Vashti Harrison

A NEW YORK TIMES INSTANT BESTSELLER!A USA TODAY BESTSELLER! This beautifully illustrated book introduces readers of all ages to 40 women who changed the world. Featuring forty trailblazing black women in American history, Little Leaders educates and inspires as it relates true stories of breaking boundaries and achieving beyond expectations. Illuminating text paired with irresistible illustrations bring to life both iconic and lesser-known female figures of Black history such as abolitionist Sojourner Truth, pilot Bessie Coleman, chemist Alice Ball, politician Shirley Chisholm, mathematician Katherine Johnson, poet Maya Angelou, and filmmaker Julie Dash. Among these biographies, readers will find heroes, role models, and everyday women who did extraordinary things - bold women whose actions and beliefs contributed to making the world better for generations of girls and women to come. Whether they were putting pen to paper, soaring through the air or speaking up for the rights of others, the women profiled in these pages were all taking a stand against a world that didn't always accept them. The leaders in this book may be little, but they all did something big and amazing, inspiring generations to come.

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History

This was a beautifully illustrated collection of biographies of black women who hold significant positions in American history. The biographies were short, highlighting the major events of each woman's life and her contributions to history. The illustrations accentuated this major events by displaying the thing that the woman was most often associated with. I loved the fact that each woman's face was somewhat generic, with the same expression on each face, allowing young black girls to imagine themselves in each woman's shoes. 

My only real complaint with the book is the lack of of queer women. Audre Lorde is featured, but her queer identity isn't mentioned. I had hoped that a trans activist such as Marsha Johnson or Miss Major would be featured, or at least mentioned in the short section at the end, "More Little Leaders," but they were absent. I don't believe queer identities should be hidden from children under any circumstances, so I found this oversight incredibly disappointing. Black women have contributed as much to queer rights as they have to every other rights movement this country has ever undergone and that contribution should be recognized in collections such as this. 

Despite this lack, this is still a collection that should be in the hands of every child, regardless of race or gender.

Caroline Lewicki

Terrific little biographies about forty black women who shaped history in all of its spheres! I think this is great for all ages and all women, but especially young women of color. Every woman in here has an inspiring story and paved the way for future generations, which I think girls deserve to know all about.

Lorien O'Brien

This book is a powerful, fun, and wonderful book. It's just like it says in the title, it is a book about bold women who bettered the world around them by standing up for what was right, and demanding a chance, and a change.

There are forty women who get two pages, one of an amazing artwork, and one with a short biography explaining their background and how they were "bold leaders". Each woman deserves so much more. What's sad is that I'd say over half I'd never heard of before, or I didn't know very much about them. I learned so much just flipping through and reading this little bit.

I'm glad this book exists, because just reading one of these stories offers so much hope to everyone, but especially to black women, who are still degraded and ignored in today's world. They need these stories, and honestly so does everyone else. We need more diversity and to learn their stories, because only through the sharing of information can we truly come to understand one another.

I hope I don't seem like I'm like "YES I NEEDED THIS" as much as any Black woman does, but more I want all people to read this so they understand what black women have faced and continue to face, and strive to make the world a better place for everyone.

Caitlin Berger

Absolutely gorgeous and necessary! I am so happy I have learned about all these amazing Black women. Please read this book!

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History

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