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Maya’s Big Question

Contributors

By Meena Harris

Illustrated by Marissa Valdez

Formats and Prices

On Sale
Feb 3, 2026
Page Count
40 pages
ISBN-13
9780316561341

Price

$18.99

Price

$24.99 CAD

Format:

  1. Hardcover $18.99 $24.99 CAD
  2. Audiobook Download (Unabridged) $4.99

A young girl is determined to celebrate the women in her community and beyond in this inspiring book by #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ambitious Girl Meena Harris.

Maya is proud of who she is: a curious kid who loves to ask questions. When her class takes a trip to Washington, DC, and only visits monuments dedicated to men, Maya asks: “Where are all the women?” With help from a park ranger who knows that asking questions is one of the most powerful things you can do, Maya decides to celebrate the women in her community with a monument of their own. But how can a kid build something so big? It takes creativity, community, and ambition—and Maya is the right person for the job!
 
Inspired by real-life park ranger Betty Reid Soskin, this latest book from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meena Harris encourages kids to question the status quo, and to embrace their part in writing the next chapter of history.

Don’t miss the other Ambitious Girl books:
Ambitious Girl 
A Is for Ambitious

Series:

  • Praise for Ambitious Girl:
  • "I love that Ambitious Girl both shows and tells—it shows a girl who looks like my own daughter and tells her, and her brother, that women’s ambition is powerful and something to be celebrated." 
    Mindy Kaling, Actor, producer, activist, and New York Times bestselling author
  • "I know a thing or two about being called 'ambitious' as an insult. But ambitious girls fight for change. Ambitious girls lift up their communities. Ambitious girls run for president. Ambitious girls can do anything. This celebration of girls' ambition is timely, inspiring, and much-needed."
    Hillary Rodham Clinton
  • "This wonderful book tells young girls what we have ALL needed to hear but haven’t heard nearly enough: Ambition is good, and girls who are ambitious achieve great things and help others. This delightful book is a must read for every little girl."
    Padma Lakshmi, Author, UNDP Goodwill Ambassador and ACLU Artist Ambassador for Immigrant and Women’s Rights project
  • "Being ambitious means daring to be different and being willing to break the mold. That can be scary, but with Ambitious Girl by her side, young girls will know they can do anything."
    Issa Rae, Actor, producer, activist
  • "The soft watercolor illustrations amplify the book’s underlying messages of love and hope, filling the backgrounds with a multiracial cast of women diverse in age, sexuality, ethnicity, and ability. An inspiring, rhyming ode to female ambition."
    Kirkus Reviews

Meena Harris

About the Author

Meena Harris was born into a family of ambitious women whose legacy continues to inspire her. She is a lawyer, a CEO, and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ambitious Girl, A Is for Ambitious, The Truth About Mrs. Claus, and Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea. In 2017 she founded Phenomenal Media, a values-driven, 360-degree media company that centers women and historically excluded communities. She currently resides in the Bay Area with her husband and two daughters.

Marissa Valdez is the illustrator of the #1 New York Times bestseller Ambitious Girl, A Is for Ambitious, and the Hattie Harmony books by Elizabeth Olsen and Robbie Arnett. She hopes that her work encourages young girls to be ambitious and to dream big. She has a BFA in animation from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and has worked as a preschool teacher, graphic designer, and freelance illustrator. She invites you to visit her online at marissavaldez.com.

Learn more about this author