A thoughtful and attractive presentation of a complex and intriguing topic.
A collection of fascinating tales of women's trials and triumphs during the years of settlement in the West.
Miller has divided the book into broad topics that gather stories of women's roles in settlement of the American West. “Many a Weary Mile" describes the trip west by wagon; "Oh Give Me a Home" explores early pioneering experiences. "A Woman Can Work," "And Now the Fun Begins" and "Great Expectations for the Future" all examine the careers of women who stepped out of typical female roles of the era. "A Clash of Cultures" tells of the experiences of two young white females captured by Native Americans and two Native American women's experiences dealing with white culture. The stories strike a nice balance, profiling many different types of experiences. Each chapter begins with a broad overview of the topic and then narrows down with compelling tales of individuals. Inclusion of first-person narrative through the use of letters and diaries brings the women to life in their own voices, augmented by revealing black-and-white period photographs with very brief captions. Part of this enlightening effort is a reworking of the 1995 Buffalo Gals of the Old West, which was aimed at a somewhat younger audience. While presented as an offering for teens, this work would be equally appropriate for adults.
A thoughtful and attractive presentation of a complex and intriguing topic. (extensive bibliography and endnotes) (Nonfiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-883052-97-3
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 11, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Useful for both those looking to run a poetry-writing workshop or readers looking specifically for advice with their own...
Nineteen members of a culturally diverse student poetry troupe each share their personal stories, classic poems that have inspired their writing, and a poem written specifically in response to the classic poetry selection.
Get Lit was founded on the principle that reading and using classic poems as inspiration for writing new poetry produces “magic, time and time again.” This volume aims to share this formula with those who may not be able to attend Get Lit events. Participants’ autobiographical essays showcase a range of personal struggles that include familial pressures to be perfect, shattered family dynamics, and bullying, and the book stresses that poetry can be a means of overcoming obstacles. Both the essays and the poetry selections are often emotionally raw, as troupe members explore personal pain and find hope for the future through writing. While the work showcases the fears of a young generation, the pieces also frequently call for self-acceptance, personal empowerment, and social justice. The suggested poems for additional reading are helpful for poetry novices and fanatics alike. The writing prompts included with each chapter are potentially useful, but they also could give the text a “workbook” feel that may alienate some readers.
Useful for both those looking to run a poetry-writing workshop or readers looking specifically for advice with their own writing. (Poetry/nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 25, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-58270-576-7
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Beyond Words/Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 25, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016
Students of literature will appreciate the powerful poetry that brings life to Mary Shelley’s story the way that Shelley...
That a teenage girl in 19th-century England could have written a novel as original as Frankenstein has fascinated generations of readers.
This fictionalized biography in first-person free verse unveils how Mary Shelley’s unusual experiences shaped her imagination and inspired her to give the world the first “mad scientist” in science fiction. From extensive source material, Judge pieces together a timeline from 1812 until the anonymous publication of Frankenstein in 1817. As a pregnant teenager, Mary is banished by her father for her relationship with libertine poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Her social circle of prolific Romantic-era writers includes poet Lord Byron, who challenges the group to write ghost stories one rainy evening. (Among the tidbits in the backmatter are thumbnail biographies of these secondary players and a bibliography of related titles.) The author/illustrator pulls no punches in her portrayal of Mary’s dismal life. The book is heavily illustrated in black-and-white wash, with darkly evocative images that echo the grief behind Mary’s writing, including the loss of a baby and sharing Percy Shelley with her stepsister, Claire. A prologue and epilogue from the Creature’s point of view pull modern readers in: “She conceived me…till I was bold enough to climb out of the page / and into your mind.”
Students of literature will appreciate the powerful poetry that brings life to Mary Shelley’s story the way that Shelley herself breathed life into her novel of a scientist who animates a corpse. (introduction, biographical note, author’s note, notes, bibliography) (Historical verse novel. 13-17)Pub Date: Jan. 30, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-62672-500-3
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 12, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2017
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