March is Women’s History Month, and in honor of the rich history we have of amazing women, I wanted to share a list of books about female heroes you may or may not know about already. I usually focus on fiction here, but lately I’ve found myself drawn to many of these stories myself, and I wanted to share them. In my glorious plans, I had hoped to share this list early in the month, but it just did NOT work out that way for me.
You can also find this complete list on Bookshop, where you can browse and purchase books while helping to support indie bookstores.
Note: This post contains affiliate links which don’t cost anything for you to use, but help support this blog. All opinions my own.
16 Amazing Books to Read for Women’s History Month
Hannah Senesh: Her Life and Diary, the First Complete Edition by Hannah Senesh
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads
What you need to know: I first learned about Hannah Senesh through a biography about her called So Young to Die. Her life story is amazing, and her poetry really moving. As a young woman, she volunteered on a mission to rescue fellow Jews from the Nazis during World War II.
Available June 15, 2021
Let Me Play: The Story of Title IX: The Law that Changed the Future of Girls in America by Karen Blumenthal
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads
What you need to know: Title IX is the law that made it illegal for discrimination based on gender in education programs that receive Federal assistance. Learn how it came to be and the fight to get the law passed so girls could have access to sports and other programs.
Published July 1, 2005
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls Vol 1: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women by Elena Favilla and Francesca Cavallo
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads
What you need to know: Read stories of 100 amazing women from around the world accompanied by illustrations from 60 female artists.
Published December 1, 2016
The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor by Sonia Sotomayor
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads
What you need to know: The story of the first Latina and third woman appointed to the Supreme Court in her own words.
Published September 17, 2019
Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing by Ann Angel
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound | Goodreads
What you need to know: Tells the story of one of rock-and-roll’s most compelling female icons. Packed with photos and stories from friends and band mates. A must-read for music enthusiasts.
Published October 1, 2010
#notyourprincess: Voices of Native American Women edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads
What you need to know: An eclectic combination of poetry, essays, interviews, and art that express what it’s like to be a Native American woman.
Published September 12, 2017
Hidden Figures (Young Readers’ Edition) by Margot Lee Shetterly
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads
What you need to know: Tells the story of four African-American women who played essential roles in the NASA space program.
Published November 29, 2016
A Thousand Sisters: The Heroic Airwomen of the Soviet Union in World War II by Elizabeth Wein
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads
What you need to know: In World War II, the Soviet Union became the first nation to allow women to fly combat missions. These are the stories of those fighters. Also, it’s written by the author of CODE NAME VERITY.
Published January 22, 2019
Radium Girls (Young Reader’s Edition): The Scary But True Story of the Poison that Made People Glow in the Dark by Kate Moore
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads
What you need to know: How women workers fought for change in regulations and nuclear research and saved lives.
Published July 1, 2020
Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History by Keith O’Brien
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads
What you need to know: “The untold story of five women who fought to compete against men in high-stakes national air races in the 1920s and 30s — and won.” (from Goodreads.)
Published August 7, 2018
The Story of My Life by Hellen Keller
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads
What you need to know: The inspiring story of the first 22 years of Hellen Keller’s life in her own words.
First Published in 1902
Because I Was a Girl: True Stories for Girls of All Ages edited by Melissa de la Cruz
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads
What you need to know: True stories about challenges, obstacles, and opportunities these women faced due to their gender.
Published October 3, 2017
This is Your Time by Ruby Bridges
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads
What you need to know: Written as a letter from the iconic Civil Rights activist to today’s young readers as inspiration and a call to action.
Published November 10, 2020
Vote!: Women’s Fight for Access to the Ballot Box by Coral Celeste Frazer
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads | My Review
What you need to know: Learn about the 70 year fight for women’s suffrage and how the success of those leaders led to today’s #MeToo, #YesAllWomen, and Black Lives Matter movements.
Published August 6, 2019
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads | My Review
What you need to know: Malala believes all girls have a right to an education. She refused to be silenced, even after she’d been shot in the head by the Taliban. Here, she tells her inspiring, unforgettable story.
Published October 8, 2013
Irena’s Children (Young Readers’ Edition): A True Story of Courage by Tilar J. Mazzeo
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads | My Review
What you need to know: During World War II, Irena Sendler worked with an underground network to rescue 2,500 Jewish children from Nazi occupied Poland. I couldn’t put this book down.
Published September 27, 2016
