March of 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of our country’s nationally proclaimed Women’s History Month! This year’s celebration is dedicated to the "Valiant Women of the Vote," those who fought for the passage of the 19th amendment in 1920, and those who have continued the struggle to achieve rights and representation for all women in the United States.

In honor of Women’s History month, we’re celebrating a few of the American women and girls who have found ways, both large and small, to resist the currents of oppression and to work toward change with the following Picture Books that Tell Her Story:

Bold and Brave: Ten Heroes Who Won Women the Right to Vote written by Kirsten Gillibrand and illustrated by Maira Kalman

Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 written by Michelle Markel and illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh

A Place Where Sunflowers Grow written by Amy Lee-Tai and illustrated by Felicia Hoshino

When We Were Alone written by David Robertson and illustrated by Julie Flett

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison

Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott written by Dee Romito and illustrated by Laura Freeman

When Marian Sang: the True Recital of Marian Anderson, the Voice of a Century written by Pam Muñoz Ryan and illustrated by Brian Selznick

The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne written by Lesa Cline-Ransome and illustrated by John Parra

Lillian’s Right to Vote: A Celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 written by Jonah Winter and illustrated by Shane Evans

Rachel Carson and Her Book that Changed the World written by Laurie Lawlor and illustrated by Laura Beingessner

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of R.B.G. vs. Inequality written by Jonah Winter and illustrated by Stacy Innerst

Sonia Sotomayor: A Judge Grows in the Bronx written by Jonah Winter and illustrated by Edel Rodriguez

I Am Jazz! written by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings; illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas

Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World written by Susan Hood; illustrated by Selina Alko, Sophie Blackall, Lisa Brown, Hadley Hooper, Emily Winfield Martin, Oge Mora, Julie Morstad. Sara Palacios, LeUyen Pham, Erin K. Robinson, Isabel Roxas, Shadra Strickland, and  Melissa Sweet

And if the young people in your life are inspired to start their own wave of change, the Free Library can help them to put their dreams into words.

Browse more children’s book titles related to social justice or peruse other book lists in our catalog created by our Children’s Librarians.

To begin your own search for children’s books describing the lives of heroes past and present, explore the Free Library’s collection of women’s biographies for children.

For further reading and learning resources about women's history in the United States and the world, visit:

• Women’s History Month
• Smithsonian
• History.com

Check back for more Free Library events and blog posts celebrating women’s history throughout the month of March.

What’s your favorite picture book about women who lead the way? Let us know in the comments below!