Meet some truly incredible Young Heroes on International Women's Day

Published on: 08 March 2019 Author: Catriona Wightman

Today, 8 March, is International Women's Day - and we're marking the occasion by learning about some incredible young people who have made a huge difference to the world.

Young Heroes - a new book from Lula Bridgeport and illustrators Federica Frenna, Isabel Munoz and Julianna Swaney - celebrates children and teenagers who have had an impact, both in the past and the present.

Alongside famous faces like Taylor Swift, Daniel Radcliffe, Malala Yousafzai and Pelé, there are also names you might not have heard before - but won't be forgetting in a hurry.

What's more, the book includes some great tips to help you be a hero, too. 

To celebrate International Women's Day, we've picked out three of the incredible girls featured in the book to help you feel inspired...

Lily Born in Young Heroes

When 8-year-old Lily noticed that her grandfather kept spilling his drinks because of tremors caused by Parkinson's disease, she decided to help him out - by designing a special cup. Her Kangaroo Cup, funded through a Kickstarter campaign, has now sold thousands (and Lily donates part of the profits to Parkinson's charities).


Maritza Morales Casanova in Young Heroes

Maritza Morales Casanova grew up in the beautiful Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, but by the age of ten she was concerned about the effect climate change would have on the region.

Hoping to help people with environmental education, she launched Humanity United to Nature in Harmony for Beauty, Welfare and Goodness and taught friends and neighbours how to grow plants and care for animals. By 13, she was campaigning for lands and funds to build an education centre, which finally opened in 2013, and features classes for children, taught by children.


Yusra Mardini in Young Heroes

Yusra was always a talented swimmer - she'd competed at the World Championships by the age of 14. But when Syria became engulfed in civil war, she fled with her sister, Sarah. During their perilous journey to Greece, the boat's motor failed and they were stranded - but Yusra and Sarah jumped into the water and pushed the boat for three and a half hours.

Yusra has since competed at the Olympics in Rio as part of the Refugee team and now works as a UN Refugee Agency Goodwill Ambassador.


Young Heroes: Inspirational Children from Around the World by Lula Bridgeport and illustrators Federica Frenna, Isabel Munoz and Julianna Swaney is out now, published by Stripes.

Read our review of Young Heroes


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