Reading Recommendations: Leading Ladies

Hello everyone! In celebration of Women’s History Month, I decided to make a list of reading recommendations themed around leading ladies (heroines). This list is a compilation of novels that feature diverse, strong, admirable female protagonists in order to celebrate this month and women’s accomplishments from the past to the present. 

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In 1956, one year before federal troops escorted the Little Rock 9 into Central High School, fourteen year old Jo Ann Allen was one of twelve African-American students who broke the color barrier and integrated Clinton High School in Tennessee. At first things went smoothly for the Clinton 12, but then outside agitators interfered, pitting the townspeople against one another. Uneasiness turned into anger, and even the Clinton Twelve themselves wondered if the easier thing to do would be to go back to their old school. Jo Ann–clear-eyed, practical, tolerant, and popular among both black and white students—found herself called on as the spokesperson of the group. But what about just being a regular teen? This is the heartbreaking and relatable story of her four months thrust into the national spotlight and as a trailblazer in history. Based on original research and interviews and featuring backmatter with archival materials and notes from the authors on the co-writing process.

Though beautifully written, the book is hard to digest at times, due to some of the semi-graphic content featured in the poems. Readers step into Jo Ann’s shows as she describes the neighborhood she grew up in, the transition to a new school, being ostracized by the school, and how her community was threatened with violence. Though it may be hard to read stories like Jo Ann’s are incredibly important for learning about our history. Though targeted to a middle-grade audience I think it a great for adults as well. (Review)

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North Carolina, 1863. As the American Civil War rages on, the Freedmen’s Colony of Roanoke Island is blossoming, a haven for the recently emancipated. Black people have begun building a community of their own, a refuge from the shadow of the old life. It is where the March family has finally been able to safely put down roots with four young daughters:

Meg, a teacher who longs to find love and start a family of her own.

Jo, a writer whose words are too powerful to be contained.

Beth, a talented seamstress searching for a higher purpose.

Amy, a dancer eager to explore life outside her family’s home.

As the four March sisters come into their own as independent young women, they will face first love, health struggles, heartbreak, and new horizons. But they will face it all together.

What I really enjoyed about this version of Little Women is how it uses small bits and pieces of the original work but makes it into a novel that stands on its own. Morrow’s retelling also focuses on a point the horrors of slavery and the difficulties of colonies during and after the Civil War and the changes it brought. While it is a novel about sisters and their close relationship it paints a vivid portrait of how we try to cover up things from the past. It’s about reckoning with history, overcoming tragedy, and these sisters grappling with the fact that they still have limitations to their freedom. (Review)

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When a birth defect wipes out the planet’s entire population of men, Woman World rises out of society’s ashes. Dhaliwal’s infectiously funny instagram comic follows the rebuilding process, tracking a group of women who have rallied together under the flag of “Beyonce’s Thighs.” Only Grandma remembers the distant past, a civilization of segway-riding mall cops, Blockbusters movie rental shops, and “That’s What She Said” jokes. For the most part, Woman World’s residents are focused on their struggles with unrequited love and anxiety, not to mention that whole “survival of humanity” thing.

This was such a fun, entertaining graphic novel and I want to seek out more of this webcomic. I loved the tounge in cheek humor, irony, and commentary on our society as the woman try to navigate through their new lives. I had a lot of laughs and I enjoyed the variety of characters. A light-hearted read that is highly entertaining!

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After fleeing an arranged marriage as a fifteen year old to an abusive older man, Lakshmi Shastri steals away alone from her rural village to Jaipur. Here, against odds, she carves out a living for herself as a henna artist, and friend and confidante to wealthy, upper caste women. Surviving by her wits and talents, she shares her knowledge and keeps their secrets in a delicate balancing act amid the changing 1950s social mores brought about by Indian Independence. Vulnerable to opinion and innuedo, at any point her intentions might be misunderstood, and she could fall prey to a damaged reputation or worse. Still Lakshmi manages to save to build a house with the dream of bringing her aging parents here to live with her and redeem herself in their eyes. Then one day her ex-husband arrives in town seeking her out with a girl in tow, a sister she did not know she had. Her sister is both passionate and reckless by nature, and all of a sudden the caution that Lakshmi has carefully cultivated is threatened, along with her livelihood. But she preseveres, and in doing so manages to lift up the others around her with her success.

The Henna Artist is a novel set in is set in 1950s India. Our main character, Lakshmi, is a henna artist who discovers she has a younger sister named Radha. She takes her sister in and tries to develop a bond with her, but Radha, feels abandoned by her due to surviving on her own for so long. Their dynamic shifts in the relationship as Lakshimi becomes more of a mom and radha like a child. We see how how societal standards pull them apart, but their journey of strengthing their overall bond. (Review)

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Spending an entire summer on tour as a backup singer for pop star Nika Nitro? What?! That’s the DREAM, right? Especially for Jenni, Lauren, and Maggie, three misfit performing arts students with hopes of making it in the music world.

But being twenty feet from fame isn’t easy. Between crushes, constant rehearsals, Nika’s sky-high expectations, and their own insecurities, this dream is starting to feel more like a nightmare. And that’s before they accidentally start a beef with a rival band threatening to reveal a secret that could end Nika’s career.

Can this trio of new friends come together to save the tour, or will the Backups be kept out of the spotlight forever?

This is a highly engaging graphic novel that will appeal to any music fan. The Backups follows three young singers at the beginning of their year careers taking advantage of a huge opportunity. Not only do they have to deal with the struggles of being on the road, but also clashing personalities on tour with the staff and within the new friends themselves. Each woman is at a crossroads in her life, and they have a decision to make that will change their careers. It’s an entertaining graphic novel filled with music, fun, and powerful female vocalists.

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Arriving in a rain-swept city after a solo bus journey, eighteen-year-old Talia’s world breaks wide open. Soon she is chasing chickens, telling bad jokes to a prospective boss, fielding a roommate’s insults about her décor, all the while homesick for a place that never existed. Funny, harsh, touching, and uniquely observant, Talia speaks to the reader as if to a best friend.

In a chance encounter Talia meets George, a young man whose passion for building sailboats sparks a conversation that leads to much more. When a sailing job takes George away to Mexico, Talia struggles with ghosts from her troubled past until a growing faith in herself brings her to take a bold decision, stepping into the unknown in a way she never has before.

Talia’s story is an overarching theme of growing up and figuring out how to be an adult. Even though there is some difference such as the book being set in the 90s some elements of college are still the same. I could connect to Talia’s struggles of picking a career field, navigating relationships (especially considering her upbringing), and figuring out who she is as a person. It’s a novel about experiencing a firsts and Jaeckel weaves the story together elegantly but also makes the characters feel very real. Talia experiences friendships, heartbreaks, grief, happiness, and readers are first row seats to her journey. (Review)

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That concludes my reading recommendations for Women’s History Month! What books do you recommend or what are your favorites? Comment below!