The raddest ABC picture book of women who changed history

We’re obsessed with Rad American Women A-Z, the picture book for women of all ages that aims to teach us about the most badass ladies in history — from Angela Davis to Zora Neale Hurston and all the lettered ladies in between. Written by Kate Schatz and illustrated by Miriam Klein Stahl, the book is the perfect gift for the young activists in your life, and we seriously can’t get enough of it.

Inspired by her daughter, Schatz told Mic that she hoped to fill a “feminist-shaped hole in children’s literature” with the book, and we think she totally nails it. Rad American Women A-Z is an easily digestible crash course in women throughout history, and is as informative as it is pretty to look at. As a huge supporter of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign, Schatz also made sure to include a fair amount of women of color and LGBTQ ladies in the book, as well — which gives it an extra layer of awesomeness.

“Children should have easy and plentiful access to books and characters who reflect their lives,” Schatz said in a press release. “They should be able to see illustrations that reflect their skin, their hair, their communities, their families, their interests.”

We couldn’t agree more, and it’s incredibly refreshing to see a children’s book celebrate such a diverse group of women. Representation has never felt as essential as it does today, particularly for kids’ media, and this book is a great addition when it comes to creating change.

“There are many ways to be rad,” Schatz continued in her interview with Mic. “You can be a radical activist and fight for change — or you can be an artist following a dream, a pilot determined to learn to fly, a young lawyer dreaming of the Supreme Court.”

And Schatz made sure to represent all of them. Her selections include some unsung heroines that most young girls might not get to learn about in school, and it’s lovely to see a few people included that even we weren’t familiar with. Could there be a better way for a little kid to learn her ABCs? We think not. Check out some of the gorgeous pages below!

Rad American Woman A-Z ($14.95) is out now. Buy it here!

(Images via.)