Also published on this date: Shelf Awareness for Monday, February 12, 2024

February 12, 2024 Dedicated Issue: Sourcebooks Celebrates Women's Stories


Sourcebooks: Women's History

Editors' Note

Sourcebooks and Women's History Month

With the support of the publisher and during Women's History Month, Shelf Awareness joins Sourcebooks in celebrating women's stories.


Sourcebooks: A Tale of Two Titties by Meg Vondriska


Bookselling News

Celebrating Women's Stories!

Women heroes are everyone's heroes! As the largest women-led publisher in North America, Sourcebooks prides itself on celebrating women's stories across all of our imprints. We love working with our authors to showcase remarkable women who changed the course of history (but who are rarely seen on the pages of history books), as well as fascinating women characters who remind us that strong is beautiful.

As we continue to dive into this vibrant tapestry of women's stories, we are thrilled to announce a special opportunity for our independent bookstore partners! In celebration of Women's History Month, we're offering the Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make HERSTORY sweepstakes. All you need to do is create a Women's History Month display that includes Sourcebooks titles and you'll be entered to win a gift card for your store, and a gift card for the bookseller who created the display. We also have beautiful tote bags and T-shirts to send to any store that orders 15 or more copies of Sourcebooks titles for Women's History Month. For more information on this sweepstakes and our books,

CLICK HERE!

Thank you for being wonderful partners in this important and empowering journey. We value your partnership and are so grateful that you join us in amplifying the voices and stories of women everywhere.

Thank you!


Sourcebooks Landmark: The Girls We Sent Away by Meagan Church


Books & Authors

If You Loved Shark Lady, You'll Love The Girl Who Figured It Out

First published in 2017 and named a best children's book of that year by Parents magazine, Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist (Women in Science Books, Marine Biology for Kids, Shark Gifts) by Jess Keating, illustrated by Marta Álvarez Miguéns (Sourcebooks Explore, $18.99, 9781492642046) is the story of a woman who dared to dive, defy, discover, and inspire. It's the story of Shark Lady, a wonderful science picture book for children.

Eugenie Clark fell in love with sharks from the first moment she saw them at the aquarium. She couldn't imagine anything more exciting than studying these graceful creatures. But Eugenie quickly discovered that many people believed sharks to be ugly and scary--and they didn't think women should be scientists.

Determined to prove them wrong, Eugenie devoted her life to learning about sharks. After earning several college degrees and making countless discoveries, Eugenie wrote herself into the history of science, earning the nickname "Shark Lady." Through her accomplishments, she taught the world that sharks were to be admired rather than feared and that women can do anything they set their minds to.

An inspiring story by zoologist Jess Keating about finding the strength to discover truths that others aren't daring enough to see. Includes a timeline of Eugenie's life and many fin-tastic shark facts!

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If you loved Shark Lady, you'll love The Girl Who Figured It Out: The Inspiring True Story of Wheelchair Athlete Minda Dentler Becoming an Ironman World Champion (Herstory in the Making) by Minda Dentler, illustrated by Stephanie Dehennin (Sourcebooks Explore, $18.99, 9781728276533), whose pub date is March 5.

The Girl Who Figured It Out is the uplifting story of Minda Dentler, who made history when she became the first female wheelchair athlete to complete the Ironman World Championship triathlon, the world's toughest triathlon, using only her arms to finish a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2-mile marathon. But the journey to get there wasn't easy. Minda was paralyzed as an infant in India after contracting polio, and was left in the care of an orphanage. After she was adopted by an American family and moved to Washington, she underwent surgeries to enable her to walk with leg braces and crutches.

As she grew, she faced many challenges, but remained undeterred by her disability. Her decision to begin training and competing in triathlons was no different. Despite the obstacles and failures she experienced along the way, Minda's persistence and determination in the face of setbacks helped her to make sports history and inspire people around the world to rethink what's possible!


Sourcebooks: The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore; The Radium Girls: Young Readers' Edition: The Scary But True Story of the Poison That Made People Glow in the Dark by Kate Moore


If You Loved Women Who Dared, You'll Love The Story Of Series

Women Who Dared: 52 Stories of Fearless Daredevils, Adventurers, and Rebels by Linda Skeers, illustrated by Livi Gosling (Sourcebooks Explore, $16.99, 9781492653271), published in 2017, is an introduction to women throughout history who dared to do the extraordinary for young readers, especially girls, aged 9-12.

Women have been doing amazing, daring and dangerous things for years, but they're rarely mentioned in our history books as adventurers, daredevils or rebels. This new compilation of brief biographies features women throughout history who have risked their lives for adventure, such as:

Annie Edson Taylor, the first person who dared to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman who dared to fly in space. Helen Gibson, the first woman who dared to be a professional stunt person. And many more!

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If you loved Women Who Dared, you'll love The Story Of series. These biographies for ages 6-9 teach young readers about activists, artists, athletes and more from all across history. Recent highlights of this 38 book series include:

The Story of Katherine Johnson by Andrea Thorpe (Rockridge Press, $6.99, 9781638070313). Katherine Johnson was one of the best mathematicians in the history of the United States. Before her math skills helped send the first American astronauts safely into space, she was a smart and curious girl who loved to learn new things about the world around her. She studied hard in school and became one of the first Black women hired by NASA.

The Story of Maya Angelou by Tiffany Obeng (Rockridge Press, $6.99, 9798886508222). Maya Angelou was an acclaimed author, poet, historian, singer and songwriter, playwright, director, and civil rights activist. Before she was known for her unique and pioneering autobiographical writing style, Maya was a young girl interested in the written word. From an early age she wrote essays, poetry and kept a journal. She used her powerful voice to share her experiences and unite the world through her written words.

The Story of Sojourner Truth by Anita Crawford Clark (Callisto Kids, $7.99, 9798886509397). Sojourner Truth, born Isabella Baumfree, was one of the most important leaders in the anti-slavery movement. Before she fought for freedom and changed American history, she was a young enslaved girl who wanted a better life for herself and for all Black people. She overcame many incredible challenges as she bravely stood up for equality and justice.


If You Loved The Radium Girls, You'll Love The Radium Girls: Young Readers' Edition

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore (Sourcebooks, $18.99, 9781492650959), first published in 2017, won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best History, was voted U.S. librarians' favorite nonfiction book of 2017 and was named a Notable Nonfiction Book of 2018 by the American Library Association.

The Curies' newly discovered element of radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty and wonder drug of the medical community. From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright in the otherwise dark years of the First World War.

Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these "shining girls" are the luckiest alive--until they begin to fall mysteriously ill.

But the factories that once offered golden opportunities are now ignoring all claims of the gruesome side effects, and the women’s cries of corruption. And as the fatal poison of the radium takes hold, the brave shining girls find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America's early 20th century, and in a groundbreaking battle for workers' rights that will echo for centuries to come.

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If you loved The Radium Girls, you'll love The Radium Girls: Young Readers' Edition: The Scary but True Story of the Poison that Made People Glow in the Dark by Kate Moore (‎Sourcebooks Explore, $10.99, 9781728209470). Published in 2020, this adaptation for young readers includes all-new material, featuring a glossary, timeline,and dozens of bonus photos.

This new edition of the national bestseller is perfect for:

Educators looking for history books for kids ages 9 to 12, nonfiction books for kids, biographies for kids, and real stories around the industrial revolution, chemistry and science.

Parents, educators and librarians looking for stories about strong women, inspiring books for girls, children's books about women in history and famous women books for girls.

Young readers who want to read one of the most inspiring and shocking narratives of the early 20th century.


If You Loved The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, You'll Love Queens of London

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek: A Novel by Kim Michele Richardson (Sourcebooks Landmark, $16.99, 9781492671527), first published in 2019, has sold more than a million copies, was a PBS Book Pick and recommended by Dolly Parton.

The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrape for everything--everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt's Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome's got its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter.

Cussy's not only a book woman, however, she's also the last of her kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike most anyone else. Not everyone is keen on Cussy's family or the Library Project, and a Blue is often blamed for any whiff of trouble. If Cussy wants to bring the joy of books to the hill folks, she's going to have to confront prejudice as old as the Appalachias and suspicion as deep as the holler.

Inspired by the true blue-skinned people of Kentucky and the brave and dedicated Kentucky Pack Horse library service of the 1930s, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a story of raw courage, fierce strength, and one woman's belief that books can carry us anywhere--even back home.

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If you loved The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, you'll love Queens of London: A Novel by Heather Webb (Sourcebooks Landmark, $34.99, 9781728282947), published February 6, 2024.

1925. London. When Alice Diamond, AKA "Diamond Annie," is elected the Queen of the Forty Elephants, she's determined to take the all-girl gang to new heights. She's ambitious, tough as nails, and a brilliant mastermind, with a plan to create a dynasty the likes of which no one has ever seen. Alice demands absolute loyalty from her "family"--it's how she's always kept the cops in line. Too bad she's now the target for one of Britain's first female policewomen.

Officer Lilian Wyles isn't merely one of the first female detectives at Scotland Yard, she's one of the best detectives on the force. Even so, she'll have to win a big score to prove herself, to break free from the "women's work" she's been assigned. When she hears about the large-scale heist in the works to fund Alice's new dynasty, she realizes she has the chance she's been looking for--and the added bonus of putting Diamond Annie out of business permanently.

A tale of dark glamour and sisterhood, Queens of London is a look at Britain's first female crime syndicate, the ever-shifting meaning of justice and the way women claim their power by any means necessary.


If You Loved Clytemnestra, You'll Love Neferura

Clytemnestra: A Novel by Costanza Casati (Sourcebooks Landmark, $16.99, 9781728279374), first published in 2023, was recently released in paperback. It won Goodreads' Buzziest Debuts of 2023 and POPSUGAR's Best Historical Fiction of 2023. A blazing novel set in the world of Ancient Greece, this is a thrilling tale of power and prophecies, of hatred, love and of an unforgettable Queen who fiercely dealt out death to those who wronged her.

You were born to a king, but you marry a tyrant. You stand by helplessly as he sacrifices your child to placate the gods. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of your own. Because this was not the first offense against you. This was not the life you ever deserved. And this will not be your undoing. Slowly, you plot.

But when your husband returns in triumph, you become a woman with a choice. Acceptance or vengeance, infamy follows both. So, you bide your time and force the gods' hands in the game of retribution. For you understood something long ago that the others never did. If power isn't given to you, you have to take it for yourself.

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If you loved Clytemnestra, you'll love Neferura: A Novel by Malayna Evans (Sourcebooks Landmark, $16.99, 9781728278728). Published February 13, 2024, this is the thrilling tale of the forgotten daughter of a legendary Egyptian pharaoh and the path she must take to escape her own dangerous fate.

Neferura, princess and high priestess of Kemet, knows her duty is to her people. When your mother is the great Pharaoh, it is hard to forget. But Neferura's unique position at court comes with high stakes for her country, especially when she's forced to serve her vile half-brother, a man determined to stop Neferura's potential rise.

Peace, it seems, never lasts for women who wield power in the open. Especially when they cross a vengeful man.

When Neferura overhears Thutmose's plot to end her mother's rule, she knows he must be stopped, no matter the cost. The discovery of a mysterious tattooed wisewoman and her shadowy network of spies offers an uneasy alliance. But the wisewoman wields more power than Neferura knew possible--power with the potential to rival her own. Neferura must decide where her loyalties lie and how much she's willing to sacrifice to protect the people she loves before everything crumbles at the hands of a tyrant.


If You Loved Unlikeable Female Characters, You'll Love A Tale of Two Titties

Unlikeable Female Characters: The Women Pop Culture Wants You to Hate by Anna Bogutskaya (Sourcebooks, $16.99, 9781728274744), published in 2023, explores how trainwrecks, shrews and crazy women have taken over pop culture and liberated women from having to be nice.

Female characters throughout history have been burdened by the moral trap that is likeability. Any woman who dares to reveal her messy side has been treated as a cautionary tale. Today, unlikeable female characters are everywhere in film, TV and wider pop culture. For the first time ever, they are being accepted by audiences and even showered with industry awards. We are finally accepting that women are--gasp--fully fledged human beings. How did we get to this point?

Unlikeable Female Characters traces the evolution of highly memorable female characters, examining what exactly makes them popular, how audiences have reacted to them and the ways in which pop culture is finally allowing us to celebrate the complexities of being a woman. Anna Bogutskaya, film programmer, broadcaster, and co-founder of the horror film collective and podcast The Final Girls, takes us on a journey through popular film, TV, and music, looking at the nuances of womanhood on and off-screen to reveal whether pop culture--and society--is finally ready to embrace complicated women.

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If you loved Unlikeable Female Characters, you'll love A Tale of Two Titties: A Writer's Guide to Conquering the Most Sexist Tropes in Literary History by Meg Vondriska (Sourcebooks, $32.99, 9781464224393). Set to be published July 23, 2024, this brilliantly funny (and rightfully furious) book is written by the creator of the viral Men Write Women Twitter account.

Let's face it, women's representation in literature really sucks. And that's mostly because of the male authors who write female characters like they're nothing more than playthings in their stories. Whether they have breasts like ripe peaches or curves like a racetrack, the literary ladies gracing the pages of bestselling books rarely serve a purpose beyond supporting a male character (or giving him something to fantasize about).

But what are you supposed to do about it if you can't even get a foot (or, I guess, a boob) in the door?

You beat them at their own game.

In this hilarious yet incisive guide, you'll learn how to write women just like a bestselling male author--stereotypes, tropes, objectification and all--so you can start dismantling the system from the inside. With thoughtful literary analysis, interactive exercises, and commentary that perfectly straddles the line between satirical hilarity and righteous indignation, A Tale of Two Titties is both an illuminating study of women's representation in literature and an absurd (yet accurate) guide to writing through the male gaze.


If You Loved i am the rage, You'll Love a sweeter song

i am the rage by Dr. Martina McGowan, illustrated by Diana Ejaita (‎Sourcebooks, $14.99, 9781728245072) was published in 2021 and won the Nautilis Award and BCALA 2022 Honor Poetry Award.

Through a blend of personal experiences and shared collective pain, in i am the rage, Dr. Martina McGowan engages readers in a vital dialogue about racial trauma and inequality. It seeks to transform outrage into understanding, and denial into awareness. It offers a voice to the unheard and the marginalized, harnessing the power of poetry to convey the complex emotions felt in the face of systemic racism.

In this powerful collection, you'll find:

A stirring journey through emotions in the wake of the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, the landmark Black Lives Matter protests that followed, and the ongoing attacks on the Black community.

An empathetic and authentic examination of personal and societal grief.

A call to action and a testament to the strength of community.

An exploration of the healing power of expression, acknowledgement and mutual understanding.

Beautiful illustrations by Diana Ejaita to accompany the raw emotion of each poem.

i am the rage serves as a mirror reflecting the shared truth of racial disparity, and a window into the lived experiences of those impacted by it.

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If you loved i am the rage, you'll love a sweeter song: Catharsis by Dr. Martina McGowan (‎Sourcebooks, $14.99, 9781728283005), published January 30, 2024.

Experience the rich tapestry of life through the vibrant poetry of a sweeter song by Dr. Martina McGowan. This powerful collection offers a unique perspective on the lives of people of color, women, and other marginalized and oppressed people, highlighting the struggles and triumphs that shape our collective human experience.

With each verse, Dr. McGowan brings to life the complex emotions and perspectives that make us who we are, inviting readers to see the world in a new light. From the joys of love and family to the pain of loss and injustice, a sweeter song is a celebration of the human spirit in all its diversity.

For those who are moved by i am the rage, Dr. McGowan's first award-winning poetry collection, and the seminal works of Amanda Gorman and Maya Angelou, Dr. McGowan's newest collection offers an extraordinary glimpse into the Black experience across a range of topics. The perfect poetry gift book for women and men, a sweeter song is a must-read for anyone seeking to connect with the universal issues that touch us all.


Sourcebooks: The Story Of: A Biography Series for New Readers

Sourcebooks: A Sweeter Song: Catharsis by Martina McGowan

Sourcebooks Landmark: Queens of London by Heather Webb

Sourcebooks Explore: The Girl Who Figured It Out: The Inspiring True Story of Wheelchair Athlete Minda Dentler Becoming an Ironman World Champion by Minda Dentler, illustrated by Stephanie Dehennin

Sourcebooks Landmark: Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati; Neferura by Malayna Evans

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