To celebrate Women’s History Month, I have gathered together ten diverse titles with feisty and loving girl protagonists. Most are recently published titles and all are available as eBooks on OverDrive, or can be obtained by placing holds on the titles through the library catalog and picked up at the Library. For further reading, I also recommend: “55 Multicultural Picture Books About Strong Female Role Models”, a “Girl Power” booklist from Colours of Us (a website dedicated to multicultural children’s books) as a good resource for both nonfiction and fictional picture books to celebrate Women’s History Month. With all these great titles we can celebrate girls and women now in March, and throughout the year as well!

I Will be Fierce by Bea Birdsong & Nidhi Chanani
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“A multicultural girl-power manifesto featuring a feisty young girl who faces her day as a knight on an epic quest. The unnamed narrator puts on her ‘armor’ (a rainbow sweater) and fills her ‘treasure chest’ (a backpack). Venturing forth to ‘explore new worlds,’ she drives back ‘dragons’ (neighborhood dogs on their walk), boards the ‘many-headed serpent’ (her school bus, with schoolmates' heads protruding from every window), and visits ‘the Mountain of Knowledge’ (the school library) to ‘solve the mysteries of the unknown.’ After standing up for her beliefs—by joining a classmate sitting alone in the cafeteria—the young girl returns home to rest in the lap of an older female relative, possibly a grandparent/primary caregiver, to prepare for the next day, when she can be ‘fierce again.’ Birdsong's repeated refrain—’I will be fierce!’—underlines the unambiguous message of this sassy picture book, and Chanani's bold and energetic illustrations reinforce th e text's punchy, feminist-y declarations. They depict a joyously multiracial environment, consciously tackling stereotypes with an elderly, white, female bus driver and a groovy, Asian-presenting librarian with a green streak in her hair. The fierce protagonist herself has brown skin and fluffy, dark brown hair, and her caregiver also has brown skin.” –Kirkus Reviews

I Will Dance by Nancy Bo Flood & Julianna Swaney
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“A girl who uses a motorized wheelchair longs to dance. The 10-year-old narrator can't blow out the candles on her birthday cake, but she has one wish: to dance. But how can she “swirl, leap, twirl” when she can move only her head, arms, and fingers? Pretending isn't enough. At breakfast one morning (a spill-proof cup at the child's place adds cozy realism), one of her moms reads that the real-life company Young Dance is auditioning dancers of “all abilities, all ages.” Though apprehensive, she needs to try. At the instructor's balletic welcome, she “swirl[s]” her fingers, joining a multiracial circle of dancers. Some dance unaided; some use ‘canes and crutches, / walkers and wheels.’ One wears a prosthesis. Their dancing is emphatically ‘not pretend’—neither imaginary nor relegated to a form of therapy. Eva's narration brims with elation as together they ‘create space, / create shape, / create dance,’ culminating in a triumphant performance. The text itself dances across the page, lines tiptoeing phrase by phrase and echoing the shapes of dancers' movements. Swaney's simply drawn dancers are rosy-cheeked and cheerful; magic shimmers from their fingers, proudly joining them ‘[a]s one, / as us.’ An author's note explains that Eva is based on a real dancer; a note from Young Dance's executive director describes the company. Eva presents as a child of color and wears glasses; her moms present white. A gorgeous, immersive celebration of dancing and the grace within all bodies.” –Kirkus Reviews

Danbi Leads the School Parade by Anna Kim
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“All together now: Food, dance, and music combine for magic that transcends language barriers. The charming cover of this read-aloud captures the Korean protagonist in a commanding pose, balanced on tiptoes, ready to perform. Still, Danbi feels anxious: ‘On the first day of my new school in America, my heart beat: Boom. Boom.' Her palpable turmoil builds as she tries unfamiliar activities, yet, by lunchtime, her nervous heartbeat evolves into drum rolls cueing Danbi's creative impulses. Her classmates' singular reaction to her traditional Korean lunch-‘Wow!'–signals the transformative powers of Danbi's favorite foods, exquisitely presented in tiered containers: ‘Yams in honey, crystal dumplings…rainbow drops, and half-moon rice cakes dipped in sweet sesame!' Classmates' attempts to use chopsticks become comical antics; soon, Danbi is leading everyone through recess in spontaneous, triumphant pageantry. Enchanting illustrations dazzle–particularly through the diverse characters' hair and facial expressions that detail individuals' unique traits while celebrating the entire cohort. According to the author's note, the story is inspired by the creator's own ‘bicultural identity,' and the endpapers encapsulate an immigrant child's journey: the poignant departure and the prosaic pleasures of new friends will resonate with readers of all ages. Imaginative, irreverent, improvisational fun in kindergarten: Danbi shares a burst of ‘sweet rain,' complete with a rainbow.” –Kirkus Reviews

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom & Michaela Goade
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“In this tribute to Native resilience, Indigenous author-and-illustrator team Lindstrom and Goade invite readers to stand up for environmental justice. ‘Water is the first medicine,’ a young, unnamed protagonist reflects as she wades into a river with her grandmother. ‘We come from water.’ Stunning illustrations, rich in symbolism from the creators' respective Ojibwe and Tlingit/Haida lineages, bring the dark-haired, brown-skinned child's narrative to life as she recounts an Anishinaabe prophecy: One day, a ‘black snake’ will terrorize her community and threaten water, animals, and land. ‘Now the black snake is here,’ the narrator proclaims, connecting the legend to the present-day threat of oil pipelines being built on Native lands. Though its image is fearsome, younger audiences aren't likely to be frightened due to Goade's vibrant, uplifting focus on collective power. Awash in brilliant colors and atmospheric studies of light, the girl emphasizes the importance of protecting ‘those who cannot fight for themselves’ and understanding that on Earth, ‘we are all related.’ Themes of ancestry, community responsibility, and shared inheritance run throughout. Where the brave protagonist is depicted alongside her community, the illustrations feature people of all ages, skin tones, and clothing styles. Lindstrom's powerful message includes non-Native and Native readers alike: ‘We are stewards of the Earth. We are water protectors.’ An inspiring call to action for all who care about our interconnected planet.” –Kirkus Reviews

Tía Isa Wants A Car by Meg Medina and Claudio Munoz
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“The strength of family and the importance of pursuing one's dreams are the bedrock of middle-grade author Medina's (Milagros: Girl from Away) lyrical first picture book, drawn from memories of her own family. Tía Isa, with whom the young narrator lives in a city apartment, is saving for a car so they can visit the beach. That desire is inextricably tied to one of the girl's own—to be reunited with her parents, who still live on their native island and receive “helping money” from their family in the U.S. (Medina is commendably subtle about the exact details, letting them unfold naturally.) Emotionally invested in her aunt's goal, the girl finds odd jobs to help save money, and they finally buy a gorgeous 1950s-era convertible with tailfins and plenty of room for the girl's parents—pictured with her at the beach in a triumphant final spread. Muñoz's (Jake's Best Thumb) wispy, pastel-hued illustrations exude emotion, from frustration (‘…soon is when our family is going to join us here, so I know soon can be a very long time’) to sheer exuberance.” –Publisher’s Weekly

My Rainbow by DeShanna Neal, Trinity Neal & Art Twink
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“In their #OwnVoices picture book debut, mother-daughter duo and transgender rights advocates DeShanna and Trinity Neal center a Black transgender girl looking for hair that suits her gender expression. Inspired by the younger coauthor, protagonist Trinity’s gender ‘was part of what made her a masterpiece, just like her autism and her Black skin.' Trinity feels a keen desire for long hair like that on the dolls she shares with nonbinary sibling Hyperion, despite hating ‘how it made her itchy when it was growing out.' With inspiration from sibling Lucien, their mom sets out to create the perfect multicolored wig for Trinity—one that doesn’t trigger the girl’s sensitivities and that aligns with her ‘already perfect' natural curls. Artist Twink’s inviting use of color highlights the family’s warm home and the bright rainbow wig—an object that makes Trinity feel like a more authentic version of herself: ‘It’s me, Mom. My hair has finally come!' A joyful family story that emphasizes the importance of listening and loving people for who they are.” –Publisher's Weekly

Gittel’s Journey by Lesléa Newman & Amy June Bates
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“Nine-year-old Gittel and her mother are immigrating from the Old Country to America, leaving behind friends and many cherished belongings (‘”Can’t we take Frieda with us?” Gittel asks. “We cannot bring a goat to America,” Mama says'). But when they reach the boat, Mama is barred from boarding due to an eye infection, and she insists that Gittel continue without her. ‘”Home is not safe for us,” Mama tells her tearful daughter. “You are going to America to have a better life.”‘ Wearing a bright red kerchief, clutching the address of a cousin in New York City, and carrying Mama’s precious Shabbat candlesticks in her bundle, Gittel starts her journey to Ellis Island. Mixed-media images by Bates (The Big Umbrella), washed in yellows and browns and framed by woodblock motifs, give readers a vivid sense of the historical context while infusing the story with a timeless emotional immediacy. Newman (Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed) skillfully modulates her narration, capturing her protagonist’s feelings of excitement, loneliness, and fear. The ending, handled with both restraint and warmth, relies on one of those improbable twists of good fortune that define so many immigrant stories—and it’s based on a real event.” –Publisher’s Weekly

Salma the Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan & Anna Bron
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“Salma and her mother live in an apartment at a Vancouver Welcome Center, a home vastly different from their native Syria, where Salma’s father still resides. When she thinks about him, ‘Salma’s heart aches like a tiny fire in her chest.’ She notices, too, that her mother’s characteristic laughter has disappeared since their move. After some brainstorming, Salma decides to make her mother a favorite Syrian dish. With help from the Welcome Center’s community of refugees (a gay couple from Lebanon, people from Egypt, India, and Somalia), Salma translates a recipe, gathers ingredients, and—through some emotional trial and error—makes her mother a lovingly assembled foul shami that incites ‘a long, sweet laugh, like the echo of bells.’ Bron’s angular illustrations, rendered in warm colors and patterns, depict the inclusive group, while Syrian-Canadian activist Ramadan writes with poetic immediacy about displacement, home, and family.” –Publisher’s Weekly

I Got the School Spirit by Connie Schofield-Morrison & Frank Morrison
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“The vivacious African American protagonist from I Got the Rhythm and I Got the ChristmasSpirit returns in this ebullient follow-up, embarking on the first day of school with optimism and oomph. She discovers—and exudes—spirit at every turn, beginning at home (‘I slip on the spirit in my shiny new shoes. STOMP, STOMP!’ writes Schofield-Morrison) and continuing in the classroom (‘We sing the spirit loud and clear. ABC, 123!’) and on the playground, where she finds a ball (‘I kick the spirit high up in the air. KA-POW!’). At day’s end, she encounters a quieter and deeper spirit when she climbs off the school bus and into her mother’s open arms: ‘I feel the spirit in a big ol’ hug. SQUISH, SQUEEZE!’ The electric hues, constant motion, and winning smiles that fill Morrison’s oil paintings enhance the boundless vitality of this sensory celebration of school.” –Publisher’s Weekly

Grandmother School by Rina Singh, Ellen Rooney & Kirstie Hudson
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Library Catalog
“Inspired by a real-life school for older, illiterate women in western India, a picture book about women's education and empowerment and the love between a grandmother and her granddaughter. The story is narrated by a girl who tells of her aaji's school: ‘She rushes through her chores so she can change into her uniform—a bright pink sari…. / Then I take her hand in mine and walk her to school.’ When Aaji first learns to spell her name, she and her granddaughter do ‘a little dance’; both characters' joy is evident on the page—and infectious. Similarly, readers will cheer when Aaji shows the ‘rude man behind the counter’ at the bank that she can sign her name; he had always dismissed her, saying ‘people who gave thumbprints instead of signatures [had] to wait.’ Aaji's triumphant smile says it all. Crucially, Singh makes it clear that even though Aaji may be just now learning to read and write, the stories she tells the narrator at night are as vivid as any book's. Rooney's vibrant, multimedia illustrations complement the text's exuberance and positivity, incorporating Marathi script into several spreads. An author's note details the establishment of A ajibaichi Shala in 2016 by local schoolteacher Yogendra Banger, who wanted everyone in his village to be able to read and write—including women who were once denied this opportunity. A spirited book about gender, age, rights, and the importance of education.” –Kirkus Reviews