Growing up in the Fiji Islands in the late 1960s, Kalyana Mani Seth is an impressionable, plump young girl suited to the meaning of her name: blissful, blessed, the auspicious one. Her mother educates Kalyana about her Indian heritage, vividly telling tales of mischievous Krishna and powerful Mother Kali, and recounting her grandparents’ migratio …

A collection of true stories from 54 racialized immigrant and refugee women create an eclectic mix of three generations of voices. Women in their 20s to those in their 70s provide snapshots that begin in the 1960s and go to the present. Together these vividly recounted entries capture historical and everyday moments that reveal striking similaritie …

In the 1940s it was unheard of for women to be members of a professional orchestra, let alone play “masculine” instruments like the bass or trombone. Yet despite these formidable challenges, the Montreal Women’s Symphony Orchestra (MWSO) became the only all-women orchestra in Canadian history. Formed in 1940, the MWSO became the first orchest …

Bruna is the youngest of seven children, living an idyllic life in a small Italian village in northern Tuscany. Though the Second World War has been raging in Europe for some time, the dangers haven’t seemed to reach her, and the Italian leader Mussolini’s allegiance with Hitler and the distant reports of fighting seem far away. But before long …

Six girls just out of high school live together during the summer of 1943 on a farm as part of the Farm Services - doing the work of the men who are off fighting the war in Europe. We follow the stories of Helene, who sends her wages home to support her single mother; Peggy, a flirt with a secret she must keep; Binxie, whose rich family doesn't app …

Rosemary McCarney, President and CEO of Plan International Canada, has followed up the her popular picture book Every Day is Malala Day with a book for middle grade readers, also inspired by her international development work. Working with Plan, Rosemary helped craft its Because I am a Girl global initiative to end gender inequality, promote girls' …

In 1955, girls who played hockey were rare, and there was no chance for them to play on a boy's team. But Abby Hoffman loves to play hockey, just like her big brothers. So much so that she manages to bluff her way onto a boy’s team. With her short hair and using the name “Ab” Hoffman she can almost pass for one of the boys… But when her sec …

Elsie MacGill achieved many firsts in science and engineering at a time when women were considered to be inferior in the sciences. In 1923, at the age of nineteen, she became the first woman to attend engineering classes at the University of Toronto. She was the first woman in North America to hold a degree in aeronautical engineering and the first …

Rachel, a young Jewish woman from a small town in Russia, has made an incredible journey. Forced to leave her homeland because of the anti-Semitic violence that killed her father, she made her way across land and sea to find refuge in Shanghai, China where she not only survived but managed to establish herself as a newspaper writer — no easy task …

Over the last 50 years, the struggles to achieve equity in sport have become central to the feminist mission. This book contains an inspiring collection of stories from the women on the front lines: athletes, coaches, educators, and activists for women's sport, who have done so much to foster change. Many of the women profiled here reflect on their …

It's 1977, and Mary-Eve Hamilton (Mary for the Mother of God, Eve for the mother of mankind) is plodding through her final year at Eleusis High School. Mary-Eve's mother, famed prophetess at the Waiting for the Rapture End Times Tabernacle, regularly has visions, foams at the mouth, and falls down rigid. Her father, a popular deacon, hides his abus …

Growing up in the ‘50s with a single mother and no father, Hope is a loner with a wonderful imagination. The letters she writes to her imaginary friend, Grace, help her cope with the difficult times in her life - her mother's sad days, their money worries, the pressures of not fitting in. On her eleventh birthday, Hope is shocked to learn that Gr …

The work of women designers touches every part of our lives. In the 1920s British furniture designer and architect Eileen Gray developed ideas for homes that still seem modern today. From chairs made of steel tubes to bare-basic rooms, she created an entirely new look. American Suzanne E. Vanderbilt was one of the first women to design cars for Gen …

Maria Montessori, founder the Montessori method of self-directed learning Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan, her "miracle worker", USA Christa McAuliffe, high school teacher who died in the space shuttle Challenger, USA Dorval Onesime, a Native Metis educator in the early 1900s from Saskatchewan, Canada Denise Fruchter, a special education teacher wi …

Bernice Archer lives in a low-income downtown neighborhood where she has raised her blind twin daughters, Eva and Ava, in relative isolation. Every night she tells them regurgitated bedtime stories, sometimes magical and often cautionary, about the dangers of the world outside their small apartment. Eva and Ava, now middle-aged, still wait for thei …

This collection of biographies profiles ten creative business leaders who have proven that entrepreneurial women can not only succeed in business, they can also bring about positive change. Against all odds, African-American Madam C.J. Walker, born in 1867, became a self-made millionaire who promoted civil rights and opposed racism. Designer Doroth …

When Lillian and Audrey hatch a plot to escape from Tranquil Meadows Nursing Home, “borrow” a car, and spend their hastily planned vacation time driving to destinations west, they aren’t fully aware of the challenges they will face. All they know is that the warm days of August call to them, and the need to escape the daily routines and humil …

Ten biographies of women reformers from around the world who have made a difference in the realms of politics, social equality, disability, and women’s rights. From the work of abolitionist Sojourner Truth and women like South Africa’s anti-apartheid activist Ruth First and America’s feminist leader Gloria Steinem. Also included are Michelle …

When Michele Landsberg’s first column for the Toronto Star hit newsstands in May 1978 it was the first time a feminist interpretation of the news had made it into daily circulation in a Canadian newspaper. While not sure initially if she wanted to be the Star’s “woman columnist”, Michele tried to use her column as a voice for those who had …

In 1955, two fifteen-year-olds with immeasurable optimism shared a summer working as waitresses in the small town of Franklin's flourishing Britannia Hotel. Forty years later, Hannah, now a successful teacher with a younger lover, rushes home from Toronto to find her mother in hospital while Colleen, still living in Franklin and married with five c …

Gladys Sage escaped the backwoods of Northern Ontario, leaving behind the body of her stepfather, to arrive in New York and the world of political revolutionaries. Hired to find her is Pinkerton detective James Kelly, a recent Irish immigrant mainly interested in easy money, drink, and women. Going undercover among the radical followers of Emma Gol …

Ten inspirational biographies of women who risked everything – including their lives – to bring us the world’s stories. Whether reporting from the front lines or the anchor desk, they pushed the boundaries of print, radio, TV, and internet journalism. By reading about their lives we learn the history of modern journalism. From abolitionist Ma …

As students at the University of British Colombia, Syliva and Lydie met a year ago when the younger woman agreed to be Lydie’s tutor. Lydie’s warmth and irrepressible charm have worked their way past all of Sylvia’s boundaries. Struggling with guilt and loss after a terrible event in her childhood, Sylvia finds in Lydie a compassion and joy f …

The women profiled here have become masters of their art, dancing and choreographing their way around the world. All of them have helped transform their style of dance, paving the way for the next generation. As you read about their lives, you will see that these women share a commitment to making a difference in the world of dance and beyond. Anna …

My name is Lee Mets (honest), and this is my book I’m part of the writing club, which is fantastic, since what I want to be most is a writer. My mother says that girls don’t grow up to be writers, they can only be nurses or teachers. But it’s the 1960s, not the 50s or 40s, and I think she may be wrong. Mrs. Gowdy, who is my writing teacher, s …

It is 1957, and Amal is an inmate of the “Bethlehem Oasis for Troubled Women,” having feigned insanity to avoid being put to death for the murder of her abusive husband. When attacked by a fellow inmate, Amal must confront her traumatic memories.

Bernadette Inez O’Brian Schwartz is a very small girl with a very long name and a very BIG imagination! "Everyone agreed that Bernadette Inez O'Brian Schwartz was a most unusual child. Her first word was ‘Why?’ So was her second word, and then her third…"

Women have been writing, producing and directing movies since filmmaking began in the early 1900s. From taming wild dogs to filming from the open door of a plane to being nominated for an academy award, women directors have done amazing things in the world of film. Fantastic Female Filmmakers tells the stories of ten women who are some of the most …

When Pia Keyne, a feisty political reporter, becomes entertainment editor at a large urban newspaper she finds herself embroiled in the vicious murder of a high-profile politician. Pia quickly uncovers sexual overtones to the killing, as well as a possible cover-up of Nazi stolen art. The ink might just run red when Pia’s involvement draws the at …

Each year since 1901, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to a person who has made a difference in the world. Twelve women have been given this award, and each has her own fascinating story. Each had to struggle to be heard because she was a woman, and each one shares an incredible determination, commitment, and hope for the future. The most rec …

Boomer women are passing yet another milestone — RETIREMENT! The first wave of women to enter the workforce in significant numbers benefited from the feminist revolution and fought for a place in the world of work. Now these women are leading the rush for the exits. As they retire, they’re wondering what was gained, what was lost, and what come …

Discover the lives of women artists from the 16th century to the present day, such as the early feminist Artemisia Gentileschi, the adventurous Emily Carr, the flamboyant Frida Kahlo, and the brilliant Georgia O’Keeffe.

From Rachel Carson, the woman who started the modern environmental movement, to Severn Cullis-Suzuki, former host of Suzuki’s Nature Quest, to Marina Silva, who fights to keep the Brazilian rain forest from disappearing, read about these ten amazing women who prove how ordinary people can do extraordinary things. While the threat of environmental …

A wonderfully frank look at a life lived within beauty and without regret. McCarthy’s sense of artistry, transmitted over a sixty-year painting career, celebrates multiple beauties of everyday life.

A biography for young readers on the inspiring life of June Callwood, one of Canada’s greatest journalists and humanitarians. Filled with images and details of June’s life, from her humble beginnings in small-town Ontario to her work as a journalist, where she interviewed Elvis, to her founding of Jessie's house, a place to provide support and …

The acclaimed Women’s Hall of Fame series continues with profiles of ten women wordsmiths who made history in their own uniquely creative ways. From L.M. Montgomery and George Eliot to Margaret Atwood and J.K. Rowling, Ball covers a wide range of both time periods and styles. Remarkable Women Writers inspires even reluctant scribes to pick up a p …

Far from the Tuscan Sun… is Saving Rome. Megan K. Williams, a Rome-based writer and correspondent, knows just how far. In her debut collection, Williams serves up the Eternal City as you’ve never seen it before, turning an insider’s eye on the love, mystery and unholy chaos of Rome. In nine funny and insightful stories, Williams delves into t …

Female writers share 32 transformative stories of traveling in diverse locations — some exotic, and some more familiar.

This book features a selection of politically-active, inspiring women who have made important contributions to music history. Their stories begin in the mid-18th Century with Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart, a gifted German composer whose abilities were obscured by the popularity of her younger brother Wolfgang. They end in present with popular fem …

A thirst for adventure, a deep desire to push themselves beyond their comfort zones, and an innate curiosity about the world and its peoples drive the biographies of the ten women explorers profiled here. As explorers they bring skills in cartography, geography, history, anthropology, botany, photography, linguistics and writing to their travels. T …

Space is the final frontier and these ten women have established their place on it. This collection of ten biographies features women who have made an important contribution to the exploration of space. Included are Jerrie Cobb, who could only dream of fl

Jane Yeats, a crime journalist with a passion for hard-boiled adventure, is forced to confront the murder of her lover, Pete, when the imprisoned killer says he falsely confessed to the crime.

Since the days of ancient Egypt, women have demonstrated their skills as leaders. The last copule of hundred years, however, have seen increasing numbers of self-made women of distinction take their place on the world stage, many in positions of leadershi

A transplanted American, Katherine Morrison has long been fascinated with the attempts of Canadians to articulate how their culture differs from that of their southern neighbor. Examining three hundred years of cultural traditions, Morrison takes the reader through the historical, political and sociological milieux of Canada and the United States. …

This collection features the writing of women from places as diverse as Slovakia and Portugal, India and Uruguay, Korea and Kenya, Italy and Iran. They look and think differently. They have distinctive traditions, cultures and history. They speak a world of languages. All of these women are immigrants with unique heritages, who have come to North A …

Elizabeth Ruth, Heather Birrell, Kristen den Hartog, Kelly Watt, Dana Bath, Teresa McWhirter and others make up this brilliant new collection of emerging literary voices in the landscape of Canadian literature by women.

In “Polish” Elizabeth Ruth deftly portrays the clash between mother and daughter, tradition and innovation. Ruth is shortlisted …

This book showcases ten great women pioneers of science from North America and other continents. Each has made important contributions to our knowledge and understanding of the world around us.

In Bad Date, crime journalist Jane Yeats is on the scene again, full of her trademark smart-ass attitude and fondness for Irish ale -- not to mention her problems with her next door neighbour, a crack-addicted prostitute whose body comes to rest on Jane's front lawn one morning. Our reclusive sleuth’s life accelerates faster than her new Harley a …

This collection features ten women from around the world, amazing athletes who have gone the distance in their own way. The book profiles remarkable women athletes such as Bobbie Rosenfeld, Annie Smith Peck, Chantal Petitclerc, and many others.

Women have been doctors for a very long time. From a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, they have surmounted great odds to heal and help their communities. This book of ten biographies features women from around the world, past and present. Besid