March 12, 2024CBC Holiday Series, Curated Content, Diversity

Celebrating Women’s History Month

The CBC Holidays Series explores stories that relate to specific holidays so that readers of all ages can celebrate in the best way… with a good book!

Before there was Women’s History Month, there was Women’s Day. Informally started as National Women’s Day in the early 1900s, women across the United States celebrated on the last Sunday of February. In 1910, at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, a proposal for an International Women’s Day—a day for organizing and advocating for women across the globe—was unanimously voted into existence, with its current observance date of March 8th being officially adopted during World War I. In 1978, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women initiated a Women’s Week, to be observed during the week of International Women’s Day. Eventually, this week grew into a month-long celebration of women’s achievements and in 1987, March was declared by Congress as National Women’s History Month.

Check out more about this historic month from these sources we used here:

History of International Women’s Day — International Women’s Day
Why March is National Women’s Month — National Women’s History Alliance

For National Women’s History Month 2024, the CBC shines a light on several recently published books that highlight the accomplishments of women across the world as well as resources to help you celebrate women all year long!

Be Strong: The Rise of Beloved Public Art Sculptor Nancy Schön, by Darcy Pattison; illus. by Rich Davis (Mims House) — Nonfiction, Picture Book, Biography / Memoir, Music / Art, Careers / Hobbies, ages 7-12.

Bird Girl: Gene Stratton-Porter Shares Her Love of Nature With the World, by Jill Esbaum; illus. by Rebecca Gibbon (Astra Books for Young Readers / Calkins Creek) — Nonfiction, Picture Book, Biography / Memoir, Science / Nature, Animals, ages 7-12.

Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park, by Lori Alexander; illus. by Jenn Ely (Astra Books for Young Readers / Calkins Creek) — Nonfiction, Picture Book, Biography / Memoir, Environment / Sustainability / Recycling, History, ages 7-12.

The Fabulous Fannie Farmer: Kitchen Scientist And America’s Cook, by Emma Bland Smith; illus. by Susan Reagan (Astra Books for Young Readers / Calkins Creek) — Nonfiction, Picture Book, Biography / Memoir, History, Science / Nature, ages 7-12.

Gifts from Georgia’s Garden, by Lisa Robinson; illus. by Hadley Hooper (Holiday House) — Nonfiction, Picture Book, Biography / Memoir, Environment / Sustainability / Recycling, History, Music / Art, ages 4-6.

Guts for Glory: The Story of Civil War Soldier Rosetta Wakeman, written & illustrated by Joanna Lapati (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers) — Nonfiction, Picture Book, Biography / Memoir, History, Social Activism / Equality / Feminism, ages 7-12.

Journey to the Stars, by Laurie Wallmark and Raakhee Mirchandani; illus. by Maitreyi Ghosh (Beaming Books) — Nonfiction, Picture Book, Biography / Memoir, BIPOC Characters and Creators, Science / Nature, ages 4-6.

Lisa Leslie, by Luke Hanlon (North Star Editions / Press Box Books) — Nonfiction, Early Reader, Biography / Memoir, Sports / Games / Recreation, BIPOC Characters and Creators, ages 7-12.

One Of a Kind: The Life Of Sydney Taylor, by Richard Michelson; illus. by Sarah Green (Astra Books for Young Readers / Calkins Creek) — Nonfiction, Picture Book, Biography / Memoir, Social Activism / Equality / Feminism, Religion / Spirituality, ages 7-12.

Pedal, Balance, Steer: Annie Londonderry, the First Woman To Cycle Around the World, by Vivian Kirkfield; illus. by Alison Jay (Astra Books for Young Readers / Calkins Creek) — Nonfiction, Picture Book, Biography / Memoir, Social Activism / Equality / Feminism, Sports / Games / Recreation, ages 7-12.

Primetime: Legends Simone Biles: Gymnastics Legend, by Chrös McDougall (North Star Editions / Press Box Books) — Nonfiction, Prose, BIPOC Characters and Creators, Sports / Games / Recreation, Biography / Memoir, ages 7-12.

She Spoke Too, by Kathy MacMillan, Manueal Bernardi; illus. by Becky Thorns (Familius) — Nonfiction, Novelty / Pop-up, Biography / Memoir, Social Activism / Equality / Feminism, History, ages 4-6.

A Steminist Force, by Laura Carter; illus. by Anna Doherty (Familius) — Nonfiction, Picture Book, Biography / Memoir, STEM / STEAM, Social Activism / Equality / Feminism, ages 4-6.

The Women’s Rights Movement, by Gertrude R. Becker (North Star Edition / Focus Readers ) — Nonfiction, Early Reader, History, Social Activism / Equality / Feminism, Series, ages 7-12.

You Are a Star, Malala Yousafzai, by Dean Robbins; illus. by Maithili Joshi (Scholastic Press) — Nonfiction, Picture Book, Biography / Memoir, Social Activism / Equality / Feminism, Cultural Diversity, ages 4-6.