2025 Rise: A Feminist Book Project List (2025)

Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18 has been promoting quality feminist literature for young readers since 2002 as a part of the Feminist Task Force and the Social Responsibilities Round Table.

“Feminism isn’t about being right or being perfect. It's about helping other women, lifting each other up, not competing against each other. It’s not about judgment, it’s about support.” (Weston, Diary of a Confused Feminist)

So many of us feel that we’re not enough. Feminist texts teach us that we don’t have to be everything. Together we make up a whole that’s strong enough to advocate for and achieve changes that ensure fair and equitable treatment, regardless of gender.

“I’d learned that when one door closes, I had to be strong enough to smash down a wall and make a new one. Even if it was hard. Even if it hurt.” (Méndez, The Beautiful Game)

At a time when so many choices have been taken from us, we highlight books that celebrate women claiming agency, working for bodily autonomy, and fighting for their right to chart their own destiny.

“we fold / and bend / shift and break / to fit into them, // boxes wrapped in religion / in patriarchy / in capitalism / in hate” (Shanté, The Unboxing of a Black Girl)

These stories highlight individuals who refuse to conform—those who fight to free themselves from gendered expectations and yearn to break the molds they’ve been forced into. They endeavor to live as their authentic selves and to empower others to do the same.

“We envision a world in which everyone can step into the truth of who they are.” (Kobabe and Peitzmeier, Breathe)

As we look toward new leadership and policies in the U.S., we must unite as sisters and humans—sharing, reading, donating, texting, marching, and creating—to ensure our most marginalized neighbors feel safe and cared for in community. We uplift reading books as an act of resistance; we read so that we are moved to act.

“Perhaps one of the strongest legacies she leaves us is a reminder of the pure joy of dedication—of giving oneself to fulfilling work to make the world a better place.” (Hopkinson, Determined Dreamer: The Story of Marie Curie)

We believe that young people have tremendous capacity to be changemakers, dreamers, and leaders, and we hope this list inspires them, now and in the future.

“A sliver of your light is more than enough. / Always, someone somewhere sees you.” (Watson, Black Girl You Are Atlas)

Committee

Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18 is a project of the Feminist Task Force of the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association. Members of the 2025 Rise: A Feminist Book Project committee are Laura Simeon (co-chair), Kirkus Reviews, Redmond, WA; Vicki Pietrus (co-chair), Niles West High School, Skokie, IL; Suzan Alteri, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL; Raynelda A. Calderon, Queens Public Library, Corona, NY; Kim Dare, Herndon High School, Herndon, VA; Lindsay J. Hall, Marietta City School District, Marietta, GA; Ari Nussbaum, Hayward Public Library, Hayward, CA; Shaunterria Owens, North Miami Public Library, North Miami, FL; Marta Monforte Perez, Hiba Academy Nantong, Nantong, China; and Sara Beth West, Chattanooga State Community College, Chattanooga, TN.

2025 Rise: A Feminist Book Project List

An asterisk (*) indicates that a book is one of our Top Ten Titles.

Early Readers

Fiction

Darks, Taylor. Be, Black Girl, Be. Illustrated by Sharee Miller. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, 2024. (9780063119741) 4-8.

An inspirational love letter to Black girls, celebrating their beauty, resilience, and worth through lyrical text and joyful illustrations.

Nyoko, Mel. For Our Daughters. Illustrated by Joelle Avelino. Penguin Random House/Random House Studio, 2024. (9780593428085) 4-8.

This colorful, inclusive picture book celebrates girls of color and what they can achieve, tackling issues including hair discrimination, sizeism, colorist beauty standards, and negative messages about being too loud.

Shakir, Deena. Leena Mo, CEO. Illustrated by Nez Riaz. Simon & Schuster/Salaam Reads, 2024. (9781665935654) 5-9.

After Arab American Leena Mo devises a snow-shoveling robot, she draws upon a supportive network of women and girls to create a thriving business that inspires a girl in Iraq.

Nonfiction

Guglielmo, Amy and Jacqueline Tourville. Lucy!: How Lucille Ball Did It All. Illustrated by Brigette Barrager. Abrams/Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2024. (9781419749926) 7-9.

An account of groundbreaking performer Lucille Ball’s struggle to find her footing as a comedic actor and the many boundaries she broke once she did.

Hopkinson, Deborah. Determined Dreamer: The Story of Marie Curie. Illustrated by Jen Hill. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, 2024. (9780062373328) 5-7.

This illustrated biography highlights the systemic oppression facing women in STEM, showing the obstacles Marie Curie had to overcome to enter her field and be recognized for her significant achievements.

*Johnson, Dinah. Ida B. Wells Marches for the Vote. Illustrated by Jerry Jordan. Little, Brown/Christy Ottaviano, 2024. (9780316322478) 5-9.

Journalist Ida B. Wells confronts the racism in the American women's suffrage movement in this picture-book biography.

Lewis, Aura with Farai Simoyi. Dazzling Zelda: The Story of Fashion Designer Zelda Wynn Valdes. Illustrated by Aura Lewis. Simon & Schuster/Beach Lane, 2024. (9781665918299) 5-8.

The story of a pioneering Black fashion designer who broke into an industry dominated by white people, persevering and opening her own boutique in New York.

Pérez-Prado, Aixa. Mercedes Sosa: Voice of the People. Lee & Low/Children’s Book Press, 2024. (9780892394708) 7-10.

A picture-book biography of Mercedes Sosa, a noted activist and singer from Argentina who spoke out about social issues and refused to be silenced.

Smith, Emma Bland. The Fabulous Fannie Farmer: Kitchen Scientist and America’s Cook. Illustrated by Susan Reagan. Astra/Calkins Creek, 2024. (9781635926125) 5-7.

An account of the life of Fannie Farmer, who blazed new educational and professional pathways for women in an era with limited opportunities.

Stone, Tanya Lee. Remembering Rosalind Franklin: Rosalind Franklin & the Discovery of the Double Helix Structure of DNA. Illustrated by Gretchen Ellen Powers. Little, Brown/Christy Ottaviano, 2024. (9780316351249) 5-9.

Rosalind Franklin’s groundbreaking work uncovered the double helix structure of DNA, but she was denied recognition by her male colleagues, even those who used her research to further their own.

Swanson, Karen L. Swinging Into History: Toni Stone: Big-League Baseball's First Woman Player. Illustrated by Laura Freeman. Astra/Calkins Creek, 2024. (9781635928136) 7-10.

Despite facing many challenges, Toni Stone made history when she signed with the Indianapolis Clowns, becoming the first Black woman to play professional baseball.

Middle Grade

Fiction

Behar, Ruth. Across So Many Seas. Penguin Random House/Nancy Paulsen, 2024. (9780593323403) 9-13.

Four Sephardic Jewish girls from different centuries persist in forging new paths for survival, despite facing restrictive gender norms, religious intolerance, and oppressive governments.

*Brosgol, Vera. Plain Jane and the Mermaid. Macmillan/First Second, 2024. (9781250314857) 10-14.

Recently orphaned Jane is forced to pursue marriage in order to avoid destitution, but she ends up on an undersea adventure that gives her the confidence to challenge societal norms.

Burg, Ann E. Force of Nature: A Novel of Rachel Carson. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Scholastic, 2024. (9781338883381) 8-12.

Scientist Rachel Carson’s life is portrayed through first-person poems showing the obstacles she faced as a woman in science and her determination to overcome them and change the world.

Cline-Ransome, Lesa. One Big Open Sky. Holiday House, 2024. (9780823450169) 8-12.

Alternating between several women and girls’ voices, this verse novel tells the lesser-known story of pioneering Black homesteaders traveling north by wagon train from Southern states in 1879.

Florence, Melanie. Lo Simpson Starts a Revolution. Orca, 2024. (9781459838505) 10-14.

When Lo comes face to face with misogyny and inequities at her middle school, she realizes that growing up isn’t about outward appearance but having the courage to speak out.

Hopkinson, Deborah. The Plot To Kill a Queen: A Royal Spy Story in Three Acts, Also Including the Princess Saves the Cakes, a One-Act Play To Perform With a Company of Friends. Scholastic, 2023.

Elizabethan court musician Emilia dreams of writing a play, despite the prohibitions against women in theater; enlisted to gather information about an assassination plot, she faces danger—yet triumphs.

Lapera, Anna. Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice. Levine Querido, 2024. (9781646143719) 9-13.

Learning about her family history and witnessing injustices at her school, seventh grader Mani is inspired to claim her voice and stand up for what is right.

LeZotte, Ann Clare. Deer Run Home. Scholastic, 2024. (9781339021904) 10-14.

Effie, a Deaf child, struggles with abuse, isolation, and neglect but finds relief through support from Miss Kathy, her school’s ASL interpreter.

London, Alex. The Princess Protection Program. Illustrated by James Firnhaber. HarperCollins/Greenwillow, 2024. (9780063303874) 9-13.

Rosamund, aka Sleeping Beauty, wakes up unsure if she even wants a prince and heads to the Princess Protection Program Academy determined to find her own happily ever after.

Marsh, Katherine. Medusa. HarperCollins/Clarion, 2024. (9780063303744) 8-12.

Ava Baldwin challenges the patriarchal norms of her international boarding school for descendants of Greek mythological monsters.

Meeker, Audrey. Swing. Colors by Sarah Davidson. Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends, 2024. (9781250864031) 9-13.

Reluctant eighth grade swing dance pair Izzy and Marcus confront frenemies, parental pressures, and rigid gender role expectations on their way to personal growth, acceptance, and self-expression.

*Méndez, Yamile Saied. The Beautiful Game. Little, Brown/Algonquin Young Readers, 2024. (9781643753980) 9-13.

Argentinian American soccer phenom Valeria navigates the transition to girls’ soccer after being the only girl on the boys’ team, as well as bumps in her friend and family relationships.

Ormsbee, Kathryn. Turning Twelve. Illustrated by Molly Brooks. Colors by Marta Todeschini. Penguin Random House/Random House Graphic, 2024. (9780593650073) 8-12.

Against a conservative religious backdrop, Katie grapples with the ups and downs of adolescence and the complexities of friendships, mental health struggles, a same-sex crush, purity culture, and self-discovery.

Ramadan, Danny. Salma Joins the Team. Illustrated by Anna Bron. Annick, 2024. (9781773218298) 7-11.

Salma, a Syrian Muslim immigrant to Canada, dreams of being a champion swimmer like her hero, Yusra Madrini, but can she reconcile faith, her ambitions, and her community’s expectations?

*Reno, Ginger. Find Her. Holiday House, 2024. (9780823454808) 10-14.

Wren, a Cherokee girl in Oklahoma is helped by her grandmother as she searches for her long-missing mother, who is one of many Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Sax, Sarah. Tryouts. Penguin Random House/Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2024. (9780593306925) 8-12.

In this graphic novel, seventh grader Alexandra “Al” Olsen joins the boys’ baseball team, and fights for recognition for the school’s winning but overlooked girls’ basketball team.

Siddiqui, Maleeha. Any Way You Look. Scholastic, 2024. (9781339010267) 9-13.

Ainy begins wearing the hijab in hopes that it will shield her from sexual harassment, but when the behavior continues, she must find the courage to fight back.

Terese, Ali. Free Period. Scholastic, 2024. (9781338835830) 9-13.

Best friends and pranksters Helen and Gracie begrudgingly join their school’s Community Action Club, where they discover a passion for menstrual equity and find their voices as advocates.

Zhao, Kyla. May the Best Player Win. Penguin Random House/G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2024. (9780593615867) 8-12.

Competitive chess player May contends with the pressure to win and sexism from a teammate while working to reclaim her love for the sport.

Nonfiction

Kehoe, Rachel with Wanda Robson. The Trailblazing Life of Viola Desmond: A Civil Rights Icon. Illustrated by Chelsea Charles. Orca, 2023 (9781459833975) 9-13.

An illustrated biography of the life and legacy of Viola Desmond, a Black Canadian woman who was an activist against segregation in the 1940s.

Kobabe, Maia and Sarah Peitzmeier. Breathe: Journeys to Healthy Binding. Illustrated by Maia Kobabe. Penguin Random House/Dutton, 2024. (9780593855836) 11-18.

A graphic guide to different gender-affirming stories about chest binding told from the perspective of four trans and/or nonbinary people.

Pitts, Rebecca. Jane Jacobs: Champion of Cities, Champion of People. Seven Stories/Triangle Square Books for Young Readers, 2023. (9781644212998) 10-14.

An engaging and accessible biography of author, activist, and visionary thinker Jane Jacobs, highlighting her work in grassroots organizing and her insistence that women have a voice in community planning.

*Semenya, Caster. The Race To Be Myself: Young Readers Edition. W.W. Norton/Norton Young Readers, 2024. (9781324030973) 11-18.

This memoir from two-time Olympic medalist Caster Semenya shines a light on her determination to prove her eligibility to compete in the face of gender discrimination from sports authorities.

Young Adult

Fiction

Adamo, Meredith. Not Like Other Girls. Bloomsbury, 2024. (9781547614004) 14-18.

Jo doesn’t connect with other girls, but when ex–best friend Maddie disappears after seeking her help, she resolves to figure out what’s going on, uncovering her own past trauma.

*Blum, Isaac. The Judgment of Yoyo Gold. Penguin Random House/Philomel, 2024. (9780593525852) 14-18.

Yoyo, the daughter of an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, grapples with religious faith, gender roles, and personal autonomy as she navigates first love and fractured friendships in this nuanced coming-of-age story.

Caletti, Deb. Plan A. Penguin Random House/Labyrinth Road, 2023. (9780593485545) 14-18.

After a sexual encounter leads to pregnancy, 16-year-old Ivy travels across the country to get an abortion, learning much about the secrets and stories women hold along the way.

Cardi, Annie. Red. Union Square & Co., 2024. (9781454951308) 14-18.

A teen girl finds community and healing in the aftermath of sexual abuse and harassment over her choice to have an abortion.

Cobell, K.A. Looking for Smoke. HarperCollins/Heartdrum, 2024. (9780063318670) 14-18.

A group of Blackfeet teens works together to find out who murdered their friend in this thriller highlighting Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

DeRose, Kim. For Girls Who Walk Through Fire. Union Square & Co., 2023. (9781454948872) 14-18.

Four young women who form a coven to get justice on their attackers claim their power through healing and friendship.

Dhaliwal, Aminder. A Witch's Guide to Burning. Drawn & Quarterly, 2024. (9781770466999) 12-18.

A whimsical allegory about burnout that follows a witch's journey of healing and self-care following a disrupted burning ritual.

*Elhillo, Safia. Bright Red Fruit. Penguin Random House/Make Me a World, 2024. (9780593381205) 14-18.

Exploring girlhood, power, community, and vulnerability, teen poet Samira questions her Sudanese immigrant mom’s fears about the world, falls for an exploitative man she meets online, and claims her voice.

Etaat, Shideh. Rana Joon and the One and Only Now. Simon & Schuster/Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2023. (9781665917629) 14-18.

In 1990s California, queer Iranian American teen Rana enters a rap contest to honor her late best friend and finds her own voice along the way.

Fung, Rosena. Age 16. Annick, 2024. (9781773218335) 12-18.

A graphic novel following three generations of women in a family from Guandong to Hong Kong to Toronto, exploring the relationship toll of internalized gender-based expectations and shame.

Ha, Robin. The Fox Maidens. HarperCollins/HarperAlley, 2024. (9780062685131) 13-18.

A graphic novel reimagining of the Korean gumiho folktale following Kai, who refuses to conform to gendered expectations and struggles to accept her identity after a dark secret is revealed.

Hesse, Monica. The Brightwood Code. Little, Brown, 2024. (9780316045650) 14-18.

During World War I, young American women were denied suffrage yet trusted as switchboard operators on the front lines in Europe; the dangers of the experience left lasting scars.

Ixta, Carolina. Shut Up, This Is Serious. HarperCollins/Quill Tree, 2024. (9780063287860) 14-18.

After Belén’s pa leaves, she tries to escape her depression by supporting her pregnant best friend, Leti, while also navigating family turmoil and the stress of post–high school plans.

Lai, Yi Shun. A Suffragist's Guide to the Antarctic. Simon & Schuster/Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2024. (9781665937764) 13-18.

After fighting for women's right to vote, American teen Clara Ketterling-Dunbar makes her mark as the only woman on the Resolute during a risky expedition to Antarctica.

Lockette, Tim. Atty in Love. Seven Stories/Triangle Square Books for Young Readers, 2024. (9781644213988) 12-15.

Thirteen-year-old Atty, known in her small Alabama town for her animal rights activism, faces the trials and tribulations of first love.

Magoon, Kekla. Prom Babies. Macmillan/Henry Holt and Co., 2024. (9781250806253) 14-18.

After becoming pregnant on prom night, three teen girls navigate unplanned pregnancies; 18 years later, their children prepare for their prom while grappling with consent, bodily autonomy, and activism.

McLemore, Anna-Marie. Flawless Girls. Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends, 2024. (9781250869630) 14-18.

Seeking the truth about her sister Renata’s disappearance, Isla enrolls at the Alarie House, an elite girls’ finishing school, where she discovers disturbing secrets within its jeweled walls.

McLeod, Ella. Rapunzella, Or, Don't Touch My Hair. Little Bee/Yellow Jacket, 2024. (9781499816112) 14-18.

This lyrical book celebrates Black Girl Magic, intertwining a girl’s coming-of-age story of growing up in London with a fantasy realm in which hair is a magical element.

Penn, Farrah. Cancelled. Penguin Random House/Viking Books for Young Readers, 2024. (9780593528303) 14-18.

A schoolwide scandal exposes double standards and misogyny at a prestigious private school.

Rogers, Shannon C.F. Eighteen Roses. Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends, 2024. (9781250845733) 14-18.

Filipino American teen Lucia Cruz struggles with familial, societal, and cultural expectations during her last year of high school.

Rourke-Mooney, Beck. We Are Mayhem. Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends, 2024. (9781250836595) 14-18.

When Birdie’s family relocates to upstate New York, she discovers the world of backyard wrestling and realizes she’s no longer willing to be limited by societal expectations for girls.

Tokuda-Hall, Maggie. The Worst Ronin. Illustrated by Faith Schaffer. HarperCollins/HarperAlley, 2024. (9780358464945) 14-18.

Aspiring samurai Chihiro recruits infamous woman samurai warrior Tatsuo to help her defeat a murderous spirit.

*Watson, Renée. Black Girl You Are Atlas. Illustrated by Ekua Holmes. Penguin Random House/Kokila, 2024. (9780593461709) 12-18.

Thirty-eight poems inspired by Watson’s own life shine a light on Black girlhood and womanhood in an intersectional collection that shatters stereotypes.

*Weston, Kate. Diary of a Confused Feminist. Simon & Schuster/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2024. (9781665937948) 14-18.

Fifteen-year-old Kat is determined to make her mark as a feminist, but boys, mean girl drama, and mental health challenges cause her to doubt herself.

White, Andrew Joseph. The Spirit Bares Its Teeth. Holiday House/Peachtree Teen, 2023. (9781682636114) 14-18.

Silas, a trans boy, tries to survive in a transphobic, misogynistic society; after he’s sent to a sanitorium, he must solve the mysterious disappearances of young women from the institution.

Nonfiction

Diedrichs, Phillippa. The Body Confidence Book. Illustrated by Naomi Wilkinson. Quarto/Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2024. (9780711279070) 12-18.

A psychologist provides practical tips and a multitude of resources for young people, providing a useful framework for promoting body activism and disrupting toxic appearance ideals.

Rusch, Elizabeth. A Greater Goal: The Epic Battle for Equal Pay in Women's Soccer–and Beyond. HarperCollins/Greenwillow, 2024. (9780063220904) 12-18.

A narrative nonfiction account of the persistent fight by the women of the U.S. National Soccer Team for equal pay and fair working conditions.

*Shanté, Angela. The Unboxing of a Black Girl. Page Street/Page Street YA, 2024. (9798890039538) 14-18.

Short autobiographical vignettes and poems about life as a Black girl and woman in today’s society.

2025 Rise: A Feminist Book Project List (2025)

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