March is Women's History Month, with March 8th being specified as International Women's Day. I decided the way I wanted to celebrate Women's History would be threefold: to read books by women authors I am already familiar with, refresh my memory about major women in history by reading or rereading biographies, and continue to seek out new books primarily featuring women authors and illustrators. Following are five of the books that fit into one of those categories. They are favorites of mine, and I hope you will enjoy them as well.
Written by Kate Hannigan
Illustrated by Sofia Moore
New York, NY : Calkins Creek, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers, 2026. Informational.
Louisa May Alcott is a treasured author whose work has inspired generations of readers. This lovely biography presents the reader the background story behind her famous book Little Women. I loved the elements highlighted that contribute to Louisa becoming a great writer, including: reading, observing, exploring, and dreaming. Not only did those help Louisa develop her skills, but if you are someone who is interested in become a writer yourself, there is practical advice to be found in the pages.
Written by Audrey Vernick
Illustrated by Heather Fox
New York, NY : Random House Studio, 2026. Picture Book.
Recently in one of the art galleries here at the library, we had pieces on display by a beautiful collage artist. She also came to the library and taught a class on her technique. I was able to attend her class, and I left feeling inspired to embrace my own inner artist, as limited as I feel in those skills. A few days after the class I read this book, and it was a great reminder that art is such a beautiful outlet for creativity, and we all embrace art in different ways. The premise to this book is that a child is able to change things in their world by simply redrawing them in a different way. There are light-hearted changes like ice cream shops in treehouses, and more serious changes like no one being hungry. This is a great book for discussions in classrooms or at home about how children and adults alike may want to make improvements in their world.
Written by Kate Hosford
Illustrated by Richard Jones
New York : Beach Lane Books, 2026. Picture Book.
The night sky has such a calming influence on my heart. My daughter had great interest in the stars and constellations when she was younger. It has always been a struggle for me to locate the constellations, but I appreciate their guiding light in the sky, and how quickly some people do find them! When I saw the cover on this book, I instantly thought of my daughter and myself, and loved the imagery of a ship helping to maneuver the pair through the night. The words have a beautiful, lyrical feel to them, and enough rhyming to engage children and have them eager to predict the text. Add this book to your list today!
Written by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Illustrated by Aphelandra
New York, NY : Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2026. Picture Book.
I absolutely love the term "aunties" to describe a wide variety of women: those we are related to as well as highly influential women in our lives that are not blood relatives. This book follows the journey of a young child interacting with their aunties in different seasons and locations. It is a lovely message of community and kindness, and the power that women share in their world. I appreciated the author's note explaining more about how aunties can be a term of endearment in indigenous cultures. There are so many women in my life who feel like aunties to me, and this book inspired me to reach out and share with more of them just how impactful they have been in my life!
Written by Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrated by Tequitia Andrews
New York : Crown Books for Young Readers, 2026. Picture Book.
I am always excited when I see new books by Carole Boston Weatherford. She is a favorite author of mine! In this beautiful book, she features phrases from a well-known song, perfectly combined with art and poetry in cheerful and uplifting ways. I appreciate the blending of history with encouraging hope for the future. This is a beautiful book that will enhance any home or library collection. It truly is a celebration of the individual and a lovely invitation to grown and learn and become everything you want to be.
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