Every year I like to gather a bunch of picture books for Women’s History Month. I think you’ll find these biographies of historical women — leaders, authors, scientists, artists — particularly inspiring. I’ve arranged them chronologically by date of birth.

Ordinary Extraordinary Jane Austen by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Qin Leng (Balzer + Bray, 2008)

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen is one of our greatest writers. But it might surprise you to know that Jane lived a simple life. She wasn’t rich or even very famous in her time.” As you can guess from the opening lines, this book does a good job describing Jane Austen’s  life (1775-1817) and writings for a young audience. I like the watercolour and ink illustrations as well. Included are a timeline; a list of her novels with dates, famous quotes, and short descriptions; and recommended websites and books. Recommended for ages 6 to 9.

Nothing Stopped Sophie: The Story of Unshakable Mathematician Sophie Germain by Cheryl Bardoe, illustrated by Barbara McClintock (Little Brown, 2018)

I love introducing kids to mathematicians and scientists, including women who worked extra hard to be taken seriously. Sophie Germain (1776-1831) grew up during the French Revolution and became the first woman to win a grand prize from the Royal Academy of Sciences. At the end of the book you can learn more about Sophie and the mathematical work she did (about vibration in particular). There are also notes from both author and illustrator; I enjoyed reading about Barbara McClintock’s process of deciding how to illustrate the book with swirling numbers. Recommended for ages 7 to 10.

Sojourner Truth’s Step-Stomp Stride by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney (Little Brown, 2009)

This inspirational picture book about Sojourner Truth (1797-1883) by a husband and wife team conveys her passion and strength. It covers her childhood and life up until her famous “Ain’t I a Woman” speech. At the end you’ll find a two-page bio, two photos, and a list of further reading. Recommended for ages 5 to 9.

What Miss Mitchell Saw by Hayley Barrett, illustrated by Diane Sudyka (Beach Lane Books, 2019)

With sweet, playful illustrations, What Miss Mitchell Saw tells the story of American astronomer Maria Mitchell (1818-1889). It shows how she learned about celestial navigation and astronomy from her father and became the first person to spot a new comet (now named after her). The text is well written with nice repetition on the theme of knowing things by name. A two-page bio gives more information and a note from the author encourages readers to watch and wonder. Recommended for ages 6 to 9.

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Kadir Nelson (Hyperion, 2006)

The short evocative text of this picture book is written as a conversation with God, showing Harriet Tubman’s (1822-1913) strong faith as she believed God was calling her and leading her to escape from slavery and rescue of other slaves. Lovely paintings. A foreword describes slavery in the US and the Underground Railroad, while an author’s note gives more biographical details. Recommended for ages 5 to 9.

Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova by Lauren Snyder, illustrated by Julie Morstad (Chronicle Books, 2015)

The brief poetic text of Swan covers the whole life of Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova (1881-1931). You’ll learn about her hard childhood, the magic of ballet, and then her success, travels, and death after catching cold. A long author’s note gives more info for older readers. The illustrations are calm and graceful. A bibliography lists nine books. Recommended for ages 5 to 8.

Georgia’s Bones by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Bethanne Andersen (Eerdmans, 2005)

This picture book about Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986) focuses on how she looked at the world differently than other people. Most of it is about her visit to New Mexico and love for the desert where she collected bones to paint. Simple illustrations. No author’s note or biographical info. Recommended for ages 5 to 8.

In Mary’s Garden by Tina and Carson Kugler (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2015)

Mary Nohl (1914-2001) was a Wisconsin artist who filled her yard with giant sculptures. This book begins with her childhood love of art and building. Later, using cement and found objects and accompanied by her dogs Basil and Sassafras, she creates huge works of art. The book ends with a note about her life and controversial art; two photos; and a list of sources. Recommended for ages 4 to 6.

Just Like Beverly: A Biography of Beverly Cleary by Vicki Conrad, illustrated by David Hohn (Little Bigfoot, 2018)

If you love the novels of Beverly Cleary (1916- ) check out this picture book, which covers her childhood and adulthood until she published Henry Huggins and created the character of Ramona. It focuses on overcoming struggles and her desire to write books with kids like her when she was growing up. It’s fun to read about things that appear in the Ramona books (playing brick factory, stilts, roller skates, etc.) and I really like the illustrations. Just Like Beverly ends with a six-page biography plus timeline. Recommended for ages 5 to 8.

Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe by Vivian Kirkfield, illustrated by Alleanna Harris (Little Bee Books, 2020)

This unique picture book shows the parallels between Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996) and Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) even though they looked different. It emphasizes the hardships they overcame and how they helped and supported each other in their careers because they liked each other as people. It’s a well told story with illustrations that are simple and bold. A long author’s note gives more info for an older audience and ends with lists of primary and secondary sources. Recommended for ages 7 to 9.

A Voice Named Aretha by Katheryn Russell-Brown, illustrated by Laura Freeman (Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2020)

Here’s another book about a famous singer who overcame great difficulties. Aretha Franklin’s (1942-2018) parents divorced when she was young, then her mom died when Aretha was almost ten. This book shows her immense talent from childhood and how she stood up against segregation and being cheated by night club owners. She used her music to make the world a better place. Bold illustrations complement the text. At the end you’ll find a detailed bio, notes from both author and illustrator, a list of famous songs, and sources. Recommended for ages 7 to 9.

One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia by Miranda Paul, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon (Millbrook Press, 2015)

Isatou Ceesay (1972- ) saw a problem of plastic bags polluting her country and did something about it. The text makes good use of repetition and the collage illustrations are fun. An author’s note tells about her time in the Gambia and meeting Ceesay. There’s also a Wolof glossary and pronunciation guide; a detailed timeline; and list of further reading (other inspirational true stories set in Africa). Recommended for ages 6 to 9.

Do you have any stories of inspiring women to share?