By Brittany Schaaf, St. Charles City-County Library

Every March, America celebrates Women’s History Month; 31 days dedicated to celebrating and highlighting the contributions women have made to our nation’s story. Examples include activists like Rosa Parks, amazing athletes like Megan Rapione, beauty world builders like Madam C. J. Walker and astonishing animators like Grace Huntington. This year’s national theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” What better way to celebrate than reading books about famous female authors, book lovers, and librarians from the Library?

For Little Readers: These titles can be found in the children’s section and are perfect for sharing with the children in your life.
Little Women: A Playtime Primer by Jennifer Adams. Introduce your littlest readers to the classic story of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy with this sweet board book full of fun illustrations by Alison Oliver that highlight singing, gardening, sewing, skating, and of course, reading!
Jump At the Sun: The True Life of Unstoppable Storycatcher Zora Neale Hurston by Alicia Williams: The Newbery Honor-winning author of Genesis Begins Again offers a picture book rendering of Zora Neale Hurston's childhood to illuminate the rich natural-world and cultural experiences that shaped her education and career as a storyteller.
Planting Stories by Anika Denise: This gorgeous and lyrical story features Pura Belpré, a Puerto Rican librarian who changed the world through puppeteering, storytelling, and championing bilingual literature in libraries.

Amazing Anthologies: These titles are for readers looking for something short, sweet, and to the point.
The Heroine’s Bookshelf: Life Lessons from Jane Austen to Laura Ingalls Wilder by Erin Blackmore: In this compelling book of beloved heroines and the remarkable writers who created them, Erin Blakemore explores how the pluck and dignity of literary characters such as Anne Shirley, Elizabeth Bennet, Jane Eyre, Scarlett O'Hara, Scout Finch, and Jo March can inspire women today.
Well-Read Black Girl - An Anthology edited by Glory Edim: The founder of the popular online book club curates a collection of original essays from today's best black female voices, including Jesmyn Ward, Veronica Chambers, and Jacqueline Woodson.
Monster, She Wrote - The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction by Lisa Kröger: Did you know that FRANKENSTEIN was written by English author Mary Shelley when she was just 18 years old? This engaging book will introduce you to more than a hundred female authors and their stories of gothic ghosts, sci-fi scares, and haunting novellas.

For the Kitchen Queens: These titles are perfect for those wanting to dive into history with delicious dishes and bar bites.
Teatime at Grosvenor Square - An Unofficial Cookbook for Fans of Bridgerton by Dahlia Clearwater: You are cordially invited to jump into the world of Bridgerton (Netflix’s hit show and Julia Quinn’s bestselling novels) for 75 recipes featuring scrumptious sweets, delicious drinks and joyful jams good enough to impress Queen Charlotte herself!
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margarita - More Cocktails with a Literary Twist by Tim Fedrele: Celebrate Judy Blume’s upcoming theatrical film, Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, with 49 delicious drink recipes paired with puns and clever commentary on historically beloved books, many written by your favorite female authors.

For the Biography Babes: These titles are perfect for those wanting to hear women's stories on a more personal, heart-to-heart level.
Dear Senthuran - A Black Spirit Memoir by Akwaeke Emezi: A New York Times-best-selling author offers a provocative memoir in letters about their family, the world of publishing, and their boundless search for what it means to be free.
The Toni Morrison Book Club by Juda Bennett, Winnifred Brown-Glaude, Cassandra Jackson, and Piper Kendrix Williams: Book clubs have the power to connect (and reconnect) people from all walks of life. This group memoir - written by four book club members - is a collection of conversations a book club had after reading Toni Morrison’s novels. Not shying away from controversies, this book offers a radically new way to envision book clubs as a healing force in our lives.

Looking for more memoirs, biographies, cookbooks, or anthologies to celebrate National Women’s History month? Our Library staff is happy to help! Send us a message with the Ask Us to Chat feature on our website, send us a message on social media, or visit us in person.

Take advantage of the library programs at the Augusta and Boone’s Trail (New Melle) branches.
Coffee and Conversation, Thursdays, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Augusta Branch - adults. Enjoy a cup of coffee, a sweet treat, and conversation with others in the community.

Canasta - Game On!*, Tuesdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. and Thursdays, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 from 1 to 3 p.m. Boone’s Trail Branch - adults. Need to get out of the house? Learn to play Hand & Foot Canasta!

Crafting Connections - Yarn Arts, Thursdays, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 from 2 to 4 p.m. Augusta Branch - adults and teens. Other yarn enthusiasts will keep you company while you work on your knit, crochet, or embroidery project.

Discover Crafting - Springtime Candleholder*, Thursday, March 2 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 4 from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Boone’s Trail Branch - adults. Join us to make a festive Easter candleholder - a great addition to your holiday decor.

Crafting Connections - Sip & Stitch*, Monday, March 6 & 20 from 10 a.m. to noon. Boone’s Trail Branch - adults and teens. Bring your current work-in-progress and join other yarn artists as we sip, stitch, and talk about our projects.

Crafting Connections - I Love Quilts!*, Tuesday, March 7 from 10 a.m. to noon. Augusta Branch - adults. What will you create? Meet other quilt lovers at this monthly event.

Crafting Connections - Make It Sew: Let’s Make an I SPY Quilt (3 classes) Thursday, March 9 & 23 and April 6 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Augusta Branch - adults. In the first class, you will learn how to get started on an I SPY quilt. In the second class, we will start the actual quilt after you have had a chance to find your fabrics. We do have a couple of sewing machines that you can use if yours is not portable. 

“Read to a Dog” - Tale Waggers - Love on a Leash*, Thursday, March 9 from 5 to 6 p.m. Boone's Trail Branch - children. Kids can practice reading aloud to an attentive, adorable dog.

Crafting Connections - Make-It-Monday*, Monday, March 13 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Augusta Branch - adults. Grab a friend, come to the Augusta Branch, and work on your unfinished projects! Spend all day

or just a little while.

Book Discussion - Betty by Tiffany McDaniel*, Monday, March 13 from 5:30 to 6: 30 p.m. Boone's Trail Branch - adults. Betty Carpenter was born in 1954 to a Cherokee father and a white mother. Poverty and violence were in both the world they inhabited and also within their family. She discovered an escape through writing and buried the stories in the dirt–moments that stung her so deeply she could not tell them until now.

Book Discussion - The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson*, Thursday, March 16 from 11 a.m. to noon. Boone's Trail Branch - adults. Cussy Mary Carter is a member of the Pack Horse Library Project in Kentucky. She delivers books to the hill folk, hoping to spread learning during desperate times. But, not everyone likes Cussy’s family or the Library Project. This is a story of raw courage, fierce strength and one woman’s determination to bring a little bit of hope.

Book Discussion - The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger*,

Monday, March 20 from 2 to 3 p.m. Augusta Branch - adults. To all appearances, the Larsen-Hall family has everything: healthy children, a stable marriage, and great careers. Their deluxe new Miami life has just clicked into place when Luna–the world’s first category six hurricane–upends everything they have taken for granted. Their home destroyed, two of its members missing, and finances abruptly cut off, the family finds everything they assumed about their lives is now up for grabs.

Crafting Connections - English Paper Piecing*, Tuesday, March 21 from 2 to 4 p.m. Augusta Branch - adults. Learn how to English Paper Piece, a fun method of sewing fabric pieces together.

Discover Crafting: Reverse-Canvas Carrot Bunch*, Monday, March 27 from 1 to 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 28 from 5 to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 30 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Boone’s Trail Branch - adults. Welcome springtime with this reverse-canvas carrot bunch craft, complete with faux shiplap. We will use white chalk paint, craft gel stain, and hot glue guns, so please dress accordingly. This is a repeated class; please register for only one session. (There is also a session on April 1.)

*Register at https://attend.mylibrary.org/events or call Boone’s Trail at 636-398-6200 or Augusta at 636-228-4855 for more information about classes. The Boone’s Trail and Augusta branches are open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m.- 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m.-  noon.