Happy March! Welcome back to the latest installment of Integra’s Book Recommendations. In honour of Women’s History Month, all of this month’s book recommendations will be books written by women, featuring amazing female role models. Let’s get started!
Elementary - Fiction
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary
Here is a short blurb about this book from Goodreads…
“Mr. Quimby's going to college, Mrs. Quimby's going to work. Now that Ramona is eight, she can go to a new school with a new teacher and ride the bus all by herself. But after school she has to stay with Grandmother Kemp and be nice to that bratty little Willa Jean until Beezus, who's temperamental enough to ruin anyone's day, comes to take her home. Life isn't as easy for Ramona as it used to be. All the Quimbys have to adjust, and Ramona gets her chance to prove that she's "big enough for her family to depend on."”
A fun book for young readers, Ramona Quimby is a relatable and quirky character whom young kids will fall in love with. Beverly Cleary was an American author of children’s books and young adult fiction. Her books and characters are beloved by many and she is considered to be one of America’s most successful authors. The Ramona Quimby series is just one of her many publishings. Ramona appeals to young readers because she is unapologetically herself, yearning to discover all about the great life around her. Young readers will enjoy reading about a girl their age who presents as an amazing role model, teaching everyone around her that there is nothing wrong with being loud and fun.
Elementary - Nonfiction
‘Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World’ by Rachel Ignotofsky
Here is a short blurb about this book from Goodreads…
“Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world. Full of striking, singular art, this collection also contains infographics about relevant topics such as lab equipment, rates of women currently working in STEM fields, and an illustrated scientific glossary. The 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.”
This book shows young readers 50 women who have all made important contributions to science. While in school, we usually only learn about the important contributions of men in history. As such, young readers will happily welcome seeing new faces to look up to. This book sheds light on how much women have helped the development of science, building our world alongside their male counterparts.
Middle School - Fiction
Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
Here is a short blurb about this book from Goodreads…
“This heartwarming story has beckoned generations of readers into the special world of Green Gables, an old-fashioned farm outside a town called Avonlea. Anne Shirley, an eleven-year-old orphan, has arrived in this verdant corner of Prince Edward Island only to discover that the Cuthberts—elderly Matthew and his stern sister, Marilla—want to adopt a boy, not a feisty redheaded girl. But before they can send her back, Anne—who simply must have more scope for her imagination and a real home—wins them over completely. A much-loved classic that explores all the vulnerability, expectations, and dreams of a child growing up, Anne of Green Gables is also a wonderful portrait of a time, a place, a family… and, most of all, love.”
This book about an imaginative and feisty young girl will warm the hearts of preteen readers. Anne Shirely is energetic, imaginative, and has a zest for life that no one can ignore. She is an amazing role model for readers, reminding them to be themselves and to live life to its fullest. This book explores all of Anne’s struggles growing up as she struggles to find her place in the world. I think readers will relate to her character and enjoy reading about her personality, friendships, and triumphs. This book even has sequels that readers can devour after this one!
Middle School - Nonfiction
No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference’ by Greta Thunberg
Here is a short blurb about this book from Goodreads…
“In August 2018 a fifteen-year-old Swedish girl, Greta Thunberg, decided not to go to school one day in order to protest the climate crisis. Her actions sparked a global movement, inspiring millions of students to go on strike for our planet, forcing governments to listen, and earning her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination.
No One Is Too Small to Make A Difference brings you Greta in her own words, for the first time. Collecting her speeches that have made history across the globe, from the United Nations to Capitol Hill and mass street protests, her book is a rallying cry for why we must all wake up and fight to protect the living planet, no matter how powerless we feel. Our future depends upon it.”
A book from the famous activist Greta Thunberg that shows us that we can all make a difference, regardless of our circumstances. With her inspiring and motivational words, Greta Thunberg shows us her journey of fighting for our planet. This book really hit home for me, as I am always trying to find ways to make a difference in the world. Greta Thunberg helps readers understand that no one is too small to make a difference. That all of our actions matter and are needed to solve the crises of our time.
Secondary School - Fiction
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Here is a short blurb about this book from Goodreads…
“In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says good-bye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne’s home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.
Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gaëtan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can…completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.”
A book about strong females during a time when no one was feeling strong at all, The Nightingale beautifully illustrates the lives of two sisters and their individual journeys during a time of war, showing how far people will go to protect the ones they care about. Vianne sacrifices everything to save her family after the enemy invades her country. Her silent strength will show readers the significance of silent defiance even when all seems lost. Isabelle is headstrong and passionate, risking her life and everything she cares about in order to save her country. Her strength and resilience are admirable traits that readers will love.
Secondary School - Nonfiction
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Here is a short blurb about this book from Goodreads…
“In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same.”
Possibly one of the most influential women of our time, Michelle Obama’s biography shares her story like never told before. She is an amazing role model for young and old minds alike. Even when faced with curveball after curveball, she persevered. Her success is something all readers can learn from. This autobiography, filled with Michelle Obama’s struggles and triumphs, will continue to inspire generations to come.
Written by: Nevadha M
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