Books about Women in Science for Children

Robert F. Sibert Medal winner * Booklist Editor’s Choice * Kirkus Best book of 2018 * New York Public Library Top 10 Best Books of 2018

Bugs, of all kinds, were considered to be “born of mud” and to be “beasts of the devil.” 

would anyone, let alone a girl, want to study and observe them?

One of the first naturalists to observe live insects directly, Maria Sibylla Merian was also one of the first female entomologists who flouted convention in the pursuit of knowledge and her passion for insects.

Parents magazine Best Children’s Book of 2017

Through her accomplishments, this star girl of the sea taught the world that sharks should be admired, not feared, and that women can do anything they set their minds to.

Like Jack and the Beanstalk but under the sea, Eugenie dove down to discover a world of wonder beneath the water’s surface.

She earned the name Shark Lady with her many discoveries about these beautiful creatures.

2018 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book

the time she was a young girl, Anna Comstock was fascinated by the natural world. She loved exploring outdoors, examining wildlife and learning nature’s secrets.

Eventually Anna became known as a nature expert, pioneering a movement to encourage schools to conduct science and nature classes for children outdoors, thereby increasing students’ interest in nature. 

Young animal lovers will welcome this fascinating and moving portrait of an extraordinary person and the animals to whom she has dedicated her life.

Follow Jane from her childhood in London watching a robin on her windowsill, to her years in the African forests of Gombe, Tanzania, invited by brilliant scientist Louis Leakey to observe chimps, to her worldwide crusade to save these primates who are now in danger of extinction, and their habitat. 

Henrietta Levitt was the first person to discover the scientific importance of a star’s brightness — so why has no one heard of her?

Her discovery made it possible for astronomers to measure greater and greater distances - leading to our present understanding of the vast size of the universe.

Sylvia Earle first lost her heart to the ocean as a young girl when she discovered the wonders of the Gulf of Mexico in her backyard.

With stunningly detailed pictures of the wonders of the sea, Life in the Ocean tells the story of Sylvia’s growing passion and how her ocean exploration and advocacy have made her known around the world. 

Unearth the true story of green-thumbed pioneer and activist Kate Sessions, who helped San Diego grow from a dry desert town into a lush, leafy city known for its gorgeous parks and gardens.

After becoming the first woman to graduate from the University of California with a degree in science, she took a job as a teacher far south in the dry desert town of San Diego. Where there were almost no trees.

Part fascinating biography, part inspirational story, this moving picture book about following your dreams, using your talents, and staying strong in the face of adversity.

Filled with gorgeous illustrations by acclaimed artist Raúl Colón, this illustrated biography shares the story of female scientist, Marie Tharp, a pioneering woman scientist and the first person to ever successfully map the ocean floor.

Taught to think big by her father who was a mapmaker, Marie wanted to do something no one had ever done before: map the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Was it even possible? Not sure if she would succeed,

Throughout history, others had tried and failed to measure the depths of the oceans. Sailors lowered weighted ropes to take measurements.

Despite past failures and challenges — sometimes Marie would be turned away from a ship because having a woman on board was “bad luck” — Marie was determined to succeed.

And she did, becoming the first person to chart the ocean floor, helping us better understand the planet we call home.

A biography of the pioneering scientist and environmentalist, Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring.

Determined and curious even as a child, Rachel Carson's fascination with the natural world led her to study biology, and pursue a career in science at a time when very few women worked in the field. 

This lyrical, illustrated biography follows Carson's journey—from a girl exploring the woods, to a woman working to help support her family during the Great Depression, to a journalist and pioneering researcher, investigating and exposing the harmful effects of pesticide overuse. 

With courage and confidence, Caroline Herschel (1750-1848) becomes the first woman professional scientist and one of the greatest astronomers who ever lived.

Born the youngest daughter of a poor family in Hanover, Germany, Caroline was scarred from smallpox, stunted from typhus, and used by her parents as a scullery maid. But when her favorite brother, William, left for England, he took her with him.

The siblings shared a passion for stars, and together they built the greatest telescope of their age, working tirelessly on star charts.

Using their telescope, Caroline discovered fourteen nebulae and two galaxies, was the first woman to discover a comet, and became the first woman officially employed as a scientist -- by no less than the King of England.

The information from the Herschels' star catalogs is still used by space agencies today.

Mary Anning is probably the world’s best-known fossil-hunter.

As a little girl, she found a fossilized sea monster, the most important prehistoric discovery of its time.

This book details the fascinating story of twelve-year-old Mary Anning, who, along with her beloved doggie became a celebrity and reveals that the beloved tongue-twister “She Sells Sea Shells” was about Mary.

A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year selection

While other girls played with dolls, Joan preferred the company of reptiles.

She carried her favorite lizard with her everywhere – she even brought a crocodile to school!

With a lively text and vibrant illustrations, scientist and writer Patricia Valdez and illustrator Felicita Sala bring to life Joan Procter’s inspiring story of passion and determination.

When Marie was young, she was unable to go to college because she was a woman.

When she was older, her scientific work was respected around the world.

Her discoveries of radium and polonium dramatically helped in the fight against cancer, and she went on to win the Nobel Prize for Physics! 

This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the scientist's life.

Nominee – 2017 Amelia Bloomer List, Early Readers Nonfiction

Before Eugenie Clark’s groundbreaking research, most people thought sharks were vicious, blood-thirsty killers.

From the first time she saw a shark in an aquarium, Japanese-American Eugenie was enthralled. Instead of frightening and ferocious eating machines, she saw sleek, graceful fish gliding through the water.

Taking research dives and training sharks earned her the nickname “The Shark Lady.”

Women in Science celebrates the achievements of the intrepid women who have paved the way for the next generation of female engineers, biologists, mathematicians, doctors, astronauts, physicists, and more! 

The trailblazing women profiled include well-known figures like primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as lesser-known pioneers such as Katherine Johnson, the African-American physicist and mathematician who calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon.