17 must-have children’s books to celebrate International Day of the Girl

Featuring 18 trailblazing black women in American history, Dream Big, Little One is the irresistible board book adaptation of Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History. Filled with stories of heroes and everyday women who’ve made the world a better place, this title is a first bookshelf must-have.

Age: 0-3

What’s more empowering than doing what you love? Cars, dinosaurs, dolls, dresses—all kids can love all of these and so much more! We love Rosa’s joy in all things wheeled from fire trucks to car races. Celebrate the freedom to play with this adorable board book series.

Ages: 0-4

Babies love photos of babies. All kids deserve diverse books. Put that together and what do you get? Our book series!! These three books (Hair, On-the-Go and Family) feature amazing community-sourced photographs of all sorts of people moving, laughing and loving in all sorts of ways. You and your kiddos will want to look at them again and again!

Ages: 0-5

Breathtaking illustrations and sweetest insatiable sweet tooth make this book unforgettable. Little Star keeps craving the big mooncake, and her sneaky bedtime nibbles will make you want a bite too! This #OwnVoices story draws on the author’s Taiwanese roots to highlight the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. We love how this story perfectly captures love, anticipation and celebration for little readers.

Ages: 2-6

Part of the brilliant New York Times best-selling The Questioneers series, Ada Twist, Scientist is an inspired rhyming tale of the inquisitive second-grader, Ada Twist. She questions everything, from her father’s nose hairs to the thorns of a rose. With a supportive set of parents and her trusty thinking chair, she learns the art of questioning and inspires littles to do the same. (She even has a brand new show on Netflix that’s perfect for budding scientists!)

Ages: 4-8

Gender minorities (read everyone who’s not a cisgendered male) have been historically excluded from countless activities and institutions: schools, sports, and even drumming. We love this unique story of Millo Castro Zaldarriaga- one of Cuba’s first womxn drummers! The musical rhymes and colorful Cuban plants that adorn each page will have you dancing as you read.

Ages: 3-7

This is a fairytale done right! The princess’s prince is not who you think it will be, in fact there’s no male savior in sight. Princess Lex, with her awesome blue afro, is an adventurous problem solver who seeks peace and inclusion instead of revenge. If you have any aspiring little royals at home, this fantastical kingdom is the place for them!

Ages: 3-7

Take a motorcycle ride alongside this little girl and her papi and discover what makes community so special. We love how seamlessly the Latinx author and illustrator blend Spanish and English in this #OwnVoices story. Watch out, your little reader might ask you to get a motorcycle after they see the illustrations of this dynamic ride.

Ages: 3-7

It’s important to fill our kids’ bookshelves with stories of inspiring and trailblazing women–not only to inspire but to highlight just how many unsung heroes they might not know about! Mary Anning, a British fossil collector helped pioneer a brand new field of study: paleontology.

Ages: 4-8

Wilma Randolph was a legendary Black Olympic sprinter and a civil rights activist who took the world by storm in the 1960s. Combining history with a modern-day story of empowerment and perseverance, this picture book is timeless.

Age: 5-8

Tackling ideas around equality, bias, and discrimination because of gender, this simple feminism primer empowers kids of all genders to show up for others when they’re being treated unfairly.

Feminist artists, leaders, activists, and pioneers, all rolled into one convenient and beautiful book. With rich illustrations and simple biographies, this book profiles 25 incredible and inspiring women throughout history.

Ages: 4-10

Since the overwhelming success of their 2016 Kickstarter, Rebel Girls has graced the bedtime story routine of millions of young girls (and boys!) in 49 languages in over 85 countries. Their latest amplifies the amazing stories of 100 Black women and girls who have made their mark and celebrates Black girl magic all around the world. A thrilling addition to an ever-growing collection.

Ages: 6+

We all have heard of Malala and Ruby Bridges, but so many girls have fought for equal access to education including Sylvia Mendez. We love how this story puts the Mendez family’s activism front and center—shining light on the rich history of self-advocacy in the Mexican-American community. Yes, this is another #OwnVoices stories, and yes those are our favorite.

Ages: 6-10

Do you know who Barbara Jordan is?! GO, do all the Googling now! But also, read this book! Minds will be blown- how did we not learn about this powerhouse of a woman in history class?! Glass ceilings will be shattered- Barbara served as a Texas Senator in 1967 along with 30 white men! This book goes to show that children’s books are not just for kids.

Ages: 6-10

We are illustrator Christian Robinson’s #1 fans! In this book he takes you on a beautiful journey through artist and activist Josephine Baker’s life. Josephine felt fearful and angry about all the injustices in society, sound like a familiar feeling? She took all that frustration and transformed into amazing art. We love this book because we believe art is powerful, art is necessary, art is healing. And books about strong black woman without any white saviors lurking on the next page are always a win.

Ages: 7-13

A book about a girl’s community activism in her Indian city written by an Indian author?! We’re here for all these great #OwnVoices stories! We love how this story of Yasmin campaigning for change empowers kids to be changemakers- and also reminds adults to see kids as capable. Yasmin’s tenacity will inspire you to channel your inner leader no matter where you live.

Ages: 7-13