Let’s celebrate Women’s History Month!
Here are 9 picture books by women, for your little human

It’s bedtime at last. Your toddler is all set in dinosaur pajamas and matching socks. Teeth brushed, room tidied, and favorite plushie sitting comfortably in their arms, they’re ready to jump under the covers and listen to a story. But… You’ve read every book on their shelf already! You’ve read most of them more than once. In fact, you’ve read The Runaway Bunny 13 times! You sigh as you pick the Margaret Wise Brown classic for a 14th time. You make a mental note: look for picture books on Amazon, this weekend! Wait! Browsing through picture books on Amazon is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Where will you start?! We can help.

It’s Women’s History Month, so we’re celebrating women authors and their glorious contributions to the world of picture books. These aren’t ordinary books; these are stories of little characters who are a lot like your tiny tot: strong-willed, imaginative, and utterly lovable. Enjoy!

Anna Kemp, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie
Ideal for kiddos aged 2–6

Originally published a decade ago, Anna Kemp’s rhyming princess story (with its adorably colorful artwork) has all the makings of a great princess story: there’s a princess, a prince, a castle, and a dragon. Ah, but there’s one other thing — the princess in this story doesn’t really want to princess at all. She’d rather prince all day and go on all sorts of adventures every day of her life. And ooh, what a friend she makes at the end! We have a feeling that when you and your preschooler read this one, you’ll both wish more books featured ‘worst’ princesses.

Sanae Ishida
Ideal for kiddos aged 3–7

This is a picture book that works as a wonderful introduction to Japanese culture (through a ninja girl!). It’s big on mystery and secrecy and action too! Kunoichi is a young ninja who draws inspiration from a young samurai and begins to train harder in order to excel in her ninja activities. As Kunoichi becomes a better ninja, your young reader will become better informed about ninja and samurai training, Japanese island festivals, Japanese clothing, and more. Oh, and watch out for highly detailed watercolor illustrations that will completely immerse your little one!

Sara O’Leary, illustrated by Julie Morstad
Ideal for kiddos aged 3–7

A child’s imagination is a powerful thing. This Is Sadie illustrates this perfectly. Sadie is the unwitting Princess of Pretend Play. Her mind is a universe unto itself, and her books are its primary source of nourishment. Enchanting imagery and sparse text are all this picture book needs to make a very strong point: children can script their own stories — all they need is their imagination. Perhaps after reading this one aloud, you and your own kiddo can do a little activity. Ask them to narrate their version of This Is Sadie: a story in which they can be whatever they want, whoever they want, wherever they want, AND whenever they want!

Emily Hughes
Ideal for kiddos aged 3–7

There is so much pressure on little girls to behave a certain way: to look a certain way, to speak a certain way, to play a certain way, to be a certain way. Emily Hughes releases that pressure with a simple yet powerful story. Wild is a portrait of a little girl who is just that: wild. But wait… This is a picture book that does more. It brings the very concept of civilization into question! If your kid is a “wild one”, this one’s for them. Because as Hughes says, “You cannot tame something so happily wild...” But we can help you celebrate and take pride in it!

Virginia Lee Burton
Ideal for kiddos aged 4–7

Meet a character who is oh-so endearing in the way she endures. Katy is a tractor with a dual role but a single passion: a bulldozer in summer and a snow plow in winter, she loves her job and is absolutely unstoppable when she’s at work. First published way back in 1943, Virginia Lee Burton’s classic tells the story of a big tractor’s big moment. The blue-and-white cityscapes and straightforward storytelling in this one come together to bring home a simple but beautiful message: every tractor has its day (even if it is a white, snowy day!). The fact that Burton’s tractor is a girl tractor makes this book that much more significant.

Mary Hoffman, illustrated by Caroline Binch
Ideal for kiddos aged 4–8

When you read the title of this book, you immediately wonder: what makes grace so amazing? There’s so much! Her imagination. Her willpower. The way she knows what she wants. The way she’s good at what she does. The way she dreams about doing something and then proceeds to get it done! Life-like illustrations and iron-willed female characters make this book an instant work of art. When your little bookworm is done reading this Mary Hoffman gem, they’ll love the skin they live in and they’ll be even more determined to chase the dreams they’ve been dreaming (as they should!).

Beatrice Alemagna
Ideal for kiddos aged 4–8

We know! Such an adorable title! The Wonderful Fluffy Little Squishy is a book that’s just as wonderfully unique as its name. Little Edith (Note: Her friends call her Eddie) doesn’t consider herself good at anything, while everyone else in her family has a special quality each. Then one day, a quest to find a gift for her mum’s birthday leads to the discovery of that one little thing she’s really good at. Can you guess what that thing is? Hint: It’s in the title! In Edith, Beatrice Alemagna has created a symbol of quiet girl power — one your toddler is sure to resonate with!

Gabrielle Grimard
Ideal for kiddos aged 5–8

So many little children have been in little Lila’s shoes. She’s new in town, has no friends, and can’t wait to befriend her new classmates. But things don’t go as planned for dear Lila. All the kids think she looks like a crow because of her dark hair, eyes, and skin. A story of learning to own who we are, Lila and the Crow has a lot going for it. Soft, moving illustrations, a protagonist of color who becomes the hero of her story, and a happy ending for everyone involved. Gabrielle Grimard has penned and painted a story of empowerment that any self-respecting grownup will appreciate, so we have a feeling your preschooler will appreciate it too!

Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illustrated by Luisa Uribe
Ideal for kiddos aged 5–10

If you or your little one has a name the world regards as “hard to pronounce”, you’re about to fall in love with this wonder by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow. Walking home from school, a little girl tells her Momma how the kids in her class have awful reactions to her name, but her Momma’s response to every reaction is pure gold. Producing magic through music (using nothing but some very special names!), Thompkins-Bigelow turns names into songs that your little reader will delight in. A lesson in asking people how to pronounce their names and “getting it right”, Your Name Is a Song even comes with a glossary of all the lovely names in it!

Women have been giving us literary treasures for decades now. We hope at least one of the titles in this list will soon sit on your child’s bookshelf as a tribute to these wonder women’s achievements.