This Barbie is Making History: Iconic Women in Pink

By Kat La Mantia | August 10 2023 | AdultsChildren'sGeneralAllGiftPop CultureBlog

The Barbie movie has been breaking records since its release, raking in over 1 billion dollars at the box office! Greta Gerwig’s sugary pink triumph has become a cultural moment unto itself, with Barbiecore taking off as its own trend. Barbie pink is certainly the color of 2023, but more than just the playful feminine aesthetics of Barbieland or her dream house, Barbiecore is about a celebration of womanhood.

Barbie is the quintessential woman on the go. She can do it all, transforming from doctor to astronaut to chef without ever breaking a sweat! Barbie fans admire her independence, her sense of unabashed femme style, and her constant pursuit of her dreams. While the craze for anything pink continues, stay true to the Barbie ethos by celebrating the real-life women who have made their mark on history, art, and culture! From Dolly Parton to Malala Yousafza, take a look at some of our favorite books featuring powerful, iconic women who embody what Barbie is all about.

 

Behind the Seams
My Life in Rhinestones
978-1-9848-6212-9
A beautiful celebration of Dolly Parton’s iconic sense of style with entertaining personal stories and 450 full-color photographs, including exclusive images from her private costume archive
$50.00 US
Oct 17, 2023
9 x 12
Hardcover
336 Pages
Ten Speed Press

RBG A to Z
The Life of An Icon from ACLU To Gen Z
978-1-922417-67-1
An illustrated A to Z celebrating the unparalleled impact of the phenomenon that is RBG. 
$14.95 US
Mar 22, 2022
6-1/3 x 7-1/3
Hardcover
56 Pages
Smith Street Books

Malala: Activist for Girls' Education
978-1-58089-517-0
A moving look at the life of Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai and her crusade for education rights for girls in Pakistan.
$8.99 US
Jun 13, 2023
10 x 10
Paperback
48 Pages
Charlesbridge
Age 6-9 years

96 Facts About Taylor Swift
Quizzes, Quotes, Questions, and More! With Bonus Journal Pages for Writing!
978-0-593-75093-3
The ultimate fact book and journal for fans of Taylor Swift!
$6.99 US
Sep 19, 2023
6 x 9
Paperback
80 Pages
Grosset & Dunlap
Age 8-12 years

Nina
A Story of Nina Simone
978-1-5247-3728-3
A 2022 Coretta Scott King Book Award Honoree!This luminous, defining picture book biography illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Christian Robinson, tells the remarkable and inspiring story of acclaimed singer Nina Simone and her bold, defiant, and exultant legacy.
$18.99 US
Sep 28, 2021
8-1/2 x 10-1/2
Hardcover
56 Pages
G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Age 4-8 years

Roar!
A Collection of Mighty Women
978-0-8478-7078-3
On the heels of Ashley Longshore’s successful I Do Not Cook, I Do Not Clean, I Do Not Fly Commercial comes Roar! A Collection of Mighty Women: inspirational portraits of the most culturally seminal women in history, created in the artist’s colorful signature style. 
$45.00 US
Nov 23, 2021
9-3/8 x 12-1/2
Hardcover
224 Pages
Rizzoli

Frida A to Z
The Life of an Icon From Activism to Zapotec
978-1-925811-47-6
An illustrated A to Z celebrating the unparalleled impact of the artistic phenomenon that is Frida Kahlo.
$14.95 US
Mar 17, 2020
7-7/8 x 9-3/8
Hardcover
56 Pages
Smith Street Books

Frida Kahlo: The Last Interview
and Other Conversations
978-1-61219-875-0
Frida Kahlo's legacy continues to grow in the public imagination in the nearly fifty years since her "discovery" in the 1970s. This collection of conversations over the course of her brief career allows a peek at the woman behind the hype. And allows us to see the image of herself she carefully crafted for the public.
$16.99 US
Sep 01, 2020
5-1/2 x 8-1/4
Paperback
96 Pages
Melville House

Original Sisters
Portraits of Tenacity and Courage
978-0-593-31614-6
A stunning collection of more than 150 color portraits of groundbreaking women throughout history—many unsung or forgotten—by one of the best illustrators working today  
$30.00 US
Nov 09, 2021
8 x 10
Hardcover
320 Pages
Pantheon

Women Photographers
From Anna Atkins to Newsha Tavakolian
978-3-7913-8957-8
Now enlarged and updated, this introduction to great and famous women photographers from the 19th century to today features striking works of 60 artists, along with in-depth biographical and critical assessments.
$40.00 US
Sep 12, 2023
8-1/4 x 10-1/2
Hardcover
256 Pages
Prestel

Nadine Ijewere
Our Own Selves
978-3-7913-8776-5
A celebration of identity and individual human beauty, this vibrant monograph is the first book dedicated to fashion photographer Nadine Ijewere—the first Black woman photographer to land a cover of Vogue in the magazine’s 125-year history.   
$55.00 US
Jan 25, 2022
9-1/2 x 11-3/4
Hardcover
192 Pages
Prestel

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Inspiring Young Changemakers
978-1-953424-34-1
The fifth volume of the best-selling Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls series, 100 Inspiring Young Changemakers, shines a spotlight on extraordinary young women who are making their mark on the world today.
$35.00 US
Oct 04, 2022
7-5/16 x 9-13/16
Hardcover
240 Pages
Rebel Girls
Age 7 and up

She Persisted: Claudette Colvin
978-0-593-11583-1
Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger comes a chapter book series about women who stood up, spoke up and rose up against the odds!
$14.99 US
Feb 02, 2021
5-5/16 x 7-5/8
Hardcover
80 Pages
Philomel Books
Age 6-9 years

Who Is Malala Yousafzai?: A Who Was? Board Book
978-0-593-52090-1
The latest addition to the WHO HQ program: a biography of Malala Yousafzai, created specifically for the preschool audience!
$8.99 US
Aug 15, 2023
7 x 7
Board Book
24 Pages
Rise x Penguin Workshop
Age 2-4 years

Grace of Monaco
Princess in Dior
978-0-8478-6592-5
A singular look into Grace of Monaco's stylish life through the exceptional dresses that the house of Dior created for her over the years.
$45.00 US
Sep 03, 2019
8 x 10-1/2
Hardcover
152 Pages
Rizzoli

Liberté Egalité Beyoncé
Empowering quotes and wisdom from our fierce and flawless queen
978-1-925418-75-0
A beautifully illustrated book featuring quotes and general wisdom from Queen Bey.
$14.95 US
Oct 30, 2018
6-1/4 x 7-1/4
Hardcover
112 Pages
Smith Street Books

Grace Jones A to Z
The life of an icon - from Androgyny to Zula
978-1-925418-80-4
An illustrated A to Z, celebrating the unparalleled artistic impact of the cultural icon Grace Jones
$14.95 US
Sep 25, 2018
7-7/8 x 9-7/16
Hardcover
56 Pages
Smith Street Books

Let it Lizzo!
50 Reasons Why Lizzo is Perfection
978-1-922417-05-3
This hilarious unofficial scrapbook is a love letter to Lizzo, the queen of self-affirmation, soulful pop bangers, and, of course, the red carpet.
$14.95 US
Oct 12, 2021
6-1/3 x 7-1/3
Hardcover
104 Pages
Smith Street Books

Women Artists A to Z
978-0-593-10872-7
An empowering and educational alphabet picture book about women artists, perfect for fans of Rad American Women A-Z.
$19.99 US
Feb 11, 2020
8 x 10
Hardcover
64 Pages
Dial Books
Age 3-7 years

Bold & Brave
Ten Heroes Who Won Women the Right to Vote
978-0-593-30266-8
The perfect read for the one-hundredth anniversary of the nineteenth amendment and in advance of the upcoming presidential election, this inspiring picture book from United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand shares the stories of ten suffragists who fought for women's right to vote
$8.99 US
Jun 02, 2020
8-1/2 x 11
Paperback
40 Pages
Dragonfly Books
Age 6-9 years

Modern HERstory
Stories of Women and Nonbinary People Rewriting History
978-0-399-58223-3
An inspiring and radical celebration of 70 women, girls, and gender nonbinary people who have changed--and are still changing--the world, from the Civil Rights Movement and Stonewall riots through Black Lives Matter and beyond.
$17.99 US
Oct 16, 2018
8 x 8
Hardcover
208 Pages
Ten Speed Press

Kusama
978-0-8478-3908-7
This is the first comprehensive monograph on the Yayoi Kusama's work in 10 years. Produced in close collaboration with the artist, the book is timed to coincide with an internationally touring retrospective [landing at the Whitney in June 2012], and the launch of Louis Vuitton's products produced in collaboration with the artist. The LV initiative is the largest campaign in association with an artist the company has ever produced--Kusama products will be featured in every store and every window worldwide will be dressed in Kusama merchandise.
$75.00 US
Jul 10, 2012
9-1/2 x 12-1/2
Hardcover
304 Pages
Rizzoli