The Phantom Dolebooth

National Library Week continues! 📚✨ Our Staff and Board went on a mission to say thanks to the incredible people who make San Jose Public Library shine, delivering care packages to all 25 branch locations across San José!

But the best part of the delivery? The messages from you! From every corner of the city, our community sent in heartfelt postcards to honor the dedicated staff who keep our libraries running, growing, and welcoming for everyone. Read the love letters at sjplf.org/ThankYouSJPL

To our SJPL library workers: We see you, we appreciate you, and we couldn't do this without you. Happy National Library Workers Day! ☺️

Astronaut Christina Koch has rightly owned the spotlight this week -- the first woman to orbit the Moon, the first to see the lunar far side with her own eyes, the electrical engineer who fixed the spacecraft's toilet an hour after launch and proudly declared herself "the space plumber." But she would be the first to tell you she didn't get to the Moon alone.

These two photos -- both taken inside the Science Evaluation Room (SER) at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston -- tell the rest of the story.

The top image captures the room at the exact second of launch on April 1 -- you can read the timestamp on the monitors: T0, two seconds into flight. The bottom image shows the same room during Monday's lunar flyby, as the team worked the crew's seven-hour pass over the far side of the Moon. Many of the people in these photos are lunar geologists. Most of them are women.

The SER is Mission Control's science hub, where experts in geology, data visualization, and crew imagery feed real-time guidance to the flight control room as the crew photographs craters, lava flows, and features no human has ever studied up close.

The room exists because of Dr. Kelsey Young, a planetary geologist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center who became the Artemis Science Flight Operations Lead. Young designed the SER from the ground up -- its structure, its roles, its training pipeline -- then recruited and certified every member of the team. The room opened in June 2025. Nothing like it existed during Apollo.

During the flyby, one of the highlights of NASA's livestream was the direct back-and-forth between Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen and Dr. Young, guiding the crew's observations from 250,000 miles away.

The last time humans went to the Moon, in 1972, women couldn't open a credit card without a man's signature, couldn't take out a mortgage without a male co-signer, and were a rare sight in Mission Control. Now they are running the science operation that makes the mission worth flying.

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To introduce kids to trailblazing women of NASA, we highly recommend "Margaret and the Moon" for ages 5 to 9 (https://www.amightygirl.com/margaret-and-the-moon), "A Computer Called Katherine" for ages 5 to 9 (https://www.amightygirl.com/a-computer-called-katherine), Galaxy Girls" for ages 7 to 12 (https://www.amightygirl.com/galaxy-girls), and "Gutsy Girls Go For Science: Astronauts" for ages 8 to 12 (https://www.amightygirl.com/gutsy-girls-astronauts)

For a thrilling introduction to more pioneering women of space, we recommend the inspiring graphic novel "Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier," for ages 10 and up at https://www.amightygirl.com/astronauts-women-on-the-final-frontier

There is also an incredible 1,087-piece LEGO set of the NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Lander for ages 16 and up at https://www.amightygirl.com/lego-apollo-11

To inspire the space-loving Mighty Girls in your life, you can find more books about mighty women of space and space-themed toys in our blog post "Reach for the Stars!" at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=16848

To see more stories from A Mighty Girl, you can sign-up for A Mighty Girl's free email newsletter at https://www.amightygirl.com/forms/newsletter

The Milpitas Library Children's Room is back open today! We invite children and families to take a look at the upgrades that were made this week.

We thank you for your patience during the temporary closure, and we hope our littlest patrons enjoy the space.

Did you know that today's celebration of Thanksgiving is largely due to the efforts of one very persistent woman who dreamed of creating a national holiday that would bring Americans together on a unifying day of thanks? The little known heroine of Thanksgiving, writer Sarah Hale, who was incidentally also the author of the famous children's poem, "Mary Had a Little Lamb," was born in 1788 in Newport, New Hampshire.

For forty years, Hale served as the editor of Godey's Lady's Book, the most widely circulated magazine in the pre-Civil War America. This role made Hale incredibly influential in everything from women's fashion to literature to architecture; however, the personal mission that drove her for 36 years was to make Thanksgiving a national holiday.

Hale believed that the United States had too few national holidays that brought people across the country together. At the time, Thanksgiving was celebrated in certain states primarily in the North and was observed on different days in different locations. Hale sought to create a single holiday that would help unify the nation around a single day of gratitude for one's blessings.

During her years of advocacy, Hale wrote countless editorials in support of the holiday and lobbied governors, businesspeople and others to support her cause. Beginning in 1849, she also made an annual tradition of writing to the president about the holiday.

Finally, in 1863, Lincoln, who saw the benefit of such a unifying holiday during the stress of the U.S. Civil War, supported legislation to establish the new national holiday. With Lincoln's proclamation declaring a national day of Thanksgiving on October 3, 1863, Hale's 36-year quest for Thanksgiving was finally a success!

For two inspiring children's books about Sarah Hale, we highly recommend the picture books "Giving Thanks: How Thanksgiving Became a National Holiday" for ages 4 to 8 (https://www.amightygirl.com/giving-thanks) and "Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving" for ages 5 to 9 (https://www.amightygirl.com/thank-you-sarah)

For older kids, there is a fascinating book exploring how Thanksgiving became a national holiday, including Sarah Hale's central role, "We Gather Together" for ages 12 and up at https://www.amightygirl.com/we-gather-together

For adult readers, there is also a fascinating biography about this trailblazer, "Lady Editor: Sarah Josepha Hale and the Making of the Modern American Woman" at https://www.amightygirl.com/lady-editor

For a few of our favorite children's books about the importance of gratitude, we recommend "The Rag Coat" (https://www.amightygirl.com/the-rag-coat), "Thankful" (https://www.amightygirl.com/thankful), and "Gifts of the Heart" (https://www.amightygirl.com/gifts-of-the-heart), all for ages 4 to 8

For more Mighty Girl stories for all ages about the value of gratitude all throughout the year, visit our "Gratitude & Appreciation" book section at http://amgrl.co/1Oszd8e

And if you're looking for ways to bring a little Mighty Girl spirit to upcoming holidays, including Christmas and Hanukkah, check out our "Holidays & Celebrations" book collection for Mighty Girl-themed stories at http://amgrl.co/1lezNwa

A Mighty Girl Pick of the Day: "Girls Who Slay Monsters" by Ellen Ryan. Once, the tales of Ireland’s mythical goddesses were famous in Ireland and beyond. Over time, however, they were lost or often rewritten to make room for male warriors and kings. This stunning new collection brings back to vibrant life these forgotten female heroes of Irish mythology, reimagining them for a new generation. Through her captivating storytelling, Ryan introduces readers to fierce warriors, powerful leaders, and magical beings; these are goddesses of many shapes, skin shades and sizes, from every corner of ancient Ireland.

From the warrior Scáthach who trained the legendary Cú Chulainn, to the pirate queen Gráinne Ní Mháille, to the triple goddess Brigid, these stories showcase the strength, courage, and intelligence of female characters who refused to be confined by societal expectations. Filled with richly detailed illustrations by Shona Shirley Macdonald, this powerful new collection will show readers that the fierce female heroes they deserve have existed in Irish folklore for centuries, just waiting to be rediscovered. Highly recommended for ages 10 and up.

"Girls Who Slay Monsters" is available https://www.amightygirl.com/girls-who-slay-monsters

There is also a beautifully illustrated new book showcasing Norse myths and legends about women: "She Speaks: The Women of Norse Myths in their Own Words" for ages 9 and up at https://bookshop.org/a/8011/9781917366083 (Bookshop) and https://amzn.to/4prXhiR (Amazon)

For more books about the experience of Irish Mighty Girls, visit our blog post "Top Children's Books Celebrating Irish Mighty Girls" at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=11715

For a diverse collection of over 150 fairy tales and folktales starring smart and courageous girls and women, visit A Mighty Girl's "Fairy Tale & Folklore" section at https://www.amightygirl.com/books/fiction/fairy-tales-folktales

When thousands of books began disappearing from Iowa classrooms two years ago, three Iowa City West High School Mighty Girls didn't just watch it happen -- they created a space where those stories could still be heard. Alice Gooblar-Perovic, Aahana Gupta, and Lydia Cruce founded the Banned Book Club, turning what censors meant as silencing into an act of resistance -- creating community through the very books others tried to suppress. For Gooblar-Perovic, who credits her early love of reading with how she understands the world, the stakes were personal. "People say [books are] like a window or like a mirror, and I see that a lot. They also help you understand yourself better," she said.

Starting as an unofficial group meeting after school, they borrowed copies of "The Handmaid's Tale," "The Color Purple," and other frequently challenged books from the Coralville Public Library and began having the conversations their state legislators seemed afraid of. Their timing was urgent: Iowa's Senate File 496 had just taken effect, ultimately leading to nearly 3,400 books being removed from school libraries across the state -- including classics like "1984," "To Kill a Mockingbird," and "The Giver." "Books can help bring us together. I like that our club does that for people," Gupta explained, capturing the spirit of resilience that has made their club thrive even in hostile conditions.

What began as a small, word-of-mouth gathering during a period when their posters were taken down and official school recognition seemed impossible has grown into a vibrant community of dedicated readers. Though a federal judge blocked enforcement of the library provisions in December 2023, the law went back into effect in August 2024 after the state appealed. In March 2025, the judge blocked the law again, finding it had been "unconstitutionally applied in dozens (if not hundreds) of situations and constitutionally applied in one." Many books have since been returned to Iowa City West High's shelves, but more than 2,000 books remain inaccessible to students statewide as litigation continues.

Now officially recognized by their school, the club meets weekly to discuss literature that challenges them to think deeply about identity, justice, and freedom -- including titles like "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," "The Handmaid's Tale," and "Fahrenheit 451." As Gooblar-Perovic reflected, "The fact that it is so difficult to have a book club where we read banned books feels like exactly why we were doing it. Because it's so important."

Yet the Iowa students' fight takes place against a troubling national backdrop. According to a recent American Library Association report, 72 percent of book challenges are now initiated by organized groups or government entities -- not the concerned parents often cited as justification for these bans. Book challenges have soared since 2021, fueled by conservative organizations spreading lists of "objectionable" titles on social media. The ALA documented 4,240 unique book titles targeted for censorship in 2023, a 65% increase over 2022 and the highest level ever recorded. PEN America has tracked nearly 23,000 book bans in public schools since 2021, affecting the work of 2,308 authors, 243 illustrators, and 38 translators during the 2024-2025 school year alone.

"We're not seeing an individual read a book and raise a concern," explained Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom. "We're seeing organized groups go to school boards... demanding the removal of dozens, if not hundreds, of books at a time." In this context, the Iowa City West Banned Book Club represents more than just a student activity -- it's a grassroots resistance to what Caldwell-Stone calls "a movement of partisans who seek to limit our freedom to read."

As Cruce explained, "Banned Book Club is really a place for discussion, no judgment, where we're just talking about what we think different themes in the book mean, and why we think it's important. We're also really trying to have these important discussions about the characters in the book and the themes and why it was banned." These teenagers understand something that orchestrated censorship campaigns want us to forget: that diverse stories and difficult conversations are essential to education, not threats to it.

The club's future remains uncertain as the legal battle over Senate File 496 continues through the courts. Should the injunction be lifted, the students may once again face obstacles to maintaining their official school recognition. Yet Gooblar-Perovic remains undaunted, ready to return to operating underground if necessary. "It would definitely be easier than our first year, even if we had to become unofficial again, because we've built this community," she said. "I feel a lot more confident that we would be able to make it work."

For now, they continue meeting as a school-sponsored group, weathering occasional public criticism with the same quiet resolve that launched their movement. Their persistence proves that the freedom to read is worth fighting for -- and that the next generation of readers won't let censorship win without a fight.

Kudos to these Mighty Girls for defending every student's right to read freely!

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For those in Iowa who would like to get involved in local efforts to protect students' freedom to read, check out Annie's Foundation at https://anniesfoundation.com/

To learn about efforts to fight book bans across the country -- or to seek support protecting books in your community -- visit Unite Against Book Bans at https://uniteagainstbookbans.org

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For two inspiring books about girls fighting against censorship in schools - both for ages 9 to 12 - we highly recommend "Ban This Book" (https://www.amightygirl.com/ban-this-book) and "Property of the Rebel Librarian" (https://www.amightygirl.com/property-of-the-rebel-librarian)

For a thought-provoking young adult novel exploring censorship, we recommend "Suggested Reading" for ages 14 and up at https://www.amightygirl.com/suggested-reading

For two excellent books about Mighty Girls who find hope by reading forbidden books - both for ages 12 and up - we recommend "Voices" (https://www.amightygirl.com/voices) and "The Book Thief" (https://www.amightygirl.com/the-book-thief)

For books for tweens and teens about girls living in real-life oppressive societies with little respect for freedom of expression, visit our blog post "The Fragility of Freedom: Mighty Girl Books About Life Under Authoritarianism" at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=32426

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To read more about the Banned Book Club from Iowa Public Radio, visit https://www.iowapublicradio.org/ipr-news/2025-10-15/banned-books-iowa-city-high-school-student-club

To read the new ALA report on book banning in the U.S. at https://www.ala.org/news/state-americas-libraries-report-2025

For National Aviation Day, we're featuring our favorite books for all ages about trailblazing female pilots in our blog post, "Women Who Soar!" Whether they were on the cutting edge of the development of flight, breaking records and testing the limits of what newer and better airplanes could do, or thrilling crowds with their daredevil maneuvers, these airwomen were bold and daring. With titles for all ages, from toddlers through adults, Mighty Girls of all ages will be inspired to follow their dreams and soar!

To read our blog post, "30 Books About Boundary-Breaking Female Pilots," visit https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=20960

To inspire children and teens with more stories of inspiring female trailblazers in the arts, sciences, and other fields, visit our "Role Models" biography section at https://www.amightygirl.com/books/history-biography/biography

As always, if you purchase books that you discover on A Mighty Girl via the "Buy from Bookshop" and "Buy from Amazon" links found within this blog post and on every product page, we receive a small commission at no added cost to you, which allows us to maintain our website and continue to provide girl-empowering resources like this page for you as your own Mighty Girl grows. We appreciate your support!

FREE EVENT: Special storytime with City of San José's City Manager, Jennifer Maguire! 📖

Enjoy fun, family-friendly stories followed by a short Q&A where kids (and grown-ups!) can ask questions about how the City works. It's a unique opportunity to meet a local leader, spark civic curiosity, and inspire young minds.

All are welcome!

You're invited to a special storytime with City of San José's City Manager, Jennifer Maguire! 📖

Enjoy fun, family-friendly stories followed by a short Q&A where kids (and grown-ups!) can ask questions about how the City works. It's a unique opportunity to meet a local leader, spark civic curiosity, and inspire young minds.

All are welcome to this free event.

Before Wilma Rudolph became an Olympic icon and "the world's fastest woman," she fought a battle far more challenging than any race -- a childhood polio infection at age four that left her paralyzed, striking years before the protective vaccine would become available in 1955. Growing up in segregated Clarksville, Tennessee as one of 22 children in an impoverished family, Wilma's prospects seemed especially dire when doctors declared she would never walk normally again. The paralysis in her left leg forced her to wear a heavy metal brace, and Wilma and her mother made weekly bus trips to Nashville fifty miles away for treatment, as local medical facilities wouldn't serve African Americans.

Determined to overcome this devastating diagnosis, Wilma's mother learned physical therapy techniques and devised a home-based rehabilitation program. She taught Wilma's siblings how to perform therapeutic massage on her weakened leg, and they diligently took turns providing these treatments four times daily. For years, this family-driven therapy continued alongside Wilma's fierce determination to regain her mobility. By age 12, she was finally able to remove her leg brace permanently, an achievement that defied medical expectations and showcased her extraordinary resilience.

This triumph over polio was merely the beginning of Rudolph's remarkable journey. After discarding her brace, she began playing basketball in junior high, where her natural speed caught the attention of a Tennessee State University track coach. From a child who couldn't walk without assistance, Rudolph transformed herself through sheer determination into the "fastest woman in the world" at the 1960 Rome Olympics, winning three gold medals and becoming the first American woman to achieve this feat in a single Olympics. Her victory wasn't just personal -- it represented a powerful statement about overcoming both physical disability and racial barriers during a pivotal era in American civil rights history, inspiring generations who would follow.

To share Wilma's inspiring story with kids, we recommend the picture books "Wilma Rudolph" for ages 5 to 8 (https://www.amightygirl.com/wilma-rudolph) and "Wilma Unlimited" for ages 5 to 9 (https://www.amightygirl.com/wilma-unlimited)

Rudolph is also one of 50 trailblazing athletes in the excellent illustrated biography "Women in Sports: 50 Fearless Athletes Who Played to Win" for ages 9 and up at https://www.amightygirl.com/women-in-sports

For a fascinating book about one real-life girl's struggle to recover after being paralyzed with polio, we highly recommend "Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio" for ages 9 and up at https://www.amightygirl.com/small-steps

There's also an excellent story about a girl who contracts polio when an epidemic strikes her town, "Blue," for ages 9 and up at https://www.amightygirl.com/blue

And for one of our favorite t-shirts for sports-loving Mighty Girls -- young and old - that proudly states "I'm not strong for a girl. I'm just strong.", visit https://www.amightygirl.com/strong-t-shirt