Special Collections
Great girls and wonderful women
Description: Books about women and girls who changed the world, join them and be one too!
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Christabel Pankhurst
by June PurvisTogether with her mother, Emmeline, Christabel Pankhurst co-led the single-sex Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), founded in 1903 and soon regarded as the most notorious of the groupings campaigning for the parliamentary vote for women. A First Class Honours Graduate in Law, the determined and charismatic Christabel, a captivating orator, revitalised the women’s suffrage campaign by rousing thousands of women to become suffragettes, as WSPU members were called, and to demand rather than ask politely for their democratic citizenship rights. A supreme tactician, her advocacy of ‘militant’, unladylike tactics shocked many people, and the political establishment. When an end to militancy was called on the outbreak of war in 1914, she encouraged women to engage in war work as a way to win their enfranchisement. Four years later, when enfranchisement was granted to certain categories of women aged thirty and over, she stood unsuccessfully for election to parliament, as a member of the Women’s Party. In 1940 she moved to the USA with her adopted daughter, and had a successful career there as a Second Adventist preacher and writer. However, she is mainly remembered for being the driving force behind the militant wing of the women’s suffrage movement. This full-length biography, the first for forty years, draws upon feminist approaches to biography writing to place her within a network of supportive female friendships. It is based upon an unrivalled range of previously untapped primary sources.
Deeds Not Words
by Helen Pankhurst'An uplifting record of progress and strength... You'll lay the book down feeling not only informed, but galvanised to take action yourself.' Independent'An incredible book . . . with the potential to change women's lives.' Sandi ToksvigWhy is it taking so long? Despite huge progress since the suffragette campaigns and wave after wave of feminism, women are still fighting for equality.Why will we have to wait until 2069 for the gender pay gap to disappear in the UK? Why, in 2015, did 11% of women lose their jobs due to pregnancy discrimination? Why has 1 in 3 women in the world experienced physical or sexual violence? 'Engaging...part feminist history, part progress scoresheet and part family memoir.' Daily TelegraphIn Deeds Not Words suffragette descendant and activist Helen Pankhurst charts the changes in the lives of women over the last 100 years. She celebrates landmark successes and little-known victories, looking at politics, money, identity, violence, culture and social norms and turning to the voices of both pioneers and ordinary women for their perspective.'An exciting and engaging account of an essential part of British history.' Mary Evans, Emeritus Leverhulme Professor, London School of EconomicsCombining historical insight with inspiring argument, Deeds not Words reveals how far women have come, how far we still have to go, and how we might get there. It is essential reading for women - and men - on the most important issue of our time.'Deeds Not Words is so timely. A valuable guide and reference.' Annie Lennox OBE
The Diary of a Young Girl
by Anne FrankThe Diary of a Young Girl is among the most enduring documents of the 20th century. Anne Frank kept a diary from 1942 to 1944. Initially she wrote it strictly for herself. Then, one day in 1944, a member of the Dutch government in exile announced in a radio broadcast from London that after the war he hoped to collect eyewitness accounts of the suffering of the Dutch people under the German occupation, which could be made available to the public. As an example, he specially mentioned letters and diaries. Anne Frank decided that when the war was over, she would publish a book based on her diary. Anne's diary ends abruptly when she and her family were betrayed. Since its publication in 1947, The Diary of a Young Girl has been read by tens of millions of people. Please note: This title is also available to purchase or loan in hard copy Uncontracted and Contracted Unified English Braille. Please contact the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 to buy through our Braille on Demand service or loan through our Library.
The Extraordinary Life of Malala Yousafzai
by Hiba Noor KhanMalala Yousafzai is:A student A campaigner An inspiration__________Malala is known across the world for her bravery, resilience and hope in the face of terrifying adversity. From playing in the Swat Valley in Pakistan to making speeches at the United Nations, she has become an inspiration for people fighting for justice. Discover what it took for one incredible girl to become the voice of so many, in this beautifully illustrated book that brings Malala's extraordinary story to life.
Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World
by Kate PankhurstNominated for the Cilip Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Children's Book Awards 2018. Kate Pankhurst, descendent of Emmeline Pankhurst, has created this wildly wonderful and accessible book about women who really changed the world.Discover fascinating facts about some of the most amazing women who changed the world we live in. Fly through the sky with the incredible explorer Amelia Earhart, and read all about the Wonderful Adventures of Mary Seacole with the number one best-selling children's non-fiction title in the UK market this year.Bursting full of beautiful illustrations and astounding facts, Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World is the perfect introduction to just a few of the most incredible women who helped shaped the world we live in.List of women featured: Jane Austen, Gertrude Ederle, Coco Chanel, Frida Kahlo, Marie Curie, Mary Anning, Mary Seacole, Amelia Earhart, Agent Fifi, Sacagawa, Emmeline Pankhurst, Rosa Parks, Anne Frank
Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World (PDF)
by Kate PankhurstNominated for the CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Children's Book Awards 2018. Kate Pankhurst, descendent of Emmeline Pankhurst, has created this wildly wonderful and accessible book about women who really changed the world. Discover fascinating facts about some of the most amazing women who changed the world we live in. Fly through the sky with the incredible explorer Amelia Earhart, and read all about the Wonderful Adventures of Mary Seacole with the number one best-selling children's non-fiction title in the UK market this year. Bursting full of beautiful illustrations and astounding facts, Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World is the perfect introduction to just a few of the most incredible women who helped shaped the world we live in. List of women featured: Jane Austen, Gertrude Ederle, Coco Chanel, Frida Kahlo, Marie Curie, Mary Anning, Mary Seacole, Amelia Earhart, Agent Fifi, Sacagawa, Emmeline Pankhurst, Rosa Parks, Anne Frank
Fantastically Great Women Who Made History
by Ms Kate Pankhurst'Significantly more engaging and inspiring than the rival Rebel Girls' GUARDIAN'It's hard to imagine any group of primary-aged children who wouldn't be inspired' BOOKSELLER'An absolute must-have for every young person's bookshelf' HUFFINGTON POSTThe eagerly anticipated follow up to Kate Pankhurst's hugely successful Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World, number one best-selling children's non-fiction title. Kate Pankhurst, descendent of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, has created a wildly wonderful and accessible book about the accomplishments and adventures of many more brilliant women from throughout history.· Travel through the Underground Railroad with the brave and courageous Harriet Tubman· Turn the pages of the hauntingly brilliant Frankenstein with the incredibly talented Mary Shelley· Blast into space with astronaut Valentina Tereshkova· Become a mighty Egyptian pharaoh with the powerful HatshepsutOverflowing with vibrant and beautiful illustrations, and wonderfully engaging text, Fantastically Great Women Who Made History is a celebration of just some of the inspirational women who put their mark on the world we live in. A fantastic gift for girls and boys alike!List of women featured: Elizabeth Blackwell, Qiu Jin, Boudicca, Flora Drummond, Pocahontas, Noor Inayat Khan, Harriet Tubman, Valentina Tereshkova, Ada Lovelace, Sayyida al-Hurra, Hatshepsut, Josephine Baker, Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley
Fantastically Great Women Who Worked Wonders
by Kate PankhurstKate Pankhurst, descendent of Emmeline Pankhurst, is back with a brand new wildly brilliant and accessible book about incredible women in the world of work. What do you want to be when you grow up? It's a BIG question that everyone is asked from an early age. Discover eye-opening facts about a collection of go-getting women who have pioneered careers in a kaleidoscope of different industries. Join scientists, doctors, athletes, hot-air balloonists and more, journey back in time with these brave, bold and brilliant women and discover that anything is possible when you make the most of YOUR talents. Prepare yourself for a celebration of women who opened doors and made it possible for more women to achieve amazing things today. Overflowing with beautiful illustrations and astounding facts, Fantastically Great Women Who Worked Wonders is the perfect introduction to just a few of the most incredible women who helped shaped the world we live in.List of women featured: Junko Tabei, Sophie Blanchard, Maria Merian, Elizabeth Magie, the London Matchgirls, Rosa May Billinghurst, Katherine Johnson, Annette Kellerman, Katia Krafft, Rosalind Franklin, James Barry, Madam C.J. Walker, Lotte Reiniger.
The Girl Savage (PDF)
by Katherine RundellWilhelmina Silver's world is golden. Living half-wild on an African farm with her horse, her monkey and her best friend, every day is beautiful. But when her home is sold and Will is sent away to boarding school in England, the world becomes impossibly difficult. For lions and hyenas are nothing compared to packs of schoolgirls. Where can a girl run to in London? And will she have the courage to survive?
Girls Who Rocked The World
by Michelle Roehm McCann and Amelie Welden"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams" Eleanor Roosevelt Get ready to meet some incredible young women who made their mark on the world before turning twenty and prove that when it comes to having an impact, there's no such thing as too young! Whether designing famous momuments, fighting for their countries' freedom or being political pioneers these gutsy girls have changed the way we view the world and ourselves. From Florence Nightingale to Anna Pavlova, Coco Chanel to Eva Peron, The Bronte Sisters to Indira Gandhi, this book features women from across history and around the globe, who have all achieved remarkable things. Interspersed with the amazing accounts of girls throughout history are stories of powerful young women who are changing the world right now - girls like Winter Vinecki, the creator of the non-profit organization Team Winter, and Jazmin Whitley, the youngest designer to show at L. A. Fashion Week. It's never too soon to start making a difference - be inspired and empowered by this fun collection that shows girls really can rock the world!
I am Malala
by Malala Yousafzai*Winner of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize*When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley, one girl fought for her right to an education. On Tuesday, 9 October 2012, she almost paid the ultimate price when she was shot in the head at point-blank range.Malala Yousafzai's extraordinary journey has taken her from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations. She has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and is the youngest ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.I Am Malala will make you believe in the power of one person's voice to inspire change in the world.*****'Malala is an inspiration to girls and women all over the world' JK Rowling'Moving and illuminating' Observer'Inspirational and powerful' Grazia'Her story is astonishing' Spectator
I Am Malala
by Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormick'Malala is an inspiration to girls and women all over the world.' - J.K. RowlingWritten by Malala in collaboration with critically acclaimed author, Patricia McCormick, this children's edition tells the remarkable story of a girl who knew from a young age that she wanted to change the world - and did. Her journey will open your eyes to another world and will make you believe in hope, truth, miracles, and the determination of one person to inspire change. Raised in a once-peaceful area of Pakistan transformed by terrorism, Malala was taught to stand up for what she believes. So she fought for her right to be educated. And on 9 October, 2012, she nearly lost her life for the cause. She was shot point-blank on her way home from school. No one expected her to survive. Now, she is an international symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize winner.This book is a must-read for anyone who believes in the power of change.
A Land Girl's Tale (PDF)
by Mona Mcleod"I can see the disgust on the face of one neighbor when Jack, the farmer, asked to lend a man, produced a land girl." Mona Macleod worked in Kirkubrightshire during the second World War, providing the skilled labour needed on farms before mechanization. The girls were given heavy agricultural work in fields, with animals, carrying hundred weight sacks, sawing wood, felling trees, filling up rat holes. It was a tough way to grow up, but this illustrated memoir provides a record of a time when women faced the rigorous physical challenges involved in winning the war at home.
Let Her Fly
by Malala Yousafzai and Ziauddin Yousafzai and Louise CarpenterIn this intimate and extraordinary memoir, Ziauddin Yousafzai, the father of Malala, gives a moving account of fatherhood and his lifelong fight for equality – proving there are many faces of feminism.“Whenever anybody has asked me how Malala became who she is, I have often used the phrase. ‘Ask me not what I did but what I did not do. I did not clip her wings’”For over twenty years, Ziauddin Yousafzai has been fighting for equality – first for Malala, his daughter – and then for all girls throughout the world living in patriarchal societies. Taught as a young boy in Pakistan to believe that he was inherently better than his sisters, Ziauddin rebelled against inequality at a young age. And when he had a daughter himself he vowed that Malala would have an education, something usually only given to boys, and he founded a school that Malala could attend.Then in 2012, Malala was shot for standing up to the Taliban by continuing to go to her father's school, and Ziauddin almost lost the very person for whom his fight for equality began. Let Her Fly is Ziauddin’s journey from a stammering boy growing up in a tiny village high in the mountains of Pakistan, through to being an activist for equality and the father of the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, and now one of the most influential and inspiring young women on the planet.Told through intimate portraits of each of Ziauddin’s closest relationships – as a son to a traditional father; as a father to Malala and her brothers, educated and growing up in the West; as a husband to a wife finally learning to read and write; as a brother to five sisters still living in the patriarchy – Let Her Fly looks at what it means to love, to have courage and fight for what is inherently right. Personal in its detail and universal in its themes, this landmark book shows why we must all keep fighting for the rights of girls and women everywhere.
Letters to Change the World
by Travis Elborough‘We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed’ Martin Luther KingIn an era where the liberties we often take for granted are under threat, Letters To Change the World is a collection of inspiring letters offering reminders from history that standing up for and voicing our personal and political beliefs is not merely a crucial right but a duty if we want to change the world.Edited by Travis Elborough, the collection includes George Orwell's warning on totalitarianism, Martin Luther King's 'Letter from a Birmingham Jail', Albert Camus on the reasons to fight a war, Bertrand Russell on peace, Emmeline Pankhurst rallying her suffragettes, Nelson Mandela's letter to his children from prison and Time's Up on the abuse of power.
Malala's Magic Pencil
by Malala Yousafzai and KerascoëtAs a child in Pakistan, Malala made a wish for a magic pencil that she could use to redraw reality. She would use it to give gifts to her family, to erase the smell from the rubbish dump near her house, to sleep an extra hour in the morning. As she grew older, Malala wished for bigger and bigger things. She saw a world that needed fixing. And even if she never found a magic pencil, Malala realized that she could still work hard every day to make her wishes come true.This beautifully illustrated picture book tells Malala's story, in her own words, for a younger audience and shows them the worldview that allowed her to hold on to hope and to make her voice heard even in the most difficult of times.
The Match Girl and the Heiress
by Seth KovenNellie Dowell was a match factory girl in Victorian London who spent her early years consigned to orphanages and hospitals. Muriel Lester, the daughter of a wealthy shipbuilder, longed to be free of the burden of money and possessions. Together, these unlikely soulmates sought to remake the world according to their own utopian vision of Christ's teachings. The Match Girl and the Heiress paints an unforgettable portrait of their late-nineteenth-century girlhoods of wealth and want, and their daring twentieth-century experiments in ethical living in a world torn apart by war, imperialism, and industrial capitalism.In this captivating book, Seth Koven chronicles how each traveled the globe—Nellie as a spinster proletarian laborer, Muriel as a well-heeled tourist and revered Christian peacemaker, anticolonial activist, and humanitarian. Koven vividly describes how their lives crossed in the slums of East London, where they inaugurated a grassroots revolution that took the Sermon on the Mount as a guide to achieving economic and social justice for the dispossessed. Koven shows how they devoted themselves to Kingsley Hall—Gandhi’s London home in 1931 and Britain’s first "people’s house" founded on the Christian principles of social sharing, pacifism, and reconciliation—and sheds light on the intimacies and inequalities of their loving yet complicated relationship.The Match Girl and the Heiress probes the inner lives of these two extraordinary women against the panoramic backdrop of shop-floor labor politics, global capitalism, counterculture spirituality, and pacifist feminism to expose the wounds of poverty and neglect that Christian love could never heal.
The Match Girl and the Heiress
by Seth KovenNellie Dowell was a match factory girl in Victorian London who spent her early years consigned to orphanages and hospitals. Muriel Lester, the daughter of a wealthy shipbuilder, longed to be free of the burden of money and possessions. Together, these unlikely soulmates sought to remake the world according to their own utopian vision of Christ's teachings. The Match Girl and the Heiress paints an unforgettable portrait of their late-nineteenth-century girlhoods of wealth and want, and their daring twentieth-century experiments in ethical living in a world torn apart by war, imperialism, and industrial capitalism.In this captivating book, Seth Koven chronicles how each traveled the globe—Nellie as a spinster proletarian laborer, Muriel as a well-heeled tourist and revered Christian peacemaker, anticolonial activist, and humanitarian. Koven vividly describes how their lives crossed in the slums of East London, where they inaugurated a grassroots revolution that took the Sermon on the Mount as a guide to achieving economic and social justice for the dispossessed. Koven shows how they devoted themselves to Kingsley Hall—Gandhi’s London home in 1931 and Britain’s first "people’s house" founded on the Christian principles of social sharing, pacifism, and reconciliation—and sheds light on the intimacies and inequalities of their loving yet complicated relationship.The Match Girl and the Heiress probes the inner lives of these two extraordinary women against the panoramic backdrop of shop-floor labor politics, global capitalism, counterculture spirituality, and pacifist feminism to expose the wounds of poverty and neglect that Christian love could never heal.
Mother Teresa (large print)
by RnibThis image shows a portrait of Mother Teresa. There is a locator dot shown, which will be at the top left of the page when the image is the correct way up. She is facing you so all facial features can be found. Only her head and some of her shoulders are shown. Her head is covered by a nun's hood which has some blue strips on it. Her face has lots of wrinkles because she is an old lady. She is looking forward with brown eyes and a gentle smile. Her nun's hood wraps together under her chin. To the left and right her shoulders are covered by a nun's black robe. The image is surrounded by an image border.
Mother Teresa (UEB Contracted)
by RnibThis image shows a portrait of Mother Teresa. There is a locator dot shown, which will be at the top left of the page when the image is the correct way up. She is facing you so all facial features can be found. Only her head and some of her shoulders are shown. Her head is covered by a nun's hood which has some blue strips on it. Her face has lots of wrinkles because she is an old lady. She is looking forward with brown eyes and a gentle smile. Her nun's hood wraps together under her chin. To the left and right her shoulders are covered by a nun's black robe. The image is surrounded by an image border.
Mother Teresa (UEB Uncontracted)
by RnibThis image shows a portrait of Mother Teresa. There is a locator dot shown, which will be at the top left of the page when the image is the correct way up. She is facing you so all facial features can be found. Only her head and some of her shoulders are shown. Her head is covered by a nun's hood which has some blue strips on it. Her face has lots of wrinkles because she is an old lady. She is looking forward with brown eyes and a gentle smile. Her nun's hood wraps together under her chin. To the left and right her shoulders are covered by a nun's black robe. The image is surrounded by an image border.
My Best Friend The Suffragette
by Sally MorganJoin two best friends as history is made in 1913. Eleven-year-old Christine has been taught that a girl's place is at home looking after her family and putting up with BEASTLY BIG BROTHERS. Mary has been taught that a girl's place is learning how to CHANGE THE WORLD. After meeting outside the suffragette headquarters, the girls become fast friends, writing as often as they can. Their letters fly back and forth across London, as the VOTES FOR WOMEN campaign threatens to bring the nation to its knees - buildings BURNING, windows SMASHING, postboxes EXPLODING... Will their friendship survive? Celebrating one hundred years since women first gained the right to vote, MY BEST FRIEND THE SUFFRAGETTE is an exciting read for children aged 6+, packed with fascinating historical details.
My Own Story
by Emmeline PankhurstDon't miss Meryl Streep as Emmeline Pankhurst in the major motion picture Suffragette.Emmeline Pankhurst was raised in a world that valued men over women. At fourteen she attended her first suffrage meeting and returned home a confirmed suffragist. Throughout her career she endured humiliation, prison, hunger strikes and the repeated frustration of her aims by men in power but she rose to become the guiding light of the Suffragette movement. This is Pankhurst’s story, in her own words, of her struggle for equality.
My Own Story
by Emmeline PankhurstVintage Feminism: classic feminist texts in short formWITH AN INTRODUCTION BY JESS PHILLIPSSoldier, criminal, militant, hooligan, revolutionary: these labels Emmeline Pankhurst took up and wore proudly in her long struggle for women’s suffrage. This shortened edition of her autobiography tells the inside story of this struggle: the tireless campaigning, the betrayals by men in power, the relentless round of arrests and hunger strikes, the horror of force-feeding. It is a reminder of the controversial means, the indomitable spirit and the sacrifices of life and liberty by which women won their political freedom.ALSO IN THE VINTAGE FEMINIST SHORT SERIES:The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary WollstonecraftThe Beauty Myth by Naomi WolfA Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
My Story
by Pamela OldfieldEverybody knows the sad tale of the Little Match Girl, but less well known is the story of the girls and women who slaved fourteen hours a day in the match factories for appalling pay, only to contract such fatal complaints as phossy jaw. The brutality of these conditions was brought to a head with the London Match Girls Strike of 1888. Told from the perspective of a young factory worker, this new title offers a fascinating insight into Victorian child labour.