This is the third year that the lovely people at Astra Books for Young Readers have sent a package of Women's History Month picture books! Many thanks to Kerry McManus, for sending such a fantastic selection of STEAM related biographies. I'll feature some more next week, and as always, I post reviews on Goodreads under the name MsYingling. A shoutout to Carolyn Yoder, a Calkins Creek editor with a fantastic eye for interesting historical topics as well!
One Girl's Voice: How Lucy Stone Helped Change the Law of the Land
February 11, 2025 by Calkins Creek
Copy provided by the publisher
Born in 1847, Lucy Stone battled not only society, but also her family, for the opportunity to be educated. After a childhood spent always learning, Lucy secured a position at Oberlin College, having saved up money from collecting and selling berries and nuts, since her father didn't want to contribute. Once at school, she studied hard, but worked very long days, also turning her hand to whatever work she could find. When women were denied the opportunity to speak in class, she put together a secret club to practice oratorical skills, and went up against the administration to secure equal pay for lecturers of both genders. Hired after graduation to work for the New England Anti-Slavery Society, Lucy used her passion for change on public speaking tours where she was not always well received. Undaunted, she continued her work even after her marriage to Henry Blackwell and the birth of her children, and was glad to see the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery passed. This book includes a timeline of Lucy Stone's life and women's history, fun facts, and a bibliography.
Gibbon's art has graced many other titles about women's history, including Woelfle's A Take-Charge Girl Blazes a Trail to Congress (Jeannette Rankin), Wallace's Marjory Saves the Everglades: The Story of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Corey's Players in Pigtails, and Esbaum's Bird Girl: Gene Stratton-Porter Shares Her Love of Nature with the World, and is bright and energetic. Quotations from Stone are featured on bulletin board worthy pages, which is a great way to have visual representation of Stone's voice.
Young readers may be surprised at the strictures placed on Stone's behavior, but the old fashioned dresses make it clear that Stone lived a long time ago. Still, there is an underlying message that the freedoms Stone is seeking should not be taken for granted.
Lucy Stone is probably my favorite women's rights activists, since she made the very bold move to keep her own name! There are many books about Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, so it's good to see picture book biographies about other influential women who worked to further equality. Add One Girl's Voice to titles such as Dalton's To Boldly Go (Nichelle Nichols) Flygenring's Vigdis, Browne's Indelible Ann (Richards), and Rosenstock's Fight of the Century: Alice Paul Battles Woodrow Wilson for the Vote.
February 11, 2025 by Calkins Creek
Copy provided by the publisher
Born in 1847, Lucy Stone battled not only society, but also her family, for the opportunity to be educated. After a childhood spent always learning, Lucy secured a position at Oberlin College, having saved up money from collecting and selling berries and nuts, since her father didn't want to contribute. Once at school, she studied hard, but worked very long days, also turning her hand to whatever work she could find. When women were denied the opportunity to speak in class, she put together a secret club to practice oratorical skills, and went up against the administration to secure equal pay for lecturers of both genders. Hired after graduation to work for the New England Anti-Slavery Society, Lucy used her passion for change on public speaking tours where she was not always well received. Undaunted, she continued her work even after her marriage to Henry Blackwell and the birth of her children, and was glad to see the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery passed. This book includes a timeline of Lucy Stone's life and women's history, fun facts, and a bibliography.
Gibbon's art has graced many other titles about women's history, including Woelfle's A Take-Charge Girl Blazes a Trail to Congress (Jeannette Rankin), Wallace's Marjory Saves the Everglades: The Story of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Corey's Players in Pigtails, and Esbaum's Bird Girl: Gene Stratton-Porter Shares Her Love of Nature with the World, and is bright and energetic. Quotations from Stone are featured on bulletin board worthy pages, which is a great way to have visual representation of Stone's voice.
Young readers may be surprised at the strictures placed on Stone's behavior, but the old fashioned dresses make it clear that Stone lived a long time ago. Still, there is an underlying message that the freedoms Stone is seeking should not be taken for granted.
Lucy Stone is probably my favorite women's rights activists, since she made the very bold move to keep her own name! There are many books about Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, so it's good to see picture book biographies about other influential women who worked to further equality. Add One Girl's Voice to titles such as Dalton's To Boldly Go (Nichelle Nichols) Flygenring's Vigdis, Browne's Indelible Ann (Richards), and Rosenstock's Fight of the Century: Alice Paul Battles Woodrow Wilson for the Vote.
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March 4, 2025 by Versify
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
In this novel in verse, we meet Matilda Young, the youngest of a large family living in Washington, D.C. Based on a real person, Matilda is interested in the women’s suffrage movement when the book opens in 1913. At just 14, there’s not much that she can do, and her family even forbids her from going to protest marches, although she does sneak out. While her mother and older sister Joy are very active, and her older sister Rachel has a job with Senator LaFollette on Capitol Hill, Matilda’s father does not support voting rights for women. Still, Matilda is shocked to see him at a march with his boss, drinking and making fun of the women. Her brother seems caught in the middle, but her neighbor Peter is an ally. As the years pass, Matilda is able to become more and more involved, volunteering at the Congressional Union for Women’s Suffrage, handling the mail. This gives her many opportunities to meet prominent figures in the suffragist movement like Inez Milholland and Alice Paul, as well as ordinary women like Rose Winslow who worked for years in factories and wants to help young workers get better conditions. When the U.S. enters World War I, there is some talk about cutting back on protests, but older participants regret a similar move during the Civil War. Silent Sentinals are dispatched to picket the White House every day, although public sentiment tells them not to “annoy” president Woodrow Wilson while he is dealing with the war, and they suffer frequent attacks. After securing a paying job with the National Women’s Party and being moved to working the switchboard, Matilda becomes even more involved. Her older sister, along with many others, is arrested, and kept in horrible conditions in a workhouse. The women refuse to pay fines and admit guilt. Again and again, the women protest and are arrested and abused, but they don’t give up. Eventually, the war ends, and the women’s travails pay off. 1919 is a tense year as the ratification process moves slowly through the states, but eventually Tennessee ratifies the 19th Amendment in August of 1920, and women win the right to vote.
Weaknesses: Many times, the verse format leads to having to read just one word on every line, which was not my favorite thing. I do wish there had been another subplot about other things going on in Matilda’s life; a romance or friendship with Peter would add to the appeal for younger readers.
What I really think: There are few other books about suffrage; I rather regret having weeded Bolton’s 1963 Never Jam Today, but it was in very poor condition. For now, this is a good choice for readers who liked Zimet’s Roses and Radicals, Chamber’s Finish the Fight, or Kops’ exquisite Alice Paul and the Fight for Women’s Rights, but would like a fictional view of the early 19th century suffrage movement.
I hope girls and women will also read my book Destiny's Daughter, following the life and activities of Mary Edwards Walker, Civil War soldier, America first female surgeon and later an extraordinary suffragist. She encouraged women to think for themselves, seek a career and recognize their self worth. Her philosophy parallels the goals of women today. Apprentice House Press.
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