Curiosity in Action: Women and Scientific Discovery
This curated CBC list highlights standout new science books from our member publishers and helps educators, librarians, parents, and caregivers find exceptional titles with engaging science content.
Scientific progress is driven by people who notice, question, and persist—and women have been doing this work for generations. From environmental science to astronomy, their contributions reveal the many ways discovery unfolds over time. The titles gathered here are from our 2026 Outstanding Science Trade Books Award list illuminate those journeys with clarity and passion. Together, they encourage readers to think critically, stay curious, and imagine themselves as part of science’s ongoing story.
The Black Mambas: The World’s First All-Woman Anti-Poaching Unit, written & illustrated by Kelly Crull (Lerner Publishing Group / Millbrook Press) — Environment / Sustainability / Recycling, Family / Community, Social Activism / Equality / Feminism, ages 7-12.
Head out on patrol with the Black Mambas, South Africa’s first women-led anti-poaching unit.
This anti-poaching team is unlike any other: they carry no weapons. Instead, they keep animals safe with frequent patrols and a keen eye for footprints, snares, and other clues that poachers are nearby. These courageous women work in a nature reserve in South Africa’s Greater Kruger National Park. The reserve is home to the largest remaining populations of white rhinos, critically endangered black rhinos, and ground pangolins, one of the most trafficked animals in the world.
Author and photographer Kelly Crull traveled to South Africa to see firsthand how the Black Mambas are making a difference—for animals and for their communities. He tells their incredible story from their perspective, giving readers an unforgettable look at these environmental heroes.
Firefly Song: Lynn Frierson Faust and the Great Smoky Mountain Discovery, by Colleen Paeff; illustrated by Ji-hyuk Kim (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing / Margaret K. McElderry Books) — Science / Nature, Biography / Memoir, Technology / Inventions, ages 4-6.
The Leaf Detective meets fireflies in this inspirational nonfiction picture book from Sibert Honoree Colleen Paeff about how one woman proved to scientists that the fireflies she had watched as a young girl put on dazzling and impossibly synchronous nighttime performances.
Every year, Lynn spends her summers roaming the forests of the Great Smoky Mountains and watching the fireflies light up the night. As she gets older, she realizes there’s something special about these Great Smoky fireflies. Each night, they seem to perform a dazzling synchronized light show!
She tries to learn more, but scientists tell her that synchronous fireflies don’t exist in the western hemisphere. Lynn may not be a scientist, but she wonders like a scientist and pays attention like a scientist. She believes in herself and the silent song of the fireflies.
With determination and hard work, Lynn sets out to convince the scientific community that she’s right—and to tell the world about the beauty of the firefly show she’s seen her entire life.
The Girl Who Tested the Waters: Ellen Swallow, Environmental Scientist, by Patricia Daniele; illustrated by Junyi Wu (Candlewick Press / MIT Kids Press) — Biography / Memoir, Science / Nature, Environment / Sustainability / Recycling, ages 7-12.
Discover the eye-opening story of the first woman student at MIT—a pioneering environmental chemist sure to inspire the next generation of female trailblazers in science.
Ellen Swallow found a friend in nature and a lifelong love of science as a child exploring the woods around her family’s home. She was a voracious learner with an interest in chemistry, and continuing her education at the newly established Massachusetts Institute of Technology seemed a good fit. But in 1871, many believed that women belonged in the home, not in schools dedicated to the study of science. Ellen thought, why not both? She believed science could help solve the problems of everyday life, including the pollution she observed in Boston, so when offered the chance to study the city’s water systems, she seized it. What she found would change the way we think about clean water. In her lifetime, Ellen pioneered science education for women, advocated for a healthier environment, and helped develop the field of ecology. The Girl Who Tested the Waters, with engaging text and soft, inviting illustrations, portrays a woman ahead of her time and her tireless efforts to bring about change for good. Curious readers can find more in the back matter, including a timeline, an author’s note, source notes, and a bibliography.
Jellyfish Scientist: Maude Delap and Her Mesmerizing Medusas, by Michelle Cusolito; illustrated by Ellen Rooney (Charlesbridge) — Biography / Memoir, Science / Nature, Animals, STEM / STEAM, ages 7-12.
Follow along with the first scientist to raise a jellyfish in captivity through its entire life cycle!
In 1800s Ireland, a woman named Maude scoops a jellyfish out of the water and embarks on more than a year of observation of the animal, accomplishing something often tried, but never before seen: trace the life cycle of a jellyfish and understand the creature’s metamorphosis from larva to adult.
Maude Delap’s painstaking observations of a compass jellyfish in 1899 and 1900 laid the foundation for research still ongoing today. This pioneering woman scientist is an inspiring testimony to the power of dedication and curiosity.
Magic in a Drop of Water: How Ruth Patrick Taught the World about Water Pollution, by Julie Winterbottom; illustrated by Susan Reagan (Penguin Young Readers / Rocky Pond Books) — Biography / Memoir, Environment / Sustainability / Recycling, Science / Nature, ages 7-12.
An entertaining and gorgeous picture book biography of scientist and environmental hero Ruth Patrick, one of the first to warn about the dangers of pollution.
A brilliant scientist and intrepid explorer, the ecologist Ruth Patrick taught the world how to care for the environment. She studied water pollution long before it became a public concern and gave other scientists the tools to do something about it. Born in 1907, Ruth Patrick was one of the only women in her field when she made her breakthrough discovery about biodiversity and the ecosystem of rivers, forever changing how ecologists understand pollution.
Lyrically, joyfully written, exquisitely illustrated, and full of fascinating details, this STEM biography will inspire readers who love the environment to follow their passion and curiosity.
Marjory’s River of Grass: Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Fierce Protector of the Everglades, written & illustrated by Josie James (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers / Christy Ottaviano Books) — Biography / Memoir, Science / Nature, Animals, Places / Travel, ages 7-12.
A picture book biography of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the remarkable conservationist and naturalist who worked tirelessly to protect the Florida Everglades.
As an environmental journalist and conservationist, Marjory Stoneman Douglas spent her life fighting to preserve the Florida Everglades. Now celebrated as a subtropical paradise with a diverse ecosystem, the Everglades was once considered a worthless swamp. Marjory recognized the wetlands as a treasured river, home to an array of species unlike anywhere else in the world—and she was determined to help protect it.
This is the story of how Marjory’s incredible vision and unwavering tenacity led to the preservation of one of the most unique regions on Earth.
Rachel Carson’s Wonder-Filled World: How the Scientist, Writer, and Nature Lover Changed the Environmental Movement, by Kate Hannigan; illustrated by Katie Hickey (Astra Books for Young Readers / Calkins Creek) — Biography / Memoir, STEM / STEAM, Environment / Sustainability / Recycling, Animals, ages 7-12.
This STEAM picture book biography highlights how scientist and writer Rachel Carson became the author of the groundbreaking book Silent Spring and the mother of the modern environmental movement.
Rachel Carson wasn’t always the Rachel Carson, renowned environmental activist. From her earliest years, Rachel had a passion for nature—to her, it was a fairyland, and she loved to write about her adventures and the creatures she saw. Encouraged by teachers, Rachel wanted nothing more than to study the ocean and its inhabitants. Though unable to finish her PhD due to financial constraints, Rachel found work in science and success as a nature writer.
In the course of her work, Rachel learned about the harm caused by recently developed pesticides and chemicals that made their way into the environment. Desperate to protect nature for future generations even as her health declined, she penned the famous book Silent Spring—a call to action against the threat of the deadly chemicals. The book is anything but quiet, selling more than 2 million copies and leading directly to changes like the Clean Air Act of 1963 and the Clean Water Act of 1972.
Kate Hannigan, the author of several award-winning children’s books, joins her talents with Katie Hickey, a longtime illustrator of popular picture book biographies, to bring the mother of the environmental movement to life for a new generation of readers.
Rewriting the Rules: How Dr. Kathleen Friel Created New Possibilities for Brain Research and Disability, by Danna Zeiger; illustrated by Josée Bisaillon (Lerner Publishing Group / Millbrook Press) — Biography / Memoir, Disabilities, Science / Nature, ages 4-6.
When Kathleen Friel was young, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and a doctor told her parents all the things she’d never be able to do.
They left his office for good and found a new doctor.
As Kathleen grew up, she found her own methods to tackle tricky tasks and make her way through the world. After becoming fascinated by science, she went on to earn a PhD, investigating how injured brains can build new connections. She now runs her own lab, developing new techniques to help others with cerebral palsy.
This is the incredible story of how a determined scientist rewrote the rules and followed her dreams.
The Six: The Untold Story of America’s First Women Astronauts, by Loren Grush; illustrated by Rebecca Stefoff (Simon & Schuster / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) — Science / Nature, Biography / Memoir, History, Technology / Inventions, ages 7-12.
The “compelling and inspiring” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) true story of America’s first female astronauts hailed as “suspenseful, meticulously observed, enlightening” by Margot Lee Shetterly, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Figures, now adapted for young readers.
Sally Ride may have been the first US woman in space, but did you know there were five other incredible American women who helped blaze the trail for female astronauts by her side?
When NASA sent astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s, the agency excluded women from the corps, arguing that only military test pilots—a group women were also aggressively barred from—had the right stuff. But as the 1980s dawned so did new thinking, and six elite women scientists—Sally Ride, Judith Resnik, Anna Lee Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon—set out to prove they had exactly the right stuff to become the first US women astronauts.
In The Six — Young Readers Edition, acclaimed journalist Loren Grush shows how these brilliant and courageous women fought to enter STEM fields they were discouraged from pursuing, endured claustrophobic—and often deeply sexist—media attention, underwent rigorous survival training, and prepared for years to take multi-million-dollar equipment into orbit.
Told with contributions from nearly all the living participants and now adapted for young readers, this book is an inspiring testament to their struggles, accomplishments, and sacrifices and how they built the tools that made the space program run. It’s a legacy that lives on to inspire young people today.
The Spider Lady: Nan Songer and Her Arachnid World War II Army, by Penny Parker Klostermann; illustrated by Anne Lambelet (Astra Books for Young Readers / Calkins Creek) — Biography / Memoir, STEM / STEAM, Environment / Sustainability / Recycling, Animals, ages 7-12.
Perfect for kids who are fascinated by insects and American history, here is the story of Nan Songer, a little-known hero of World War II, who collected and bred spiders in her home and found new ways to use their silk to help the United States win the war.
Venomous spiders, delicate silk, and science experiments filled Nan Songer’s days and nights—her home in California overflowed with many-legged critters. With inspiration from a friend, Nan began to study how spider silk could be harvested. The finely woven material spiders used to create webs was much stronger than it looked, and Nan was eager to unlock its potential and hopefully help her country at the same time. At the height of WWII, she studied different spiders before landing on the poisonous black widow as the perfect spider to experiment with. Their strong silk could be used for crosshairs on rifles, which Nan used to fill massive orders for the US military. Despite the danger posed by black widows, Nan wasn’t deterred—she wanted to play her part. Using a device she built for extracting silk, Nan humanely used it on the deadly spiders to get both extra fine and super heavy silk.
Wanda Hears the Stars: A Blind Astronomer Listens to the Universe, by Amy S. Hansen and Wanda Díaz Merced; illustrated by Rocio Arreola Mendoza (Charlesbridge) — Biography / Memoir, STEM / STEAM, Disabilities, BIPOC Characters and Creators, ages 7-12.
¡Mira arriba! The stars belong to everyone!
Growing up in Puerto Rico, Wanda Díaz Merced wanted to learn everything she could about the stars. But in college she started losing her sight. How could she study what she couldn’t see?
Wanda found a way. She learned to hear the stars using sonification, which converts data into sounds. Listening to those chimes and drumbeats, she made new discoveries about the universe.
Today, Wanda is a leading advocate for inclusive science. She and her friend Amy S. Hansen collaborated on this book to inspire children to follow their curiosity no matter the challenges. As Wanda urges, “Never give up!”
For more great book suggestions, be sure to check out the full 2026 Outstanding Science Trade Books Award list!
List compiled by CBC’s resident children’s book aficionado, Brooke Pisarsky. Check out other Spotlight booklists on our blog.
