My Voice Matters is about empowering children and young people to express themselves. 

School libraries have a great collection of 'shelf help' books that can help with this. These titles are chosen to support pupils in building resilience and self-esteem, as well as managing anxiety and overall mental health. Here's a few ideas to get you started. You can view more in the 'mental health and well being' in the school library book lists.

• You have the power : find your strength and believe you can/ Leah Williamson

  Join Lioness Leah Williamson, Arsenal and England women's football player, as she shows girls that they can be a leader at any age, and that huge things can happen when they believe in themselves!

• Dare to be you / Matthew Sayid

  When you stop doubting yourself, embrace change and let your kindness loose, you become your own action hero. This groundbreaking, practical and positive book will help kids develop the inner confidence to grow into happy adults who know - and, more importantly, LIKE - themselves.

• Banish your self-esteem thief : a cognitive behavioural therapy workbook/ Kate Collins-Donnelly

  Packed with activities and real-life stories, this imaginative workbook will show you what self-esteem is, how it develops, the impact it can have and how all this applies to your own self-esteem.

These can range from female leaders to pioneers in technology to the women in our everyday lives, like female friends, mothers and grandmothers.

We have two spotlight lists for IWD this month. Our 'heroines' list features stories with inspirational women and girls, chosen here for their bravery, conviction,and smarts.

Our HERstory list features books about real women who have done amazing things throughout history in science, art, politics and society.

Here's a closer look at some of the featured books. You can view both lists on our main padet School Library Book Lists.

Women in science : 50 fearless pioneers who changed the world / Rachel Ignotofsky

A gloriously illustrated celebration of trailblazing women. Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, from both the ancient and modern worlds. The book also contains fascinating infographics and an illustrated scientific glossary.

Women in battle /Marta Breen & Jenny Jordahl
Presented as a graphic novel and spanning 150 years of recent history, WOMEN IN BATTLE celebrates the fight for women's rights all over the world. Topics include the suffragette movement, female world leaders, abortion and contraception, gay marriage and #MeToo. Slowly but surely we are making progress. We need only dare to be heard.

Fight like a girl : 50 feminists who changed the world / Laura Barcella & Summer Pierre

Feminism is a hot topic. The battle for gender equality is being fought by everybody from politicians to indie social media campaigners, celebrities to school girls. But how did we get here and who paved the way for today's badass women? Fight Like a Girl profiles 50 fearless women - both the historical icons and the unsung heroes. Be inspired by their stories, arm yourself with their knowledge, get active and FIGHT LIKE A GIRL.

An important aim of Earth Day is inspiring action to tackle the environmental challenges facing our planet. There are loads of fantastic books available in the school library that can help young people to learn about climate action and sustainability. These books are full of ideas for things you can do to help protect our planet and our future. Check out our Earth Day list here.