Strong Black Girls – Leadership, STEM & Empowerment
Ada Twist Scientist
by Andrea Beaty, Illustrator by David Roberts
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty (illustrated by David Roberts) is a popular children's picture book about a curious girl who loves science and asks endless questions, inspired by real-life scientists like Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie. The rhyming story follows Ada as she uses scientific methods to solve everyday problems, like a mysterious bad smell in her house, learning about perseverance and the importance of asking "why" even when experiments go wrong
Mae Among the Stars
by Roda Ahmed, Illustrated by Stasia Burrington
Inspired by Mae Jemison's life, this story follows a young girl's dream of becoming an astronaut, showing how her parents' encouragement helped her become NASA's first African American woman in space.
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
By Vashti Harrison
An illustrated collection of 40 biographies celebrating trailblazing Black women in American history, from Sojourner Truth to Maya Angelou, who broke boundaries and achieved extraordinary accomplishments.
Brave Ballerina: The Story of Janet Collins
By Michelle Meadows, Illustrated by Ebony Glenn
Janet Collins wanted to be a ballerina in the 1930s and 40s, a time when racial segregation was widespread in the United States. Janet pursued dance with a passion, despite being rejected from discriminatory dance schools. When she was accepted into the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo as a teenager on the condition that she paint her skin white for performances, Janet refused. She continued to go after her dreams, never compromising her values along the way. From her early childhood lessons to the height of her success as the first African American prima ballerina in the Metropolitan Opera, Brave Ballerina is the story of a remarkable pioneer as told by Michelle Meadows, with fantastic illustrations from Ebony Glenn.
Sky Color
By Peter H. Reynolds
Marisol loves to paint. So when her teacher asks her to help make a mural for the school library, she can’t wait to begin! But how can Marisol make a sky without blue paint? After gazing out the bus window and watching from her porch as day turns into night, she closes her eyes and starts to dream. . . . From the award-winning Peter H. Reynolds comes a gentle, playful reminder that if we keep our hearts open and look beyond the expected, creative inspiration will come.
Mary Had a Little Glam
By Tammi Sauer, Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley- Newton
Mary Had a Little Glam by Tammi Sauer is a children's picture book that reimagines classic nursery rhymes with a fashion-forward twist, featuring a stylish girl named Mary who helps her friends from Mother Goose Elementary (like Little Boy Blue and Georgie Porgie) accessorize and glam up, though they sometimes get too dressed up for recess before learning to balance style with fun. Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, the book is known for its rhyming text, vibrant illustrations, and themes of self-expression and community.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
By Stacey’s Abrams , Illustrated by Kitt Thomas
Stacey is a little girl who loves words more than anything. She loves reading them, sounding them out, and finding comfort in them when things are hard.
But when her teacher chooses her to compete in the local spelling bee, she isn’t as excited as she thought she’d be. What if she messes up? Or worse, if she can’t bring herself to speak up, like sometimes happens when facing bullies at school?
Stacey will learn that win or lose . . . her words are powerful, and sometimes perseverance is the most important word of all.
Ketanji Brown Jackson: A Justice for All
By Tami Charles, Illustrator Jemma Skidmore
After 232 years and 115 appointments, Ketanji Onyika Brown Jackson became the first Black woman appointed to serve on the US Supreme Court. With Tami Charles’s sweeping lyricism and Jemma Skidmore’s unforgettable illustrations, readers learn about the narratives that have shaped the Justice’s life, and how this historic moment will be impressed upon the minds of the young dreamers of the future.
Grace for President
By Kelly DiPucchio, Illustrated LeUyen Pham
"Where are the girls?"
When Grace's teacher reveals that the United States has never had a female president, Grace decides she wants to be the nation's first and immediately jumpstarts her political career by running in her school's mock election! The race is tougher than she expected: her popular opponent declares that he's the "best man for the job" and seems to have captured the votes of all of the class's boys. But Grace is more determined than ever. Even if she can't be the best man for the job, she can certainly try to be the best person!
