Bookworm Review: Kids Books About Women’s History

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

You can do it.

All your life, you’ve been told that you can do anything you set your mind to do. Try new things, get better at old things, dream big and act bigger. You can be soft and tough at the same time.  And if you need any inspiration, well, look to these great picture books…

Shortly after her birth in India, Minda Dentler got terribly sick with a disease called polio, and doctors said she would never walk. Alas, her birth mother was very poor and couldn’t afford to care for Minda, so she put Minda up for adoption. In “The Girl Who Figured It Out” by Minda Dentler, illustrations by Stephanie Dehennin (Sourcebooks Kids, $18.99), that’s just the beginning of a story that started in Mumbai, came to America, and continues at the Ironman World Championship. Kids who say, “I can’t,” will learn from someone who could; for that, it’s great for 5-to-7-year-olds.

For a similar story, look for “The Fabulous Fannie Farmer: Kitchen Scientist and America’s Cook” by Emma Bland Smith, pictures by Susan Reagan (Calkins Creek, $18.99). Yes, Fannie Farmer was a real girl once, a girl who learned to cook from her mother. Back then, recipes weren’t written down but after Fannie recovered from polio as a teenager, her “passion” for cooking simply boiled over. Young cooks ages 7-to-10 will love this delicious tale even more because the book contains recipes!

Growing up with four sisters in a poor New York City neighborhood didn’t stop Sarah Brenner, either, even though girls then were treated differently than were boys. In “One of a Kind: The LIfe of Sydney Taylor” by Richard Michelson, illustrated by Sarah Green (Calkins Creek, $18.99), Sarah grew up looking for ways to make the world a fair place for everyone. She gave herself a new name, got an education, and wrote a book about her life and Jewish children like she was once. Six-to-10-year-olds will love this story, especially if they’ve ever read Green’s iconic children’s book.

And finally, for the 7-to-10-year-old who’s rarely far away from their bicycle, “Pedal, Balance, Steer: Annie Londonderry, the First Woman to Cycle Around the World” by Vivian Kirkfield, illustrated by Alison Jay (Caulkins Creek, $18.99) will be a favorite read. It’s the story of Annie Londonderry, who was a very hard worker. When she learned of a challenge – $10,000 for the first person to bicycle around the world in fifteen months or less (which was a lot of money in the 1890s) – well, how could anyone resist something that fun?

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Fun – but also lots of work!

Could she do it? Be sure to check out the biography at the back of the book because your 5-to-9-year-old will want to know.

If your child needs more women-powered inspiration, be sure to ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for ideas, They’ve got plenty of great stories you, or for kids of any age. Take a look through the shelves and see what you can find. Go ahead. You can do it.