Election season is once again upon us, which brings some things I don’t enjoy, like all those fundraising texts and emails. (Are you with me on that one?) But one of the things that does get me excited is the growing number of women in politics, especially the new energy that Kamala Harris’ entry into the presidential race has brought!
In this post, I share fourteen great books about women in politics, with a focus on Women of Color and white women who’ve worked for justice and equity as they ran for or held an elected office.
This post may include affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional charge to you. I received a free copy of Mama in Congress from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
Picture books about progressive women in politics
Fall Down Seven Times, Stand Up Eight: Patsy Takemoto Mink and the Fight for Title IX by Jen Bryant. Illustrated by Toshiki Nakamura.
Purchase from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores and my business!)
College sports for women would not be what it is today if it weren’t for Patsy Mink, the first woman of color elected to the U.S. Congress. As the title of this picture book implies, Mink had many difficult and unfair barriers throughout her life that taught her persistence. Experiences like her Japanese-American father’s wrongful imprisonment during World War II, living in segregated housing during college, and being turned away from medical school because of sexism did not deter her.
Title IX, which requires colleges receiving federal funding to offer equal opportunities to men and women students and athletes, was only 37 words long. Yet the controversy it caused, and the efforts Mink and others had to make to pass and protect it, were huge. (Recommended for ages 5 – 9. White author.)
Door by Door: How Sarah McBride Became America’s First Openly Transgender Senator by Meeg Pincus. Illustrated by Meridth McKean Gimbel.
Purchase from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores and my business!)
Sarah McBride was drawn to politics from a very young age. She couldn’t yet find the words to explain to those around her that she was a girl, not the boy they assumed. While she struggled in private with not being able to be fully herself, she still whole-heartedly pursued politics through volunteering, running for university student government, and getting involved in election campaigns of all levels.
During her last days as president of student government, Sarah decided to share that she was transgender. Just a few years later, she ran for the state senate in Delaware, pursuing her political dreams as her full, true self. (Recommended for ages 5 – 9. White author.)
Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice by Nikki Grimes. Illustrated by Laura Freeman.
Purchase from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)
As a small child, Kamala Harris’ Indian-American mother and Jamacian-American father often took her to protest marches. She may have been little, but she was absorbing it all. So much so that when she fussed and her mother asked what she wanted, she shouted “freedom!” just like the chants she so often heard.
This biography takes children on a journey of the many influences in Harris’ life, from being bused to a wealthier neighborhood for school to the cultural center where Nina Simone’s music shaped her self-image.
Interspersed between the snapshots of Harris’ life are snippets of conversation between a girl and her mother. A boy has told her that girls can’t be president, and her mother shares Harris’ story to show how wrong he is. These mini-conversations are often humorous and add lightness to this in-depth biography. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. Black author.)
Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman by Sharice Davids with Nancy K. Mays. Illustrated by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley.
Purchase from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)
In this relatable autobiography, Sharice Davids shares how life prepared her to become one of the first Native American women and the first lesbian representing Kansas in Congress. As a child Sharice loved to talk, and she was delighted to discover that her Ho-Chunk nation calls itself “people of the big voice.” But Davids also learned the power of listening to everyone, especially people whose voices were often ignored.
As a young lawyer working with Native nations, and later as a White house staffer, Davids saw how often people making laws didn’t notice their impact on ordinary people. She would use her gift of listening to people who many leaders ignored, and speaking her mind, as she made her ground-breaking run for Congress. (Recommended for ages 4 – 8. Ho-Chunk author.)
Related post: 20 picture books by Native American and First Nations authors
Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight by Kathleen Krull. Illustrated by Amy June Bates
Purchase from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)
In this biography of Hillary Rodham Clinton for the youngest readers, Kathleen Krull intertwines key experiences of Rodham Clinton’s life with maxims that children can learn from (even if they have no interest in politics.) We learn how she has been one of the trailblazing women in politics, as a laywer fighting for children’s rights, as a First Lady who helped craft policy, and as a Senator.
When Rodham Clinton was unwilling to shrink herself, she often faced harsh criticism. One of the lessons she learned is summed up by Krull this way: “be who you are, get through it, and wait for times to change.” (Recommended for ages 4 – 8. White author.)
Related Post: 8 ways to teach children about democracy, citizenship, and voting (with book list)
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words by Stacey Abrams. Illustrated by Kitt Thomas.
Purchase from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)
As a child, Stacey Abrams was fascinated with words: what they meant, how to spell them, and eventually, their power to help her speak up in against unkindness. When Stacey and Jake are chosen to represent their class in the school spelling bee, Stacey’s excitement is tempered by her many memories of when Jake had used his words to hurt others.
The book is filled with delightfully expressive illustrations of Stacey studying really big words in preparation for the bee. When it’s time to compete, observant readers will see that Stacey acts out many of the words she spells.
While no direct references are made to Abrams’ run for Senate (or her current run for Governor), adults can easily guide children through a second reading and explain parallels between the two stories. When Stacey loses the spelling bee, her mother helps her see that next year will bring another chance to try again. (Recommended for ages 4 – 8. Black author.)
Shop this list (plus additional books) about women in politics at Bookshop.org. You’ll support independent bookstores and my business!
Mama in Congress by Rashida and Adam Tlaib with Miranda Paul. Illustrated by Olivia Aserr.
Purchase from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)
The story opens on Rashida Tlaib’s first day in Congress, accompanied by her sons Adam and Yousif. As Tlaib tells the children that her job is to “open doors of opportunity and work for justice for all,” Adam shares the many way his mother has worked to open doors throughout her life. The poverty that she endured and the racist stereotypes she faced in childhood helped her see how unequal things were.
Though many thought the odds were against her as a Muslim Palestinian woman when she ran for the Michigan House of Representatives, the potential she would have to open doors for others prompted her to run. Adam details the many types of houses his Mama had to knock on during her race, often with him at her side. Playful illustrations show the boys helping pass out flyers in her later run for Congress, as well as the viral moment when the boys dabbed on the House floor.
This encouraging story doesn’t hide the realities of sexism, racism, and Islamophobia that Tlaib has faced. At the same it, Mama in Congress makes it clear that the brave path women in politics like Tlaib are taking is creating change for others who come after them. (Recommended for ages 4 – 9. Palestian-American Muslim author.)
Related post: 17 children’s books for Arab-American Heritage Month
Shirley Chisholm Is a Verb! by Veronica Chambers. Illustrated by Rachelle Baker.
Purchase from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)
Before reading this engaging picture book, I knew Shirley Chisolm was the first Black woman to run for President. But I didn’t know she was also the first Black women elected to Congress, or that she helped initiate important programs for children including WIC and the school lunch program.
The book emphasizes the many verbs that describe Chisolm, and how children can choose their own ways to act, from negotiating to listening to inspiring. Chambers also explains how Chisolm paved the way for other women in leadership, from Hillary Clinton to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. (Recommended for ages 5 – 9. Black author.)
Related post: 16 outstanding children’s books about Black women leaders
Elizabeth Warren: Nevertheless, She Persisted by Susan Wood. Illustrated by Sarah Green.
Purchase from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)
Many young readers have seen the “She Persisted” book series begun by Chelsea Clinton. But do the know where the phrase comes from? In this biography of Warren, children will hear of her brave refusal to stop speaking on the Senate floor about a Cabinet nominee who she did not think was fit for the position.
But first, young readers will learn about how Warren’s childhood experience of her family slowly sliding out of a middle class life led to her curiousity about the economy. As a lawyer, questions about why this was happening to so many people persisted, and she found that unfair rules were to blame. The desire to change these rules was at the heart of her run for Senate, and in her refusal, like other women in politics who came before her, to be silent. (Recommended for ages 5 – 9. White author.)
Related Post: 31 children’s books to read during Women’s History Month
What Do You Do with a Voice Like That? by Chris Barton. Illustrated by Ekua Holmes.
Purchase from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)
Even as a child growing up in Houston, Barbara Jordan’s voice made people take notice. As a high school student, Jordan decided that being a lawyer was the best way she could use her voice. Not many Black women had done that in the 1950’s, but Jordan believed she could.
Yet once she was a lawyer, she found the political process inspired her far more than practicing law. She believed her voice as a social justice activist would make a greater difference than working in the law office. As a Texas state senator, her voice advocated for changes like better pay for farmworkers.
Not long after she was elected to the U.S. Congress, the Watergate scandal happened. Jordan made a compelling, clear speech about it that captured the attention of the nation. During her years in Congress, she spoke up often for those who had less power.
What might Jordan do next? Run for Senate, or even the Vice Presidency? What people didn’t know is that Jordan was struggling with multiple sclerosis. So she decided that the best place to use her voice was back home in Texas, where she inspired thousands of students as a college professor. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. White author.)
Related Post: 12 children’s books about unsung heroes for social justice
The ABCs of AOC by Jamia Wilson. Illustrated by Krystal Quiles.
This alphabet book is a different approach to telling the story of a prominent woman in politics compared with many of the straightforward biographies on this list. The progressive, grassroots values that guide Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, are the center of the book. It’s fitting that the letter n is for “nonconformist,” since Ocasio-Cortez oftens bucks conventional approaches to politics, even within her own party. Along with the principles that guide AOC, young readers also learn what key words in the political process, including “Congress” and “democracy” mean. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. Black author.)
Chapter books about women in politics
She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller by Traci Sorell. Illustrated by Gillian Flint.
Purchase from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)
The first woman to serve as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, Wilma Mankiller was a trailblazing woman in politics who initiated important changes for her people in the 1990s. Sorell’s biography of Mankiller will also teach children about key periods in Native American history, including the forced removal of the Cherokee Nation from their homelands.
Mankiller’s life was impacted by other key historical events, including the U.S. government’s urban relocation program that prompted her family to move from Oklahoma to San Francisco. She was deeply impacted by the Native American rights movement there, including the Indigenous takeover of Alcatraz.
As Principal Chief, Mankiller brought new experiences to the role, not only by being a woman, but also because she grew up in poverty. She prioritized rural job creation during her administration, particularly for young people. Throughout her adult life, Mankiller faced numerous, serious health problems, yet she still found many ways to fulfill her life purpose and serve her nation. (Recommended for ages 7 – 10. Cherokee author.)
Related Post: 9 ways to observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day with children
Leading the Way: Women in Power by Janet Howell and Theresa Howell. Illustrated by Kyle Akia and Alexandra Bye.
Purchase from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)
This illustrated anthology will introduce children to 50 American women in politics from a variety of backgrounds and political perspectives, from hundreds of years ago all the way to the present. Many held political office at the state or federal level, while others are judges, cabinet members, civil rights activists, and sufragettes.
Each leader’s portrait is accompanied by a key quote, such as Shirley Chisholm’s famous adage “if they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” (Recommended for ages 8 – 12. White authors.)
She Persisted: Patsy Mink by Tae Keller. Illustrated by Gillian Flint.
Purchase from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)
This relatively short but thorough chapter book describes Patsy Mink’s impressive accomplishments as a member of Congress, as well as the many barriers of sexism and racism that she faced both before and after she became an elected official.
Mink was raised in Hawaii, and she was a teenager when the Japanese military bombed Pearl Harbor. Though Mink’s father narrowly avoided being imprisoned in a concentration camp, Patsy and her family still faced harassment.
As Mink grew up and pursued a legal career, she had to form her own law practice because no one would hire her. Later, as the first woman of color elected to Congress, Mink fought for women’s rights both within Congress itself and throughout the country, particularly by writing the Title IX bill that transformed college women’s sports. (Recommended for ages 7 – 10. Korean-American author.)
