From beautifully illustrated picture books to fascinating biographies, these titles show the importance of scientific curiosity and celebrate the scientific progress that we owe to women in science, both past and present. They're the perfect choice to inspire budding young scientists!
The Aquanaut by Jill Heinerth
A girl feels too young, too little and too far away from her dreams, but she still finds creative ways to explore and follow her dreams. Ages 3-7.
Charlotte The Scientist Finds a Cure by Camille Andros
Charlotte, a budding bunny scientist, ignores the doubters and confidently finds a cure for the mysterious malady affecting the forest. Ages 4-8.
Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed
Based on the life of Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to travel in space, Mae Among The Stars tells the story of how Mae’s curiosity, intelligence, and determination, matched with her parents’ encouraging words, paved the way for her incredible success at NASA. Ages 4-8.
Mary Had A Little Lab by Sue Fliess
Hoping for a friend, Mary invents a way to make a sheep, but chaos abounds when she starts making sheep for her new friends. Ages 4-8.
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
Math geniuses Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Christine Darden were essential in some of NASA’s greatest successes. Overcoming gender and racial barriers, the four Black women calculated America’s first journeys into space. Ages 4-8.
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty
Ada Twist is a very curious girl who shows perseverance by asking questions and performing experiments to find things out and understand the world. Ages 5-8.
The Girl Who Named Pluto: The Story of Venetia Burney by Alice B. McGinty
An empowering and inspiring nonfiction picture book about the eleven-year-old girl who named the newly discovered Pluto in 1930. Ages 6-9.
Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor by Patricia Valdez
Looks at the inspiring story of Joan Procter, a pioneering female scientist who loved reptiles. Ages 6-9.
She Can STEM by Liz Lee Heinecke
This book highlights the curiosity, creativity and perseverance of 50 leading historical and modern physicists, chemists, biologists, and ecologists. It pairs each biography with a hands-on project. Ages 8-12.
Born Curious: 20 Girls Who Grew Up to Be Awesome Scientists by Martha Freeman
A collection of biographies of 20 groundbreaking women scientists who were curious kids and grew up to make incredible discoveries. Ages 9-12.
