|
Amelia Earhart: Female Pioneer in Flight
Lori Mortensen
Illustrations by Robert McGuire
Amelia Earhart was strong-willed and adventurous. She was the first woman to pilot a plane across the Atlantic and to fly it solo. She was the second person to accomplish this feat, after Charles Lindbergh. But Amelia wanted to accomplish even more. She planned the world’s longest flight, a trip circumnavigating the equator. It was to become her final journey. She and her navigator left from Florida; after a month, and several stops along the way, they reached New Guinea. From there, they were to fly across the Pacific to tiny Howland Island. Neither she, nor the navigator, nor the plane was ever seen again. Earhart is a favorite subject of biographies for readers of all ages. This short book succinctly tells her story, highlighting her accomplishments and determination. A brief section called “Did You Know?” provides other interesting details. The paintings ably support the text. Part of the “Biographies” series. 2008, Picture Window Books, Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Ellen R. Butts (Children's Literature).
ISBN:1-4048-3728-0
ISBN: 978-1-4048-3728-0
Anne Hutchinson's Way
Jeannine Atkins
Pictures by Michael Dooling
In 1634, the Hutchinson family travels with a group of Puritans across the ocean to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Anne, the mother of the family, helps deliver babies and also lectures on Scripture. As the seasons pass, people question the right of a woman to preach. When she is challenged for disturbing the peace in 1637, she refuses to stop and is ordered to leave the colony in the spring after imprisonment through the winter. In 1638, several families move on. This fictionalized story of just part of Hutchinson’s life emphasizes the point of view of Anne’s daughter Susanna along with Anne’s search for freedom. The lengthy dramatic text is reinforced with Dooling’s naturalistic paintings, which also emphasize the drama of early settler life. The focus is on the characters with just enough historic context. The artist uses light, both natural and firelight, to add emotional content. An afterword fills in the factual background history. 2007, Farrar Straus and Giroux, $17.00. Ages 8 to 10. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-374-30365-7
ISBN: 978-0-374-30365-5
Coretta Scott King: Civil Rights Activist
Dale Evva Gelfand
In her lifetime, Coretta Scott King rose from humble beginnings to near iconic status, mostly as a source of silent strength behind her husband, legendary leader Martin Luther King Jr. The events and experiences that shaped Coretta’s life are chronicled in this book. She was born to hardworking parents in a rural area of Alabama. As a young girl she and her family encountered both subtle and blatant forms of racism. Rather then quell her, these incidents fueled her determination to succeed. She was a college-educated, career-driven young women when she first met the man who would become her husband. It was as the wife of Martin Luther King Jr. that Coretta realized her true calling and became passionately involved in the civil rights movement. After Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, Coretta became “keeper of the dream” and a leader in her own right. This fascinating book details the remarkable life of a woman who worked selflessly to better the lives of others. 2007, Chelsea House/Infobase Publishing, $30.00. Ages 10 up. Reviewer: Denise Daley (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-7910-9522-3
ISBN: 978-0-7910-9522-5
Dolores Huerta
Richard Worth
This biography provides a much-needed account of Dolores Huerta, a tireless advocate for workers in the fields, and a role model for Hispanics and all Americans. Mr. Worth writes a very detailed account of the organizations with which Ms. Huerta worked. Unfortunately, it is hard to grasp the instrumental role that Dolores had. The biography includes so many side-bars, descriptions of other important people during the era, and background that Dolores’ role becomes lost. This particular aspect of United States history gets short shrift due to attention given to events such as the Vietnam War. However, the biographer could use the sidebars and headlines to provide a better understanding of the period. In this biography, more detail about the history of the area or the organizations does not provide a better understanding. It would be hard not to recommend this book since so little is known about Dolores Huerta; her story deserves to be told. One wishes the book told Huerta’s story more plainly. In spite of these shortcomings, this biography would serve young adults through community college readers wanting to find out more about this remarkable woman. 2007, Chelsea House Publishers, $30.00. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Elizabeth Fronk (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-7910-8838-3
ISBN: 978-0-7910-8838-8
Elizabeth Leads the Way: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Right to Vote
Tanya Lee Stone
Illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon
“Ah, you should have been a boy!” When Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s father made this pronouncement about his “strong-spirited, rule-breaking daughter,” he was truly worried about her. He knew that her life would have been easier if she not been a girl. “But Elizabeth wasn’t interested in easy.” The issues of women’s place in the world appalled Elizabeth Cady from the time she was a young girl and she determined that she could do “anything any boy could do.” She went on to prove this conviction admirably: she insisted on an education, worked tirelessly for women’s rights, and even ran for Congress in 1866 reasoning that even if she could not vote, men could vote for her. This detailed but accessible look at the courageous life of one of the first active champions of women’s right to vote is perfect for introducing the history of the women’s rights movement. Elizabeth Cady Stanton really sparked the movement with a daring speech at a gathering in Seneca Falls, NY, where she read aloud a Declaration of Right and Sentiments that challenged the Declaration of Independence’s statement that “all men are created equal.” The illustrations created by Gibbon are well matched to the character of Stanton and the text in their sparse, primitive look. The generous use of white space emphasizes the message of the text and supports the “no nonsense” attitude of the “Grand Old Woman of America” that Stanton came to be. The author’s note fills out the factual history of this amazing woman and a list of sources is included. Stone succeeds in evoking the respect and admiration this remarkable woman truly deserved in her own time and still deserves in ours…without her I would not be able to vote. 2008, Henry Holt, Ages 6 to 12, $16.95. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan (Children’s Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8050-7903-6
ISBN: 0-8050-7903-3
Flappers and the New American Woman: Perceptions of Women from 1918 through the 1920s
Catherine Gourley
The slick cover-picture of a woman driving a car against a background of a flapper doing the Charleston leads into the subject. From the end of the “Great War” as World War I was referred to through the 1920’s, women began to come into their own. The passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920 gave women the vote and something on which to stand. Women such as Mary Pickford, Edith Wharton, and Margaret Mead made names for themselves in movies, as novelists, and other fields of endeavor. Women began to smoke and project an image other than the protected housewife. Skirts became short and corsets were abandoned. Women changed from “producers” in the home to “consumers.” The market crash of 1929, with the following depression brought a more serious outlook to the nation, but the relationship of women had changed. Women looked forward to continued self-realization. Black and white photos, orange print on pale orange sidebars, and essays with further background break up the text. This is an interesting analysis of forces that led to the change in outlook of women that is part of the background of our time. 2008, Twenty-First Century Books/Lerner Publishing Group, $38.60. Ages 15 up. Reviewer: Carlee Hallman (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8225-6060-9
ISBN: 0-8225-6060-7
Frida Kahlo: Painter of Strength
Lissa Johnston
This book illustrates the life and physical hardships faced by the painter Frida Kahlo. It does an excellent job informing the reader about the world of art and how this strong Hispanic woman was able to find power through it. Readers are introduced to surrealism and self-portraits, which made Kahlo famous. The book is also filled with brilliant pictures, including many examples of Frida Kahlo’s work. There are interesting facts sprinkled throughout that will engross young readers. It also gives some information about Diego Rivera, Kahlo’s husband and fellow painter. There is even a time line at the back of the book to help readers place the important dates from Kahlo’s life, a list of further readings, and a glossary. This enchanting picture book would be great to use to help readers understand Hispanic culture, as well as Mexican history, like the Mexican Revolution. It is also a great historical illustration of polio, a disease Kahlo suffered from at a young age. The theme of determination through hardship, particularly physical, will inspire readers. This book is part of the “Fact Finders” series. 2007, Capstone Press, $22.60. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Traci Avalos (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7368-6417-6
ISBN: 0-7368-6417-2
Harriet Tubman: Hero of the Underground Railroad
Lori Mortensen
Illustrated by Frances Moore
The illustrator’s use of images that appear to be a combination of cut paper, collage, and a variety of paint techniques conveys a sense of primitive art that reinforces the history of the heroic deeds of Harriet Tubman. For many readers this will be the first realization that this “Moses” of her time lived until 1913 (age 93), well into the 20th Century. Her powerful drive to help people compelled her to continue to struggle against inequities long after her efforts as a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad had succeeded in changing the lives of upwards of 300 people – people she personally led to freedom in the “North” and Canada. Her indomitable spirit drove her to return to the South 18 or 19 times to help others find the freedom she had achieved for herself when she had escaped to Philadelphia. Even though she could have remained in safety, she could not rest until she had led her parents, two brothers and numerous others to freedom. Her efforts to help people continued after the Civil War began and she returned to the South to care for wounded soldiers. Later, during the war, she also served as a soldier and a spy. After the war she founded a home for homeless African-American children, built a school, and worked for women’s right to vote. All of these aspects of her life are told in straightforward text that conveys information in succinct, easily read narrative. The back matter includes a timeline, a “Did You Know?” section of facts, a glossary, a brief bibliography, FactHound web site information, and an index. This will make an excellent addition for collections needing titles accessible to elementary readers. 2007, Picture Window Books, Ages 7 to 10, $23.93. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan (Children’s Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4048-3103-2
ISBN: 1-4048-3103-7
In Their Shoes: Extraordinary Women Describe Their Amazing Careers
Deborah Reber
Written for teens considering career choices, the author has interviewed 49 women from all walks of life using a format that begins with the what, where, and how of their professions, their pay scale, dress code, and level of stress. Questions relating specifically to the career, questions from teens, and a description of a typical day follow. The curriculum vitae for each interviewee is provided, with the running theme that career change is inevitable. Throughout, short excerpts are provided on job related issues such as setting goals, networking, and stress relief. The interesting layout includes sidelights on issues relating to that particular career or advice from the person interviewed. Putting real faces and names on career possibilities is inspiring for teens, especially those with limited experiences. An index, facts on women in the workforce, and lists of careers and their attributes are included. 2007, Simon & Schuster, $12.99. Ages 10 to 14. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4169-2578-1
ISBN: 1-4169-2578-3
Josephine’s Dream
Joan Betty Stuchner
Illustrated by Chantelle Walther
From the time she was a child Josephine had a dream that she would be a star performer with her name in lights. Realizing that her dream would not come true in the United States, Josephine went to Paris where she became the star known as Josephine Baker. Fame and fortune were only parts of her dream, however. She fought against racism throughout her life. During World War II she worked with the French Resistance. Later, she adopted her “Rainbow Tribe,” twelve children of all races. She wanted to show that all people, no matter what color, could get along. The lively tone and the message of this fictionalized account make this a good choice to read aloud. Controversial aspects of her life have been left out. The Afterword presents more information about Josephine Baker’s life and her efforts to break down racial barriers. One small quibble: the Josephine Baker official web site lists her birth name as Freda Josephine McDonald. Stuchner gives Josephine her father’s last name and calls her Josephine Freda Carson. Walther’s full color, eye-catching illustrations take her from her childhood on the mean streets of East St. Louis to her glamorous life on the Paris stage, and beyond to her time as a mother. The graphic style will work well in a group setting. 2008, Silverleaf Press, Ages 5 to 7, $16.95. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-934393-04-8
Katie Couric
Erinn Banting
Katie Couric is the first woman to anchor a major nightly news program in the United States. She is a talented and well-known journalist and activist who continues to work hard for the causes that she believes in. This book chronicles Katie’s life from her birth in Arlington, Virginia to her present day position as an anchor on the CBS Evening News. Readers will learn about the events and experiences that molded Katie into the caring, compassionate, and successful individual that she is today. Growing up, Katie loved reading and writing. As a young adult, she studied English and American history and worked as an editor on her college newspaper. Katie has lost several loved ones to cancer, and this has influenced her desire to help educate others about the disease as well as to raise money for cancer research. Katie Couric is a remarkable woman whose many achievements and contributions are briefly touched upon in this book. Colorful photographs and fun facts add to the book’s appeal. This is part of the “Remarkable People” series. 2008, Weigl Publishers, $24.45. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Denise Daley (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 1-590-36643-3
ISBN: 1-590-36644-1
ISBN: 978-1-590-36643-1
ISBN: 978-1-590-36644-8
Madam C.J. Walker and New cosmetics
Katherine Krohn
Illustrated by Richard Dominguez, et al
This title from the "Inventions and Discovery" series by Graphic Library brings us the story of Sarah Breedlove. Breedlove was a determined woman who went to great lengths to further herself in a time when most African-American women had few options open to them. Breedlove began selling hair products, and eventually formed her own company using her married name of Madam C.J. Walker. Her dedication and perseverance paid off, making Madam Walker the first self-made female millionaire of any race in the United States. As presented in this graphic format, the story of Walker and her company are still an inspirational story. This presentation manages to incorporate all the salient facts of Walker's story, while presenting her tale at a rapid pace. The illustrations are colorful, energetic, and help to move the story along nicely. Walker is quoted on a few pages, and those direct quotes are indicated by a yellow background. The quotes are referenced and identified as quotes from primary sources in an editor's note below the CIP. Also presented are a brief timeline, glossary, Internet sites through Facthound.com, a list of suggested readings, bibliography, and index. This is an excellent choice for reluctant readers or young readers interested in biography. 2007, Capstone Press, $25.26. Ages 9 to 13. Reviewer: Sharon Oliver (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7368-6485-5
ISBN: 0-7368-6485-7
ISBN: 978-0-7368-9647-4
ISBN: 0-7368-9647-3
Mairead Corrigan and Betty Williams: Partners for Peace in Northern Ireland
Susan Muaddi Darraj
When a car driven by a member of the IRA careened into an Irish Catholic family out on a stroll in 1976, no one would have guessed that it would have been the catalyst needed to bring together a region plagued by car bombs and shootings. Mairead Corrigan, the aunt of three of the children killed in the accident and a Protestant neighbor named Betty Williams challenged Protestants and Catholics to unite and reject the violence that was claiming the lives of more and more innocent victims each year. The women created an organization called Peace People and were later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Darraj takes the reader from the beginning of the conflict in 1169 to the IRA’s promise in 2005 to disarm and “[pursue] an independent Northern Ireland exclusively through peaceful means.” Spreads devoted to others who embraced nonviolent means of protest are scattered throughout. Kids may find it difficult to keep the various factions straight in their minds (i.e., Provos, IRA, Protestants, Catholics, Irish, English, and Scots). Recommended for both school and public libraries. 2007, Chelsea House/Infobase, $30.00. Ages 9 to 14. Reviewer: Kristy Lyn Sutorius (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-7910-9001-9
ISBN: 978-0-7910-9001-5
Mary Cassatt: Impressionist Painter
Lois V. Harris
Words, effectively sparse in this biography of Mary Cassatt, match photographs and reproductions of paintings by her and her contemporaries to carry the reader through major events in her life. For example, her early years are illustrated by her painting of Young Girl Reading. After a childhood in the United States and Europe, she traveled to France at age twenty-one to copy paintings by the old masters; this phase of her life is illustrated by Edgar Degas’s painting of her at the Louvre. Seeing a painting by Degas in an art dealer’s window inspired Cassatt to develop her unique style of Impressionism, for which she gained recognition first in her adopted country of France and ultimately in the United States. Generous with help to young artists, she was awarded France’s Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1904 and upon her death was given a funeral with military honors. Without preaching, Harris notes the impossibility of women in that era combining family and career and, although Cassatt often painted children, she was childless. Through both words and art, this biography beautifully pictures the life of a talented and courageous woman who achieved what few women in the early years of the twentieth century dared even to dream. Highly recommended. 2007, Pelican, $15.95. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Mary Bowman-Kruhm, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-58980-452-4
ISBN: 1-58980-452-X
Maya Angelou
Edited by Edwin Graves Wilson
Illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue
Part of the Poetry for Young People series, this visually attractive picture book begins with a 4-page introduction that includes not only biographical information but also explains to young readers how certain poems relate to the time Angelou was growing up. The 25 selections begin with a brief explanation of each poem that should make them more accessible to young readers unfamiliar with the language. These explanations also include definitions of words they may not know. In “Songs for the Old Ones,” we are told that this is a tribute to older African-Americans who survived slavery and cruelty with pride. Some of the words defined at the end of the poem include Aunt Jemimas, coffles (“a line of slaves chained together in transit”), and profound. Dr. Edwin Graves Wilson, a professor of English at Wake Forest and a colleague of Angelou’s, has written the introduction to the book and the annotations to the individual poems. Award-winning illustrator Lagarrigue’s stunning illustrations— such as the wistful little girl sitting on the steps in “Little Girl Speaking,” and “Willie,” the stooped old man leaning on a cane, a backdrop of gold and green and blue swirling around—add tremendously to the appeal of this book. Other Poetry for Young People subjects include Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Edgar Allan Poe and Langston Hughes. Maya Angelou is the first living poet to be a part of the series. 2007, Sterling Publishing Company, Ages 9 to 12, $14.95.
Reviewer: Augusta Scattergood (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 1-4027-2023-8
ISBN: 978-1-4027-2023-9
Maya Lin
Tom Lashnits
Concentrating on Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial, this biography provides some details about Lin’s childhood in Athens, Ohio, where her immigrant parents, an artist father and poet mother, taught at Ohio University. Aware of two cultures, Chinese and American, Lin later benefited professionally from that dual identity which had complicated her younger years when she often felt alienated from her peers. At Yale University Lin, skilled in sciences and humanities, thrived intellectually and artistically pursuing architecture. She visited Washington, D.C., to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial’s site while developing her design for a class assignment initiated by a competition which she entered. After judges selected Lin’s memorial, she encountered sudden fame and defended her memorial against hostile criticism. Experiencing personal and artistic epiphanies during her international travels, Lin’s insights and talents resulted in her receiving commissions to design the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama; projects for communities and universities; and artwork for the Confluence Project designating Meriwether Lewis and William Clark sites on the Columbia River. Although speakers of most quotations are identified, this biography lacks source information. Sidebars discuss the Vietnam War, supplementary information regarding Lin’s memorials, and intriguing biographical insights, including profiling Lin’s architect aunt, Lin Hui-yin. Generously illustrated, this biography also supplies resources for additional images of Lin’s work. Part of the “Asian Americans of Achievement” series. 2007, Chelsea House/Infobase Publishing, $30.00. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Elizabeth D. Schafer (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-7910-9268-2
ISBN: 978-0-7910-9268-2
Missy Elliot
Tracy Brown Collins
Missy Elliot’s influence on Hip-Hop has been enormous. In an industry dominated by men and seen by many as an artistic expression that is outside the bounds of what mainstream culture should be, Elliot has shown what Hip-Hop can and should be and how it should be viewed in an artistic environment. Elliot’s life has not been an easy one; her personal life in particular has been fraught with difficulties, but her ability to persevere and her faith has kept her grounded and allowed her to reach heights that few women in the Hip-Hop industry have managed. While Elliot’s talent as a singer is what first got her into the industry, she spent several years as a songwriter before she released her first album. Elliot’s albums have debuted near the top of the music chart and her collaborations with different artists have allowed her to reach many different audiences. Fully illustrated with full color photos, Collins offers not only a brief biography of this influential woman but also offers valuable insight into the history of Hip-Hop music and the industry. This text is part of the “Hip-Hop Stars” series. 2007, Infobase Publishing/Chelsea House, Ages 9 to 12, $30.00. Reviewer: Danielle Williams (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7910-9569-0
ISBN: 0-7910-9569-X
Mother Jones: Labor Leader
Connie Colwell Miller
Illustrated by Steve Erwin and Charles Barnett III
As Mary, a young girl living in Ireland the year the potato crop was destroyed, the future Mother Jones learned first-hand about unfairness. Her family emigrated to Canada in the 1850s, where she was able to attend teachers’ college. A teaching job then took her to Tennessee, where she married an iron molder and had four children. Her husband, George Jones, urged his fellow workers to join the union, but in 1867 he and all of their children died from yellow fever (a tragedy glossed over in the text). Deciding to carry on her husband’s work, Mary became a passionate advocate for workers’ rights. For over sixty years, she lobbied throughout the United States, even landing in jail several times. Her unorthodox approaches (arming women with brooms and mops to fight off scabs; marching children to President Theodore Roosevelt’s home) made her all the more loved by workers…and feared by those in power. Her unflagging determination to see workers of all ages (especially children) treated fairly, paved the way for minimum wage and the outlawing of child labor. This entry in the “Graphic Library Biographies” series is a well-researched effort documenting a worthy heroine and includes the helpful feature of highlighting direct quotations in yellow. Unfortunately, the unflattering illustrations have far less appeal than the subject herself. Furthermore, this heroic woman deserves a more thorough exploration than this format inherently allows; but if this book generates further interest in Mother Jones, it has served its purpose well. 2007, Capstone Press, $25.26. Ages 10 to 12. Reviewer: Naomi Milliner (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7368-5487-0
ISBN: 0-7368-5487-8
ISBN: 978-0-7368-9662-7
ISBN: 0-7368-9662-7
Ms. and the Material Girls: Perceptions of Women from the 1970s through the 1990s
Catherine Gourley
Have you ever questioned how women changed from starched, straight back gentlewomen to free-spirited independent women? Getting from point A to B has been, and continues to be a long struggle, but the history of women’s advancement and achievement is fascinating. Gourely takes a look at three decades, movement by movement, issue by issue, and event by event. From the history of the National Organization for Women, to the Equal Rights Amendment, to the original female presidential candidates, to Sally Ride, the book does not disappoint. The pictures are amazing, representing whatever era is being addressed, and there are also graphics from advertisements, newspapers, TV, and commercials. Each passage is engaging and easy to read. Within the chapters there are asides that enhance the information in the chapters. Other helpful features are the further reading and websites pages. This volume would make a great addition any high school library. 2008, Twenty-First Century Books, $38.60. Ages 14 up. Reviewer: Melyssa Malinowski (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8225-6806-3
Nancy Pelosi : First Woman Speaker of the House
McElroy, Lisa Tucker
This volume of the “Gateway Biographies” series profiles the House of Representatives first woman Speaker, Nancy Pelosi. The book opens with election night, 2006, a night during which Nancy is poised to become both Speaker and grandmother. Nancy’s background as the daughter of a Maryland politician leads into her college years, through marriage, family, political activism and eventual election to the House of Representatives. Pelosi’s rise through the political ranks and her popularity amongst her fellow members of Congress lead the way to her historic position. This biography manages to cover most of the important facts of Pelosi’s life while presenting her as a very real person, one who even confessed to sneaking out of the house while a teen. Her love for her family is clearly expressed, as is her sense of humor. Attractive photographs and interesting sidebars add to the readability. 2008, Lerner Publications, Age 10 to 14, $23.93. Reviewer: Sharon Oliver (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8225-8685-2
Nothing But Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson
Sue Stauffacher
Illustrated by Greg Couch
From the endpapers to the author’s note, every word of this oversized picture book begs to be read, and read again. On the first page we learn that Althea Gibson “was the tallest, wildest tomboy in the history of Harlem.” With the exception of the pictures of a defiant Althea being told how to act at the fancy Cosmopolitan Tennis Club where she was offered free lessons, the young girl’s joy jumps out from every one of Couch’s vibrant illustrations. Yellow tennis balls adorn the back of this book to cleverly mark milestones in the player’s life, including the year she graduated from college and her major tennis victories. In the author’s note, Stauffacher explains that Gibson’s most insidious foe was racism. Called the “Jackie Robinson of tennis,” her accomplishments were tremendous. At last, the life and journey of the first African American to compete for and win the Wimbledon Cup is celebrated in a book this accessible. Kudos to Sue Stauffacher for finding Althea Gibson’s autobiography and writing so inspirationally for young readers. 2007, Alfred A. Knopf/Random House, $16.99. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Augusta Scattergood (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-375-83408-0
ISBN: 978-0-375-93408-7
ISBN: 0-375-83408-7
ISBN: 0-375-93408-1
Patience Wright: America's First Sculptor, and Revolutionary Spy
Pegi Deitz Shea
Illustrated by Bethanne Andersen
It’s wonderful that young readers live in a time when so much is being discovered and shared about the strong and brave women of America’s past. Patience Lovell Wright is a case in point, worthy of recognition as a highly successful and entrepreneurial sculptor whose story becomes all the more fascinating when she begins passing political secrets overheard in her wax-sculpting studio to colonial leaders during the Revolutionary War. Raised an independent-minded Quaker, Patience used her artistic talents to support her four children when she was left widowed at age 45; soon, she and her also-widowed sister achieved fame for their remarkably life-life wax figures of rising political stars. In 1772, Patience moved her operations to London and Paris, where she was once nearly arrested for having Benjamin Franklin’s “real head” in her possession. As Patience sculpted, she also listened, and sent across the ocean espionage messages carefuly hidden inside her molded waxen heads. Shea has indeed found a story worth telling, and she tells it well, with Andersen’s watercolors a lovely, period-perfect accompaniment. 2007, Henry Holt, $17.95. Ages 6 to 10. Reviewer: Claudia Mills, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8050-6770-5
ISBN: 0-8050-67701
ISBN: 9781428736948
ISBN: 1428736948
Shirin Ebadi: Champion for Human Rights in Iran
Janet Hubbard-Brown
When Shirin Ebadi returned to Iran after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, she was greeted by a crowd of thousands. Most of them were women, and many had traveled for miles on foot to welcome this judge, author, and human rights activist who had dedicated her life to changing theirs. Born in 1947, Ebadi’s story is also the story of revolution, war, international politics, and the role of women in Islamic society. It would seem that no one book could weave all these strands together, but Hubbard-Brown does a superlative job. Well aware that her readers may not have a great deal of background in Ebadi’s culture, she has included brief essays on a wide range of related topics, including the history of Islam, the definition of fundamentalism, the fatwa against Salmon Rushdie, and even a summary of the Iran-Contra affair of the 1980s. Certainly, the book could not be more timely. In her acceptance speech to the Nobel Committee, Ebadi expressed the hope that her prize would inspire all Muslims to embrace human rights and democracy “with the backing and solidarity of international civil society.” As a major force in that society, the U.S. has a deep interest in the future of Iran. This compelling biography is a good start towards creating the kind of understanding that may someday bring our countries together. It is part of the “Modern Peacemakers” series published by Chelsea House. 2007, Chelsea House/Infobase Publishing, $30.00. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Pat Sherman (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7910-9434-1
ISBN: 0-7910-9434-0
Silent in an Evil Time: The Brave War of Edith Cavell
Jack Batten
The battles and heroes of World War II oftentimes overshadow the battles and heroes of World War I, but the events of World War I were just as harrowing as anything that came after. Edith Cavell only intended to offer her skills as a nurse to people in need of medical attention, whether they were soldiers from Germany or the Allied forces, but when Allied soldiers arrived at her hospital after traveling through an elaborate escape network, Cavell could do nothing but assist in their escape from German territory. Cavell participated in the network for many years, and it is estimated that she helped several hundred allied soldiers escape from German occupied Belgium, but when the rest of the network was discovered, Cavell was arrested as well. She was found guilty along with the rest of the network and was one of only a handful of individuals sentenced to death. Executed only days after her sentencing, her death shocked the rest of the world and created a backlash of feeling against the Germans that shocked them into altering the sentences of most of the rest of those found guilty of participating in the escape network. A more than adequate look at Edith Cavell’s life, this brief biography also offers an intriguing look at early nursing practices as well as a fascinating glimpse into a seldom seen aspect of World War I. 2007, Tundra Books, $16.95 and $18.99. Ages 10 to 15. Reviewer: Danielle Williams (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-88776-737-1
ISBN: 0-88776-737-0
The Silk Princess
Charles Santore
In this version of the legend of the discovery of silk, thousands of years ago the Great Emperor of China has a daughter named His-Ling Chi. The young girl notices that a cocoon has fallen into her mother’s tea. She takes the thread unraveling from the cocoon and walks away holding the end. She goes away from the palace, into the mountains, then across a bridge where a dragon attacks her. She is saved by the thread. But when she decides it is time to return home, she finds the thread broken and the way home lost. She meets an old weaver, who tells her that the silkworms have brought her to him with the thread he needs. He teaches her the secret of the harvesting of the thread called silk, then leads her back to the palace. There the royal weavers follow her instructions to make a magnificent robe for the Emperor. They keep the secret for many years. Santore’s remarkably detailed watercolors almost replicate traditional Chinese paintings of trees, rocks, and mountains. He adds many birds and an aggressive dragon with huge claws. The princess and other characters are painted with a sharper Western realism. On the double pages Santore depicts an adventure through the great gates, along twisting paths, and through encompassing mists. Unfortunately the engaging text is printed in very small type. A note adds information on the legend. Don’t miss the contrasting front and back end-papers. 2007, Random House Children’s Books, Ages 4 to 8, $17.99. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-375-83664-0
ISBN: 978-0-375-93664-7
Sojourner Truth: Preacher for Freedom and Equality
Suzanne Slade
Illustrations by Natascha Alex Blanks
Sojourner Truth fought tirelessly for the rights of all people. Find out how a little girl named Isabella rose from slavery, changed her name, and made her voice heard across the United States. She was a brave woman who helped many people. She fought to free slaves. She worked hard to win equal rights for women. She used her powerful voice to give speeches that made people think. Given the name Isabella at birth, Sojourner later chose a new name that fit her better. The word sojourner means someone who travels. Sojourner traveled the United States and shared one truth that everyone should be free and have equal rights. The interesting illustrations take you from simplicity as in the clothes and dwellings to much elaboration in detail as life progresses with some of the good things. Theres beautiful design and color in the clothes and fabrics. The colors set the mood for the pictures. These things are good details and enhance the story that is told.
2008, Picture Window Books/A Coughlin Publishing Company, Ages 7 to 10, $23.93.
Reviewer: Naomi Butler (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4048-3726-3
ISBN: 1-4048-3726-4
Sophisticated Ladies: The Great Women of Jazz
Leslie Gourse
Illustrated by Martin French
The fascinating lives of fourteen brilliant musical artists who set the standard for jazz and the blues are profiled in short essays by jazz historian Leslie Gourse. Illustrated with vibrant, powerful portraits by award-winning artist Martin French, the sophisticated ladies of American music burst from the page with stunning force. From Bessie Smith, “the greatest classic blues singer of the 1920s” to modern star Diana Krall, each woman’s career is placed in the context of her childhood, family life, early musical influences, how she was discovered, and the artists with whom she worked, hitting the highlights of both the individual singer and the professional world she navigated. Solid biographies that do not gloss over the challenges of poverty, racism, abuse, and addiction, but rather weave them into the narrative as a framework for the soulful performances that made them famous, these snapshots of some of the most beloved musicians of the twentieth century will captivate young jazz lovers and students looking for unusual biographies for school projects. A fabulous introduction to this uniquely American art form, the book also provides a list of recommended books (primarily biographies written for adults) and a discography to lead readers from the lives of the singers to their unforgettable music. 2007, Dutton Children’s Books/Penguin Group, $19.99. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Keri Collins (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-525-47198-1
ISBN: 0-525-47198-7
Susan B. Anthony: Fighter for Freedom and Equality
Suzanne Slade
Illustrated by Craig Orback
This picture book biography of Susan B. Anthony is realistically illustrated in strong, warm colors. The text begins with some of Susan’s early family history, including her Quaker family’s belief in equality and education and Susan’s learning to read at the age of four. It goes on to explain that while boys were usually favored in school, when Susan objected to this treatment, her father started a school in his house in order to offer equal education to children of both sexes. When Susan herself became a teacher in New York, she found that men received ten dollars a week for the same work she was doing for two and a half dollars. In 1846, when she was twenty-six, Susan opened her own school, but she continued to be concerned about inequalities between the sexes in the kinds of jobs they were allowed to do, the amount they earned, and their rights to vote and own property. After returning home to run her family’s farm, believing that alcohol caused some men to abuse women, Susan joined the temperance movement. In 1851, she and Elizabeth Cady Stanton began traveling around the country in an effort to educate people about equality. When the Civil War began in 1861, Susan added speeches insisting that all people should be free and gathered signatures for a petition supporting the 13th Amendment. Once the Civil War ended, she went back to fighting for women’s rights, traveling by wagon and train across the country to present around 200 speeches each year on the subject. The Revolution, a newspaper started by Susan and Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 1868, publicized their ideas about equal pay for equal work and the right of women to vote. Susan died in 1906, having devoted her life to equality. The text is followed by a brief timeline of Susan B. Anthony’s life, a list of five additional facts about her, a ten-item glossary, a four-item bibliography, a description of how to find web sites related to the book, and a short index. 2007, Picture Window Books, $23.93. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Judy DaPolito (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4048-3104-9
ISBN: 1-4048-31045-
War, Women, and the News: How Female Journalists Won the Battle to Cover World War II
Catherine Gourley
For modern television viewers it may seem quite common to watch a news report featuring a female war correspondent. Yet, slightly more than a half century ago, such a happening would have been unusual indeed. It was during the Depression and World War II that female news reporters took center stage and established themselves as noteworthy journalists. Here, in Catherine Gourley’s War, Women, and the News, young historians are treated to a first rate summation of the process whereby brave-hearted female reporters earned the right to cover some of the biggest stories of recent decades. In this illustrated work, Gourley starts her tale with the evolution of women reporters during the difficult Depression era. Then, with the outbreak of World War II, a handful of stalwart and determined women chose to take on the challenges, barriers, and dangers inherent in covering warfare across the globe. In this well researched and carefully written book, readers will meet some of these women reporters. Throughout the narrative, textual inserts are included that spotlight the life stories of particular reporters. In the end, War, Women, and the News is a fine source of historical information and a compelling story in and of itself. 2007, Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, $19.99. Ages 10 to 14. Reviewer: Greg M. Romaneck (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-689-87752-0
ISBN: 0-689-87752-8
Women of the Harlem Renaissance
Lisa Beringer McKissack
This history profiles five notable black females, including writers Nella Larsen, Jessie Fauset, and Zora Neale Hurston; sculptor Augusta Savage; and blues singer Bessie Smith, who established an enduring artistic legacy in Harlem during the 1920s and 1930s. Although prior children’s books have featured some of these women, this title presents information which might be new to many readers. Generalizations and undocumented quotations weaken the narrative. Errors include misspelling Zora Neale Hurston’s birthplace, which should be Notasulga, a rural Alabama community located near Tuskegee, which influenced her early literary creations, particularly Jonah’s Gourd Vine (1934). The narrative concludes with information describing aviatrix Bessie Coleman, whose connection with the Harlem Renaissance was minimal, considering the omission of such prominent Harlem Renaissance writers and artists as Margaret Walker, Helene Johnson, and Meta Warrick Fuller. Women listed as “Important People” might be unfamiliar to most readers, meriting further research and discussion. The compelling cover--featuring a folksy oil painting depicting two black women artists--was created by noted male artist William H. Johnson instead of highlighting a female painter’s work. Supplement with Laban Carrick Hill’s Harlem Stomp! A Cultural History of the Harlem Renaissance (2003) and Nikki Giovanni’s Shimmy Shimmy Shimmy Like My Sister Kate: Looking at the Harlem Renaissance Through Poems (1996). Part of the “We the People” series. 2007, Compass Point Books, $25.26. Ages 9 to 11. Reviewer: Elizabeth D. Schafer (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7565-2034-2
ISBN: 0-7565-2034-
The Women's Movement
Virginia Schomp
This interesting account of the Women’s Movement in America is an excellent use of historical or “primary” sources to trace its origins and development. After an introduction on the use of primary sources and an historical overview of various political periods of activity, the story begins with the arrival of European settlers in America and the view of a woman’s “place” at the time. Young readers will find it difficult to fathom women could not vote, own property, or have a voice in public matters. The book notes that Abigal Adams was one of the first women to question the constitutional rights of women, but fails to tell the reader her maiden name. The rest of the book follows the development of women’s political voices as they first became involved in antislavery, the right to vote, wartime employment, sex discrimination, abortion, and other issues. Leaders of the various movements over the years are emphasized and the book’s inclusion of numerous black-and-white and color period photos and illustrations are essential for young readers to grasp some meaning from it all. Throughout, the book provides questions for readers under “Think About This” headings, offering excellent points for classroom or family discussions. It is interesting reading even for those who already know the story, especially the quotes from actual participants. A useful pictorial time line, glossary, listing of resources and Web sites, and an extensive index are included. 2007, Marshall Cavendish Corp, $25.95. Ages 12 to 15. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7614-2171-9
ISBN: 0-7614-2171-8
Yours for Justice, Ida B. Wells: The Daring Life of a Crusading Journalist
Philip Dray
Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn
Ida B. Wells was strong, determined and outspoken and she came by it all naturally. Her father lost his job as a carpenter when he failed to vote as directed by his white boss in Holly Springs, Mississippi not long after the Civil War. By the time she was sixteen, Wells’ parents had died of yellow fever; Wells raised six younger siblings and became a teacher. She fought Jim Crow laws that tried to hold her back at every step. She began to write about discrimination and injustice, first for a church publication then for a local newspaper and finally for a respected black newspaper called the New York Age, always signing her columns and letters “Yours for Justice, Ida B. Wells.” It was while writing his award-winning At the Hands of Persons Unknown: The Lynching of Black America that Philip Dray knew he wanted to tell Wells’ story, struggle by struggle, article by article – especially her fight against lynching. “The people must know before they can act, and there is no educator to compare with the press,” Wells would write. The book provides excellent historical background for the stories of lynching and nooses that are even now back in the news. Although Yours for Justice is a large format picture book, the stylized, art deco illustrations by Stephen Alcorn should broaden its appeal to a wider age range. Readers who are reluctant or struggling will meet quite a role model in perseverance. The back pages include photos, resources, a timeline and additional background on Well’s role in founding the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the history of lynching in America. 2008, Peachtree, Ages 8 to 12, $19.85. Reviewer: Karen Leggett (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-56145-417-4
ISBN: 1-56145-417-6
|
