NEW YORK, NY.- Art historian and bestselling author Katy Hessel will release a new illustrated adaptation of her internationally acclaimed book The Story of Art Without Men this fall, inviting a new generation of readers into art history through the artists and stories that have too often been pushed to the margins. For many young readers, it will reshape what they think art history is in the first place and show them how art can always be relevant to them.

Titled The Story of Art Without Men: An Illustrated Guide to Amazing Women Artists, the book will be published by Norton Young Readers on October 6, 2026, and is now available for preorder.

Created for readers ages 8–14, the book approaches art history less as a fixed timeline to memorize and more as a sprawling adventure through bold ideas, different worlds, inventions, and the artists who changed the way people see the world itself. Through vibrant illustrations by New York-based artist Ping Zhu, reproductions of iconic artworks, and hands-on creative exercises – referred to as ‘Art Tasks’ woven throughout, Hessel expands the story of art history far beyond the usual canon, turning it from something that can feel intimidating or distant into something young readers can actually connect to, and get involved with.

The book introduces readers to artists including Yayoi Kusama, Georgia O’Keeffe, Augusta Savage, Lee Krasner, Sister Corita Kent, Faith Ringgold, Leonora Carrington, Yoko Ono, Harriet Powers, Sofonisba Anguissola, and many others whose contributions have often been minimized, excluded, or erased from mainstream histories. Each chapter also includes activities inspired by the artists themselves (such as Yoko Ono’s ‘Wish Trees’), encouraging children not just to learn about art, but to engage with it directly and think critically about the images and stories surrounding them.

“This children’s version of Hessel’s adult book of the same title explores the lives of women artists across the globe, from Cornwall to Manhattan, Nigeria and Japan. Every page is packed with artwork, from Renaissance painters such as Sofonisba Anguissola to today’s creator of giant paintings Flora Yukhnovich, as Hessel highlights the difficulties female artists have faced... I could have read a whole book on every chapter of this engrossing title, which celebrates the women whose work has been overlooked. It will galvanise young artists, whatever their gender.” — Children's Previews, The Bookseller

“This distilled version of Hessel’s 2022 bestseller, with Ping Zhu’s absorbing, enticing illustrations welcoming the reader on to every page, is a superb introduction to art history and image analysis, offering a thrilling perspective shift to focus on unfairly neglected female trailblazers. Perfect for visual art fans of 9+.” — The Guardian

A dedicated “Art Historian’s Toolbox” teaches readers how to look closely at images, question symbolism, and understand how art reflects everyday life. Hessel also expands beyond the original bestselling edition with entirely new material created specifically for younger audiences, including a chapter exploring First Nations Art in Australia.





Originally growing out of Hessel’s influential platform and podcast The Great Women Artists, The Story of Art Without Men struck a nerve with readers around the world for the way it challenged the traditional version of art history and brought long-overlooked women artists back into the conversation, written in Hessel’s accessible and lively style. The original edition was a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller and was named Waterstones Book of the Year in 2022, and shortlisted for Barnes & Noble Book of the Year 2023.

A national book tour, including family-focused museum and bookstore events, will roll out throughout Fall 2026.

Katy Hessel is an art historian and the author of the international bestseller The Story of Art Without Men (Waterstones Book of the Year 2022); How To Live an Artful Life and The Story of Art Without Men: An Illustrated Guide to Amazing Women Artists, her first children's book. She runs @thegreatwomenartists on Instagram, hosts The Great Women Artists Podcast, and writes a column for The Guardian. A Visiting Fellow at Cambridge University and Trustee of Charleston, she has presented documentaries for the BBC and launched Museums Without Men, a growing audio series highlighting works by women artists in museum collections worldwide, including The Met and Hirshhorn Museum. https://www.thegreatwomenartists.com/