each account enthrals like the best kind of travel writing. There are dazzling evocations of, for example, rugged Himalayan mountain-scapes, lush South American jungles, and howling Norwegian glacial valleys. Many of the women’s stories reveal monumental physical and emotional challenges - challenges tackled and overcome with super-human strength and resilience - and all of them underpinned by a joyously life-affirming spirit of curiosity. For more books with a strong, feminist theme, visit our Girl Power feature.

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