Cheers to the Women We Know

If you’ve looked at a calendar recently, you might’ve noticed that Mother’s Day is creeping up on us quite quickly. In honour of that special day, let’s focus on the women who inspire us, from those who know who they are and what they want to be, to those who are still figuring that out. No matter which mother-like figure you’re celebrating or remembering this month, I hope you and your children find these women inspirational too.

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Anne and Her Tower of Giraffes by Karlin Gray and illustrated by Aparna Varma (Kids Can Press, 2022) explores the story of Dr. Anne Innis Dagg, who was the first Western individual to study wild animal behaviour. Anne adored giraffes. She wanted to know everything there was to know about them. But Anne had a problem. There wasn’t a lot of information known about giraffes when she was growing up. So, she decided to study them for herself.

The delightful and warm illustrations, breathe life into this beautifully written biography. And if you have a budding giraffologist in your life, the book also contains a Q&A with Anne as well as some additional resources for you to explore. For ages 4 to 7.

A Person Can Be… by Kerri Kokias and illustrated by Carey Sookocheff (Kids Can Press, 2022) highlights how hard it can be to figure out who we are. So often we are labeled as one thing or the other, but A Person Can Be… reminds us that we can be both. In this story, where the illustrations tell a story all their own, we learn we can be brave and afraid. We can be lonely and not on our own. We can be this and that, it doesn’t have to be one or the other. For ages 4 to 7.

The International Day of the Girl by Jessica Dee Humphreys and the Hon. Rona Ambrose and illustrated by Simone Shin (Kids Can Press, 2020) celebrates nine girls from around the world who have stood up in their own unique ways, from getting a school built in Northern Canada to making communities safer in Russia and refugee camps. For ages 8 to 12.

Walking for Water by Susan Hughes and illustrated by Nicole Miles (Kids Can Press, 2021) is about a thirteen-yearold boy who noticed that his twin sister stopped going to school because she was needed at home to help out with all of the chores. That didn’t feel right to him so he decided to do something about it and help out even though it was weird and unusual for a boy to collect the wa- ter. This is a beautiful story about equality and sibling love. For ages 4 to 7.

Her Epic Adventures: 25 Daring Women who Inspire a Life Less Ordinary by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston and illustrated by Salini Perera (Kids Can Press, 2021) features 25 snapshots of different women who have done incredible things from Bessie Coleman, the first Black aviatrix, to In-Young Ahn, the first South Korean woman to conduct research in Antartica, to Arunima Sinha, the first female amputee to climb Mount Ever- est. Each of these well researched tales sheds a bit of light into some phenomenal woman to inspire your kids to live lives that are less ordinary. For ages 8 to 12.

Between these five books, there are more than 30 women (and a few men) that are worth celebrating any month of the year. Maybe you don’t think the special woman in your child’s life is as inspiring or noteworthy as the women on this list. But to expand on Kokias and Sookocheff’s idea: you can be anonymous and known, and you can be “imperfect and treasured.” And so, I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day no matter who you choose to celebrate.

Christina Van Starkenburg lives in Victoria with her husband, children and cat. She is the author of One Tiny Turtle: A Story You Can Colour and many articles. To read more of her work and learn about her upcoming books visit christinavanstarkenburg.com. Facebook: facebook.com/christinavanstarkenburg and Twitter: @Christina_VanS.