One of the reasons it's so great to be a girl today is because these smart, sassy and super-driven women have led the way. Read these Girl360 recommended books, and find yourself a role model.
Click the image to find these books on Amazon.com.
AGES 10-12:
Babe Didrickson Zaharias: The Making of a ChampionRussell Freedman (1999)
Why we love her story:
When Babe was a young girl, her goal was to become the greatest athlete who ever lived (during a time when most girls didn't even play sports!). She won an Olympic Gold Medal in track, was All-American in basketball, and went on to become a championship golf and tennis player, and a world-class swimmer. We get tired (but inspired) just thinking about it.Pocahontas
Joseph Bruchac (2003)
Why we love her story:
This is one hard-working princess! In 1607, when John Smith and his "Coatmen" arrive to begin settling the colony of Virginia, their relations with the village's inhabitants are less than friendly. But eleven year-old Pocahontas, the daughter of the Powhatan chief, Mamanatowic, changes everything, making the way for peace between two very different peoples. Consider Pocahontas "proof" that we girls know how to get things done.AGES 8-12:
A Woman for President: The Story of Victoria WoodhullKathleen Krull (2004)
Why we love her story:
If you think Hillary Clinton was the first woman to run for President of the United States, think again. "Notorious" Victoria Woodhull ran for our nation's highest office first – but she didn't stop there. Woodhull was also the first woman to make a speech in front of Congress, and the first woman to open a brokerage house on Wall Street. Some called her opinionated. Others called her outrageous. Everyone seems to agree that she was willing to stand up and speak out. We vote yes to that.To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel
Siena Cherson Siegel (2006)
Why we love her story:
Many dancers are young when they first dream of dance, and Siena Cherson – who went on to become an acclaimed member of the New York City Ballet -- was no exception. From airy runs along a beach near her home in Puerto Rico, to her first dance classes in Boston, to her dramatic debut in New York City, Siena's autobiography isn't just about her love of dancing. It's about the hard work (and hope) that it takes to achieve our dreams.Rachel: The Story of Rachel Carson
Amy Ehrlich (2003)
Why we love her story:
Our first great eco-warrier was a "Great Girl." Rachel Carson – a the marine biologist, nature writer and environmentalist -- sparked the grassroots green movement when she pubiished her before-its-time book, "Silent Spring." We applaud what she's done for Mother Earth, and admire Carson for speaking out about the environment long before most people wanted to listen. That's what we call trailblazing.Talkin' About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman
Nikki Grimes (2002)
Why we love her story:
In 1921 Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman became the first African American woman to earn a pilot's license (she had to travel to France for her flight training since no American flight school would train a Black Woman). Upon her return to the US, Coleman sought to create a flying school for African American pilots, and earned money for the cause by performing flight stunts nationwide. We like the fact that she was our "first" African American aviation star – but we love the fact that she wanted to pave the way for others.Patience Wright: America's First Sculptor and Revolutionary Spy
Pegi Deitz Shea (2007)
Why we love her story:
This American mom knew how to multitask! Patience Wright was a sculptor, artist and mother of 5 who traveled to England in 1772 to sculpt British royalty and open one of the world's first wax museums. Never forgetting her loyalty to her country she left behind, she became a spy during the revolution, often sending messages to to America inside her wax figures. Right on!Rabble Rousers: 20 American Women Who Made a Difference
Cheryl Harness
Why we love this book:
Don't tell your Mom you read it here, but we'll let you in on a little secret: Well behaved women rarely make history . That's why we love the 20 rabble rousers in this book. From Susan B. Anthony to Sojourner Truth to Eleanor Roosevelt, this book will introduce you to a group of women who were proud, sometimes loud and always willing to stand up for what they thought was right. The book spans over two hundred years of American history and takes you behind the scenes, where you can discover what the women who made a difference were really like.33 Things Every Girl Should Know About Women's History:
From Suffragettes to Skirt Lengths to the ERA
(Various contributors)
Why we love this book:
We're all about girl power. The question is, how did we get it? This fun, fact-filled book gives you the backstory on herstory. Find out how women got the vote (and who didn't want us to have it), why there was a time when girls weren't even allowed to go to school and what the Equal Rights Amendment was really all about.Take-Off: American All-Girl Bands During WWII (Book & CD)
Tonya Bolden
Why we love this book:
It's music to our ears! It's hard to believe that there was a time when the world didn't think that a girl could make a saxaphone wail or a guitar peal. But the advent of World War II sent the men overseas, giving women the chance to finally strut their stuff on the bandstand. Rock on!Read it. Review it. Wind up on Girl 360.
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