Every year, on the week of March 8th, the Women of Aviation Worldwide Week is celebrated. Founded by pilot and aviation expert Mireille Goyer and sponsored by the Institute for Women Of Aviation Worldwide (iWOAW), the event is meant to bring attention to the gender imbalance in the air and space industry, and to encourage girls and women who have dreams of being pilots to pursue a future in aviation and space exploration. In honor of this week and the pilots of the past and future that it recognizes, we’ve gathered ten biographies for young readers that are all about awesome female pilots, or aviatrixes, of the past.
Lighter than Air: Sophie Blanchard, the First Woman Pilot by Matthew Clark Smith, Illustrated by Matt Tavares
While the first female pilot’s license was issued to French pilot Raymonde de Laroche in 1910 — on March 8th, the day that the Women of Aviation Worldwide Week celebrates — the first woman pilot was Sophie Blanchard, an aeronaut of the early 1800s. An admirer and the eventual wife of Jean-Pierre Blanchard, a pioneer in piloting gas-powered balloons, Sophie was enamored with the potential and excitement of balloon flight, yet was told time and again that women were “made of weaker stuff” and belonged on the ground. However, Jean-Pierre didn’t limit Sophie’s dreams and taught her to operate the balloons before his passing. Beginning a solo career after being widowed, Sophie became the first recorded female aeronaut, a journey beautifully captured in Tavares’s exhilarating artwork and Smith’s powerful prose.
Sky High: The True Story of Maggie Gee by Marissa Moss, Illustrated by Carl Angel
Maggie Gee grew up dreaming of flying and piloting aircraft like her hero Amelia Earhart. However, there were few female pilots in the 1920s and 30s, and none who were of Chinese American heritage. Yet when the United States entered World War II, Maggie was suddenly offered an opportunity at her dream: the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs. Given both an opportunity to serve her country and pilot a plane, Maggie jumped at the chance. She was one of only two Chinese American women in the WASPs, spent an unfortunate amount of her career fighting both sexism and racism, and was even mistaken for an enemy pilot on occasion. Yet Maggie refused to let either keep her grounded; she was born to fly.
Little People, BIG DREAMS: Amelia Earhart by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Illustrated by Mariadiamantes
Speaking of the inimitable Amelia Earhart, it’s impossible to talk about the impact of female aviators without mentioning this particular trailblazer. When Amelia was little, she would often stretch her arms out and pretend that she was a bird; during her first time riding in an airplane, she wished that she would never have to come down; in adulthood, she became a record-making (and -shattering) aviation icon. There are many wonderful children’s biographies of Earhart, but we chose this one because of its immense visual appeal and gentle, uplifting tone. While the backmatter of the story briefly explains Earhart’s tragic disappearance, the story itself encourages readers not to remember Earhart for her death, but for the courage and passion that defined her life.
Fly High!: The Story of Bessie Coleman by Louise Borden & Mary Kay Kroeger, Illustrated by Teresa Flavin
Growing up in rural Texas, Bessie Coleman loved attending school, learning about numbers, and reading. Unfortunately, when the time came to pick cotton, she could not continue her classes. Much was the story of Bessie’s early life: a brilliant and ambitious young woman confined by the limitations society placed on her based on race, gender, and economic status. While living in Chicago, Bessie heard tales of women pilots in France from returning WWI soldiers and was determined to follow in their footsteps. Yet as no US flight schools would accept a black woman, she needed to travel to France. Saving every penny and teaching herself French, “Brave Bessie” made it to flight school in Paris, becoming the first-known Black person of any gender to be issued a pilot’s license.
Skyward: The Story of Female Pilots in WWII by Sally Deng
This large-format illustrated chapter book introduces the reader to three young women: Hazel, a shy American girl of Chinese heritage; Marlene, an English spitfire; and Lilya, a passionate child of Russian farmers. All three are determined to be pilots, and when WWII breaks out, they attempt to assist the Allied efforts. Still, they are turned away with laughter and sneers — until they each find organizations in desperate need of pilots. Hazel and Marlene are selected for civilian volunteer groups — the WASPs and ATA respectively — and Lilya becomes part of the famed “Night Witches” 588th Bomber Regiment. All three face unique challenges in the line of duty, as well as sadly similar ones: constant harassment and condescension, substandard supplies and conditions, and the ever-present threat of danger that permeates wartime. When the war ends, they are cast aside; yet today, we remember and celebrate their sacrifices and courage, in service of not only the war effort but of all the future aviatrixes that followed.
Dorothy the Brave by Meghan P. Browne, Illustrated by Brooke Smart
Another veteran of the WASPs, Dorothy Lucas moved at an early age from her home on a farm in North Carolina to Washington, D.C. to pursue a better education in her teens. When Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941 and the United States entered WWII, Dorothy followed her brothers in enlisting. She was assigned a clerk role at the Pentagon but longed to do something “important” to the war effort. By enlisting in the WASPs, she found her calling, yet struggled to pay for her flight training — yes, the female pilots were required to pay for the obligatory training to serve their country. Dorothy eventually earned her pilot’s license and was accepted into the program, flying transport missions and risking her life to tow targets for male gunners to shoot at during training. Both a riveting account of Dorothy’s life and a love letter to all female pilots who served in the WASPs, this one captures the love of flying that drives pilots into the air, regardless of the dangers.
At the Mountain’s Base by Traci Sorell, Illustrated by Weshoyot Alvitre
Based very loosely on the life of Oglala Lakota pilot Ola Mildred Rexroat, the only Indigenous woman to serve in the WASPs, this meditative tale opens on a family living in a cabin at the base of a mountain. The family — who share Sorell’s Cherokee ancestry — sit around the hearth of their home, going about their everyday lives: cooking, weaving, singing, and thinking of their family member who is away flying planes for the military. Their song is one of strength and resilience, one that has sustained their family through the trials of both the past and present, and that they hope will reach their warrior as she soars through the skies. And like a thread that weaves through the world, it does: at that moment, she is in the cockpit of her plane, thinking and praying for them. A meditative story of family, heritage, and courage, this beautiful tale captures the sacrifices that the female pilots of wartime and their families made in service of their country.
The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee by Julie Leung, Illustrated by Julie Kwon
The inspiration behind the character of Hazel from Skyward, Hazel Ying Lee was the first Chinese American woman to fly for the US military; Maggie Gee followed her by only a few months. Hazel was born in Portland, Oregon in the 1920s, at a time when Chinese Americans were required to carry identification at all times. Fearless and passionate about aviation from an early age, Hazel fought to pursue her calling on all sides: racism, sexism, and even her mother’s disapproval. Hazel could not be stopped, however, and when the WASP program was announced, she found her avenue into aviation. Known for her unfailing courage and playful nature, Hazel was much-loved by her fellow pilots until her tragic death in 1944 and serves as an enduring inspiration for female pilots of color.
Me and the Sky: Captain Beverley Bass, Pioneering Pilot by Beverley Bass with Cynthia Williams, Illustrated by Joanie Stone
Fans of the musical Come From Away will be particularly interested in this one, which not only centers on groundbreaking pilot Beverley Bass but was also written by her. Growing up, Beverley decided from an early age that piloting was the job for her, and during the aviation boom of the 1950s and 1960s, she set her sights on becoming an airline pilot during a time when that job was exclusively performed by men. Beverly would not be deterred, however, and diligently worked her way up the ladder by racking up aircraft licenses and taking the jobs that male pilots refused. In 1986, Beverly became the first female pilot promoted to captain by American Airlines and went on to captain the first all-female crew a year later. She gained even more notoriety for safely diverting her international flight to Gander, Newfoundland on 9/11 as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon.
Fly, Girl, Fly!: Shaesta Waiz Soars Around the World by Nancy Roe Pimm, Illustrated by Alexandra Bye
Born in a refugee camp in Afghanistan, Shaesta Waiz knew from a young age that she was destined for great things. Making a new life with her family in America, she is struck by the love of aviation during a trip to Florida which allows her to view the world from the air. Shaesta became the first of her family to graduate college, overcame gender stereotypes in flight school, and even conquered her, yes, fear of flying. At 30 years old, she became the first woman from Afghanistan and the youngest woman ever to fly a single-engine aircraft around the world — a flight of nearly 25,000 nautical miles. Including lots of backmatter on Shaesta’s work in promoting STEM education for girls and young women and a note from Shaesta, this is an incredible biography of a modern aviation icon.
We hope that you and your young reader enjoy these books and that they inspire you to learn more about the incredible women who inspired them and the field of aviation. Happy reading, and remember: there’s no limit to what women can achieve — not even the sky.
For more of our favorite kids’ books on female trailblazers, check out our article on Picture Books That Celebrate Women and Girls in STEM.
To see all of our recommendations for mini bookworms, check out our Bookshop bookshelf.
