pick of the week: The Amelia Bloomer Project

“Women are not free anywhere in this world until all women in the world are free.”

Leymah Gbowee, 2011

In honour of women's history month (hint: that's this month!), I'd like to share the teen titles selected by the Amelia Bloomer Project as feminist books that portray women and girls as individuals who are empowered to find their own voices. I hope these books will empower you too, whether you're male or female!


Bickle, Laura. The Hallowed Ones
Catastrophic events in the outside world prevent Katie from leaving her Amish village for Rumspringa. She defies the commands of the Elders to protect the village and determine her own future.

Cremer, Andrea. Rift.
Ember escapes an arranged marriage to pursue her destiny as a warrior.

Feldman, Ruth Tenzer. Blue Thread.
Inspired by her ancestors and the suffrage movement, Miriam matures into a strong, independent woman who fights for her political convictions and her professional ambitions

Gaughen, A.C. Scarlet.
Will Scarlet is Robin Hood’s most trusted and dangerous lieutenant. Few know this knife-wielding thief is a young woman.

Griffin, Molly Beth. Silhouette of a Sparrow.
Set in 1920s Minnesota, artist and ornithologist Garnet longs for independence. A summer away from home presents choices that expand her world.

McCall, Guadalupe Garcia. Summer of the Mariposas.
15-year old Odilia and her four sisters journey to Mexico to return the body of a dead man they found floating in the Rio Grande to his family. They battle supernatural forces and put aside their own differences for a trip that changes their lives forever.

Otto, Whitney. Eight Girls Taking Pictures.
Eight women photographers work to find their voices as independent artists against backdrops of war, social change, and romance.

Schrefer, Eliot. Endangered.
When war breaks out and her mother’s bonobo sanctuary is attacked, Sophie escapes into the jungle with the great apes. Their survival depends on her quick thinking and resourcefulness.

Wein, Elizabeth. Code Name Verity.
Maddie and Verity risk their lives fighting for Allies during World War II. Their friendship gives them the strength and courage to do what’s right in the gravest of circumstances.