Monday, 21 April 2025
Monday, 21 April 2025
Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, little girls were told to dream about becoming princesses. But what if they’d rather be pilots, presidents, artists, scientists or writers? This International Women’s Day, let’s swap tiaras for toolkits and fairy godmothers for real-life heroines.
All of these books tell the stories of unstoppable women — ideal for raising the next generation of bold leaders. Because bedtime stories should inspire big dreams, and who better to teach courage than the women who lived it?
Here’s your Good Enough Mom-approved guide to the best books about real-life heroines — no magic wands required.
A is for Awesome: 23 Iconic Women Who Changed The World
In this alphabet board book, Eva Chen, director of fashion partnerships at Instagram, celebrates 23 women artists, scientists, activists, entertainers, authors, and other influencers. Chen features well-known contemporary figures, including Beyoncé Knowles, Malala Yousafzai, and Oprah Winfrey, as well as those less familiar to young readers (Katharine Graham, the first female publisher of The Washington Post, and businesswoman Pat McGrath). A reflective surface on the final spread enables young readers to see themselves – literally – among the broad-ranging influential figures.
Written by Eva Chen, illustrated by Derek Desierto
For age 1-3
Buy here
Little People, Big Dreams
Discover the lives of key figures throughout history, from creatives to artists and scientists to politicians. Strikingly illustrated, Little People, Big Dreams is a series of great first biographies for younger readers, featuring over 100 inspiring women from various vocations. Frida Kahlo, Amelia Earhart, Anne Frank, Rosa Parks, Marie Curie, Greta Thunberg, Mary Kom — you think it, they’ve got a book for the personality. These books are set to empower, inspire and educate, instilling important messages that encourage children to dream big.
Buy here
Written by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
For age 4-7
Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women who Changed the World
Starting at the end of the 1700s and working its way up to recent times, this book chronicles the journey of 14 inspiring women highlighting their accomplishments. There are 14 different illustrators bringing this to life. Susan uses poems and stories to tell their stories. The types of poetry that can be found within the pages of Hood’s book are almost as diverse as the women they are about. Ranging from free verse, to acrostics, to poems that are shaped like their topic, each entry offers a new perspective into the life of its subject.
Buy here
Written by Susan Hood
For age 6 onwards
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Inspiring Young Changemakers
This bestselling series by multiple authors celebrates barrier-breaking activists, artists, inventors and entrepreneurs who are all under the age of 30, in an effort to inspire the next generation of girls to change the world. Featured in the series, which has multiple volumes, features names we have seen and heard of before, ranging from Taylor Swift and Zendaya, to athletes such as Rayssa Leal and Emma Raducanu. Each double-page spread has an amazing artist’s impression drawing of the inspiring changemaker, alongside a page written all about them, so you can read as little or as much as you’d like. The book with a foreword by Australian conservationist Bindi Irwin is the fifth in the Good Night Rebel Girls series, and has so many people involved in making the book, which makes it really special. Creators aged from 11 to 30 have helped to create the book, including 13 contributing authors, and original illustrations have been made by 90 artists.
Buy here.
Written by multiple authors
For age 8-11
Women in Sports: 50 Fearless Athletes Who Played To Win
Women for the win! A richly illustrated and inspiring book, Women in Sports highlights the achievements and stories of 50 notable women athletes from the 1800s to today. Older kids (and sports-loving parents) will enjoy reading this to little ones and will learn something, too. The women profiled go beyond the usual sports celebs; the impressive list includes a roller derby champ, dog musher, ping-pong player, wheelchair racer, and many more. Plus, the unique doodle-filled artwork is bursting with happy vibes.
Buy here
Witten by Rachel Ignotofsky
For age 10-12
HerStory: 50 Women and Girls Who Shook the World
Celebrated in this lavish hardback are the stories of 50 great women redefine their “herstory” — from disability activist Helen Keller to Indian poet, singer and saint Mira Bai and Aboriginal Australian Olympic athlete Cathy Freeman. Each woman’s feature is a large double-page spread with a detailed biography, photos, quotes and illustrations. Though there have been many great women titles published recently, there is a continuing need to engage all children in learning and talking about women as achievers, doers and people of power, and this marvellous title is a welcome addition.
Buy here
Written by Katherine Halligan, illustrated by Sarah Walsh For age 8-11
The author is an economist and full-time millennial mother, struggling to cope with daily chores
