Today’s blog post was written by our Marketing Manager Emerson Heflin.
February 11th draws attention to the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Today, less than 30% of science researchers worldwide are women, so we could use the help of some inspiring picture books and novels to change the narrative and celebrate the women and girls who are leading innovation and breaking barriers.
First from Pajama Press comes a collection of middle grade friendly essays celebrating the adventurousness and ingenuity of girls and women around the world. The Girl Who Rode a Shark: and Other Stories of Daring Women, by Ailsa Ross and illustrated by Amy Blackwell, emphasizes the boundless potential of a new generation of female pioneers. through the chapter on awe-inspiring scientists, readers discover botanists, marine biologists, paleontologists, and neurologists turned astronauts, who have made changing scientific impacts on our planet. This is inspired writing and inspiring reading, too!
Next, explore more women scientists making strides in animal research in Humanimal, by Christopher Lloyd with illustrations by Mark Ruffle, from What on Earth Books. After learning about animal behaviors, meet the incredibly dedicated women behind the years of observation and exploration. Featured female scientists include Shifra Goldenberg, a behavioral ecologist at Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute; Claudia Oliveira, a marine biologist at the Institute of Marine Research in the Azores; and Irene Pepperberg who studies bird intelligence with the psychology department at Harvard University.
Before they were women scientists, they first were curious girls like Acadia Greene in Katie Coppens’s series The Acadia Files, published by Tilbury House and illustrated by Holly Hatam. This series provides young readers tricks and tips to take on their nature excursions and to discover for themselves what it’s like to experience curiousity and then to satisfy that curiosity with scientific thinking. From discovering why the tide submerges her sandcastles in the summer, to an investigation of momentum in the winter, 11-year-old Acadia never stops searching for answers in this four book series including Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring Science.
Finally, for the youngest inquisitive minds, Izzy Gizmo, by Pip Jones and Sara Ogilvie, and published by Peachtree Publishing Company, offers readers a feisty tale of determination, ingenuity, and friendship to capture the imaginations of aspiring young inventors. Often faced with malfunctions, Izzy Gizmo carries her toolkit with her wherever she goes. When she stumbles upon a crow with a broken wing, can she invent a contraption to help her feather friend fly again?
We know this is just the tip of an iceberg we can explore. What are your favorite children’s books about women and girls in science?