Take a journey back through time this March to celebrate the extraordinary lives of eight trailblazing women. These picture book biographies blend enticing storytelling and eye-popping visual arts to tell the true stories of some of the most remarkable women in science, arts, and activism.

Ada's Ideas: The Story of Ada Lovelace, the World's First Computer Programmer
Written and illustrated by Fiona Robinson

Ada Lovelace has a one-of-a-kind mind that sees the beautiful poetry in mathematics. Readers journey back to the 19th century England to learn how Ada, the imaginative daughter of a mathematician and famous poet, grows up to become the first computer programmer—before computers were even invented!

Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909
Michelle Markel; illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Page through the remarkable life of Clara Lemlich, a young immigrant girl tired of working long hours in a dirty and dangerous New York City factory. At a time when garment workers earn very little money and have very few rights, Clara takes matters into her own hands and starts a revolt of factory girls!

Caroline’s Comets: a True Story
Written and illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully

During her life, Caroline Herschel will go from being an unremarkable scullery maid to being the first woman to discover a comet. Through soft watercolors and excerpts from Caroline’s own diary, McCully transports us to 1700s England to revel in the life of this unlikely scientific mind.

Dolores Huerta: a Hero to Migrant Workers
Sarah Warren; illustrated by Robert Casilla

Dolores Huerta is determined to make her voice (and those of the many poor and mistreated migrant workers she defends) heard. She believes workers need to be able to buy shoes and medicine for their children, and need basic rights like bathroom breaks. Warren’s poetic prose and Casilla’s beautiful watercolor and pastel illustrations combine to tell the powerful story of a resilient Hispanic teacher who dedicated her life to fight for the rights of her community.

Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe
Deborah Blumenthal; illustrated by Laura Freeman

Ann Cole Lowe is a visionary artist who masters the art of fabric and thread. In her lifetime, she creates some of the most breath-taking gowns and dresses, including a stunning wedding gown worn by Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. But Lowe is rarely credited because she is an African American woman. Beautiful, vibrant illustrations of her one-of-a-kind designs shine on every page of this look into the life of one of society’s best-kept secrets, Ann Cole Lowe.

Red Bird Sings: The Story of Zitkála-Šá, Native American Author, Musician, and Activist
Adapted by Gina Capaldi and Q.L. Pearce; illustrated by Gina Capaldi

Zitkála-Šá grows up wild and free on the Yankton Indian Reservation, but leaves at the age of eight to pursue a “proper” education in the east. While she discovers she has a talent for writing and music, she still longs for the language and culture of her people and grows frustrated over the treatment of Native Americans of the 1900s. Zitkála-Šá’s frustration leads her to use her gifts for writing and music to improve their lives. In this visually stunning picture book, Gina Capaldi and Q.L. Pearce adapt several moving semi-autobiographical stories Zitkála-Šá wrote in the 1900s for The Atlantic Monthly.

Sky High: The True Story of Maggie Gee
Written by Marissa Moss; illustrated by Carl Angel

Growing up at a time when few women (especially Chinese American women) fly airplanes, all Maggie Gee wants is to fly like her idol, Amelia Earhart. When the United States enters World War II, Maggie sees her chance to soar and chases her dreams.

Wangari Maathai: the Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees
Written by Franck Prévot; illustrated by Aurélia Fronty

Wangari Maathai truly speaks for the trees. Growing up in the shadow of Mount Kenya, Wangari becomes fascinated with the grand forest and its plentiful animals around her home. But as she grows, forests are cut down to make way for crop plantations, wild animals become rare, and people can’t feed their children. This vibrant picture book tells the story of how Wangari spends her life starting tree nurseries and teaching the people of Kenya that the forest is humanity’s most precious treasure.