How the Malalas, Rowlings, Curies persisted: Chelsea Clinton pens book

Former US President Bill Clinton's daughter Chelsea has come out with a new book which describes how 13 women, including Nobel laureates Malala Yousafzai and Marie Curie and author J K Rowling, did not listen to voices asking them to step down but kept on persisting towards their goal.

The other women included in "She Persisted Around the World: Thirteen Women Who Changed History" are Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, Viola Desmond, Sissi Lima do Amor, Leymah Gbowee, Caroline Herschel, Wangari Maathai, Aisha Rateb, Kate Sheppard, Yuan Yuan Tan and Mary Verghese.

"My book 'She Persisted Around the World' celebrates 13 women who overcame adversity to change the course of history across the globe," says Chelsea.

"Inspired by the overwhelming response from young readers to the stories of the 13 American women shared in 'She Persisted', I decided to write 'She Persisted Around the World' and hope these incredible women's stories further empower kids to use their voices and dreams to positively shape the world around them and our shared future," says the Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation.

According to Chelsea, it is not always easy being a girl anywhere in the world.

"It's especially challenging in some places. There are countries where it's hard for girls to go to school and where women need their husbands' permission to get a passport or even to leave the house. And all over the world, girls are more likely to be told to be quiet, to sit down, to have smaller dreams," she says.

"Don't listen to those voices. These 13 women from across the world didn't. They persisted," Chelsea says about her book, published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin. The picture book has illustrations by Alexandra Boiger of Germany.

The publisher says the book is for tiny activists, mini feminists and little kids who are ready to take on the world.

"So, speak up, rise up, dream big. These women did that and more. They persisted and so should you," is the message Chelsea conveys.

She earlier wrote the picture book "She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World".