Jeannette Rankin was born in Montana and spent her life working hard for women and for peace. Young readers who may not recognize her name will see that she was the first woman to serve in Congress, elected in 1916; that she worked tirelessly for social justice and woman’s suffrage; and that in her 80s she was still marching for peace during the Vietnam era. This volume is rich in photographs, sidebars and pulled quotes—it’s hard to resist a caption that notes how women’s dresses got shorter and their hats got smaller—but Woelfle’s workmanlike prose is occasionally marred by cliché. Rankin’s devotion to her large and extended family and her world travels in service of peace and justice are engaging, and so are tidbits like the possibility that her great friend Fiorello La Guardia, mayor of New York City, proposed marriage to her. A welcome addition to the short list of titles for young readers about this important figure. (timeline, bibliography, source notes, index not seen) (Biography. 9-14)
