When Rachel Carson was a child, she loved spending time outdoors. She paid close attention to the seasons and noticed how plants, animals, and people are all connected. Every spring, she watched nature come alive again. As Rachel grew up, she became a scientist and a writer. But she also noticed something worrying: the birds and animals she loved were growing quieter, and the natural world wasn’t as healthy as it used to be. Rachel decided to speak up.

Juliette Gordon Low – Daisy to her friends and family – was not like most girls of the Victorian era. Prim and proper? BOSH! Dainty and delicate? HOW BORING! She loved the outdoors, and she yearned for adventure! Born into a family of pathfinders and pioneers, she too wanted to make a difference in the world--and nothing would stop her.

In 1985, Wilma Pearl Mankiller became the first woman Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. She had to convince her people that the chief should be the best person for the job, man or woman.

"If only you'd been a boy," said Lizzie Cady's father when she won a prize for Latin. But Lizzie...

Meet Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman to travel to space. Mae Jemison was a bright child who was always fascinated by science. A top student and gifted dancer ignored naysayers and worked hard to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor and an astronaut.

Throughout history and across the globe, one characteristic connects the daring women of Brazen...