We Are Woman, Hear Us Roar

March is Women's History Month, a month-long celebration of the accomplishments of women and of their contributions to society, past and present. In that vein, the Mississippi Library Commission is celebrating with these strong female characters from children's and young adult books. In no particular order, here are ten of our favorites:

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Mildred D. Taylor

Cassie and her family struggle to be treated well in the Jim Crow South.

Sold

Patricia McCormick

Lakshmi is sold into prostitution by her step-father. Only her indomitable spirit keeps her alive.

 

Fever 1793

Laurie Halse Anderson

Mattie copes with the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 and learns to become more independent.

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

Avi

Charlotte is on a ship bound for America. Through the obstacles of the voyage, like a hurricane and mutiny, she survives and becomes a stronger person.

Kira-Kira

Cynthia Kadohata

Katie and her family are Japanese; they move to Georgia from Iowa to farm. Katie learns what how it feels to be an outsider in society, how to cope with tragedy, and what the bonds of family and love really mean.

Glory Be

Augusta Scattergood

Gloriana lives in a small town in Mississippi during Freedom Summer. She thinks that everyone ought to be able to use the local swimming pool and the local library.

Sources of Light

Margaret McMullan

Samantha moves to Jackson, Mississippi with her mother during the beginning of the 1960s. The Civil Rights struggle is in full swing, and Samantha learns who she is as a person and who she wants to be.

If You Could Be Mine

Sara Farizan

Sahar is willing to do almost anything to be with the woman she loves, even become a man. Set in Iran, this coming-of-age novel exposes readers to a different world with vastly different rules and customs.

Hattie Big Sky

Kirby Larson

Hattie inherits a farm and moves to Montana to run it by herself. This book about an independent young woman learning to make her own way in the world is sure to please.

Copper Sun

Sharon Draper

Amari is stolen from her home in Africa and sold into slavery. Her story is of a brave and unflinching young woman who strives to keep her own identity and place in the world.

Who are your favorite heroines from children's books and YA novels? We'd love to hear back from you in the comments.