WOMEN’S HISTORY IS FULL OF STRUGGLES…
…BUT TEACHING IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE
Interested in exploring fresh content this Women’s History Month… without wasting hours sifting fact from fiction?
Want to perk up your lesson plans with ready-made prompts and printables?
Subscribe to my email newsletter to download the FREE Women’s History Month Resource Kit for grades 4 and up. You’ll get:
- A timeline
- A crossword puzzle
- A women’s history word search
- 17 recommended reading suggestions for kids and teenagers
- 22 writing prompts
- 30 inspirational quotes by and about women, formatted for printing on bookmarks
- The Matilda Effect Playlist (content warning: some songs contain mature language and themes)
DIVE INTO HISTORY’S DEEP CUTS
Subscribers will also receive exclusive updates and additional free resources for THE MATILDA EFFECT: HOW 25 WOMEN WERE ERASED FROM HISTORY, coming Fall 2026 from Kids Can Press.
Meet the women that history tried to erase.
Throughout time, women’s contributions have been overlooked, overshadowed or outright stolen by men in their fields. In science and engineering, this is known as the Matilda Effect. But it happens in every field, including the arts, sports, politics and more.
This groundbreaking book uncovers the stories of 25 remarkable women, including: Hatshepsut, a ruler in ancient Egypt whose name was chiseled off temple walls; Fu Hao, a warrior queen from the Shang dynasty in China; Matilda Joslyn Gage, writer and equal rights activist (and namesake of the Matilda Effect).
THE MATILDA EFFECT is both an essential rewrite of history and a call to action. It will inspire young readers to work toward a future where everyone’s contributions count.
Grades 3-7 | Ages 8 to 12
Hardcover | $22.99 CAD
Curriculum Connections:
World history, biography, social justice, art and literature, STEM, climate change, World War II
About the Author:
L. E. Carmichael is the author of many award-winning books for young readers, including The Boreal Forest and Polar. While earning her PhD in wildlife genetics, Lindsey saw firsthand how the Matilda Effect erases women in science. When she realized that erasure affects amazing women in all fields, she knew she had to write a book about it. Lindsey lives in Ontario with her husband and the ghost of a six-toed cat.
About the Illustrator;
Roxanne Rainville is an illustrator and artist based in the Laurentians, Quebec. Her work blends whimsy, emotion and a love for illustrating stories that challenge expectations and spark empowerment. When she’s not drawing, Roxanne loves exploring the natural world, caring for her animals and bringing creativity into the hands of young artists.
THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF:
- You’re a young (or not-so-young!) reader who wants to learn about amazing women from around the world and throughout history
- You’re a teacher or homeschooler looking to level up your history lessons… without spending hours wading through inaccurate websites and AI summaries
- You want a starting point for talking to kids about sexism, racism, and other attitudes that contribute to erasure
- You’re frustrated by attempts to roll back women’s rights and want to encourage meaningful action
- You need an inspiring gift for a high school or college graduate!
Subscribers who pre-order THE MATILDA EFFECT before October 6, 2026 will receive:
- A sneak peek at the book’s contents, before anyone else gets access
- A deleted scene starring explorer and mountaineer Gertrude Benham (1867-1938) that won’t be published anywhere else
- An exclusive ticket to the virtual book launch, where we’ll hang out and you can ask me anything!
STILL NOT SURE?
- A timeline of women in THE MATILDA EFFECT
- A crossword puzzle inspired by THE MATILDA EFFECT
- A women’s history word search
- 17 recommended reading suggestions for kids and teenagers
- 22 writing prompts
- 30 inspirational quotes by and about women, formatted for printing on bookmarks
- The Matilda Effect Playlist (content warning: some songs contain mature language and themes)
Nope! Sign up for my email newsletter and you’ll receive the Women’s History Month Resource Kit completely FREE. While some resources in the kit reference content from THE MATILDA EFFECT, most will work just fine without it.
And remember, you don’t have to buy the book to read it. That’s the reason libraries exist – to offer equal access to information, inspiration, and entertainment, regardless of how hard the economy is hitting us.
BTW, did you know that you can ask your public library to add specific books to the collection? Librarians love to spend their budget on books their patrons actually want to read! Requesting THE MATILDA EFFECT supports me and your local library at the same time, while giving you access to the book for free. Everybody wins!
I feel you, which is why you can unsubscribe anytime (and I’ll never share your email address with anyone, because, ew).
But you should know that my subscribers receive monthly newsletters packed with fun facts, info on new books, school visits, and workshops, and rec’s for kid-friendly stuff I love. Not to mention exclusive bonus content and resources.
In fact, I’m offering free bonuses to subscribers who pre-order THE MATILDA EFFECT before October 6:
- A sneak peak at the book’s contents, before anyone else gets access
- A deleted scene starring explorer and mountaineer Gertrude Benham (1867-1938) that won’t be published anywhere else
- An exclusive ticket to the virtual book launch, where we’ll hang out and you can ask me anything!
Subscribe now so you don’t miss out!
If you’re Canadian like me, you’ll celebrate Women’s History Month in October. If you’re American, also like me, you’ll celebrate in March. And March 8 is International Women’s Day all around the world.
Either way, subscribing now will give you time to explore the FREE Resource Kit and get a jump start on your lesson planning.
And THE MATILDA EFFECT ties in with other important events year round. It contains:
- Inspiring tales of Black artists, inventors, and entrepreneurs for Black History Month
- Historical queer women to help you celebrate Pride
- Stories of female doctors, scientists, and inventors for Women in STEM days or Science Literacy Week
- Biographies of women warriors, soldiers, and spies that are perfect for Remembrance Day or Veteran’s Day
It’s true, there are tons of women’s history books for kids, including the wildly popular Rebel Girls books and Rachel Ignotofsky’s Women In series. But THE MATILDA EFFECT really is different. It’s not just about who these women were and what made them special; it defines erasure, explores why and how erasure happens, and uncovers social and cultural tendencies toward erasure that women still encounter every single day. In other words, THE MATILDA EFFECT prepares readers of all ages and genders to take action against erasure and make our world a better place for everyone.
And then there’s the issue of accuracy. Misinformation is spreading fast, making it hard to know what’s true — especially about women erased from history! I’m a multi-award-winning nonfiction author with a PhD, meaning I’m a professionally-trained researcher who’s uniquely qualified to tease true facts from popular fictions. THE MATILDA EFFECT draws on more than 470 books, research reports, historical periodicals, letters and diaries, patent records and court transcripts. Many of these original records contradict other kids’ books or articles found online. For example, most sources say Jackie Mitchell was born in 1913, but her birth certificate is dated 1912. Likewise, a note in Marie-Catherine d’Aulnoy’s own handwriting proves she was born in 1652.
In a future blog post, I’ll talk more about how I did the research for THE MATILDA EFFECT. Meanwhile, you can download my complete bibliography here.
STILL READING?
See, I just knew we were going to be friends. :)
Subscribe today to download my FREE Women’s History Month Resource Kit… and to receive exclusive content and front-of-the-line updates on THE MATILDA EFFECT: HOW 25 WOMEN WERE ERASED FROM HISTORY.
