by Kirsten Gillibrand ; illustrated by Maira Kalman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 13, 2018
“Mr. President, how long must women wait for liberty?” Inez Milholland’s 100-year-old question lingers.
Brief biographical sketches of female American suffragists, accompanied by bold artwork.
Sen. Gillibrand, D-NY, introduces her great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother as strong, feisty women. In these first pages, the text is laden with platitudes about being brave and believing in yourself. Fortunately, the captivating art carries the day, as does the wise inclusion of humor: The author’s grandmother used to roller-skate through the New York State Capitol, where she worked. The introduction appropriately segues into the lives of 10 women whose work for women’s voting rights inspired the author’s family. Those biographies have an accessible and enjoyable format: Each clearly points out the woman’s contributions to the suffrage movement and includes both a few facts about her life and a short quotation. The brilliantly conceived, colorful art expands each story. Women best known for suffrage work—Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton—are interspersed with women better known for other accomplishments, such as Harriet Tubman and Ida B. Wells, and with lesser-known but equally impressive activists, such as Chicano educator Jovita Idár. Several times the text mentions the racism experienced by suffragists of color. The stories build up to the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920 and then, in a stroke of genius, shifts to the 2017 Women’s March in Washington, D.C.
“Mr. President, how long must women wait for liberty?” Inez Milholland’s 100-year-old question lingers. (timeline) (Informational picture book. 7-12)Pub Date: Nov. 13, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-525-57901-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 1, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2018
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by Ruby Shamir ; illustrated by Matt Faulkner ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 28, 2018
An empowering choice.
Shamir and Faulkner take readers on a trip through various moments in U.S. history as they explore the democratic process.
The text begins in 1884, when a young man rides for hours to deliver his local ballot box in the state of Nebraska. The book then jumps in nonlinear fashion from key moment to key moment, explaining its importance: Native Americans were granted citizenship in 1924 (their status as members of sovereign nations goes unmentioned); the emergency number 911 was created in 1968; George Washington was the only presidential candidate ever to run unopposed. The information is divided into general paragraphs that begin with a question and text boxes that supply trivia and provide additional context to the paragraphs. Children’s and teens’ roles are often cited, such as their participation in the civil rights movement and the lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18. The information ranges from national elections to local, expanding on what can be done on a national level and what can occur locally. Along the way, Faulkner includes a diverse mixture of citizens. A range of ethnic groups, minorities, and people of various body sizes and abilities are included, making the book visually welcoming to all readers. An early image depicting a blind woman with both guide dog and cane appears to be the only visual misstep. The backmatter includes a timeline and sources for additional reading.
An empowering choice. (Informational picture book. 7-12)Pub Date: Aug. 28, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5247-3807-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
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by Andrew Young & Paula Young Shelton ; illustrated by Gordon C. James ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 2, 2022
A pivotal moment in a child’s life, at once stirring and authentically personal.
Before growing up to become a major figure in the civil rights movement, a boy finds a role model.
Buffing up a childhood tale told by her renowned father, Young Shelton describes how young Andrew saw scary men marching in his New Orleans neighborhood (“It sounded like they were yelling ‘Hi, Hitler!’ ”). In response to his questions, his father took him to see a newsreel of Jesse Owens (“a runner who looked like me”) triumphing in the 1936 Olympics. “Racism is a sickness,” his father tells him. “We’ve got to help folks like that.” How? “Well, you can start by just being the best person you can be,” his father replies. “It’s what you do that counts.” In James’ hazy chalk pastels, Andrew joins racially diverse playmates (including a White child with an Irish accent proudly displaying the nickel he got from his aunt as a bribe to stop playing with “those Colored boys”) in tag and other games, playing catch with his dad, sitting in the midst of a cheering crowd in the local theater’s segregated balcony, and finally visualizing himself pelting down a track alongside his new hero—“head up, back straight, eyes focused,” as a thematically repeated line has it, on the finish line. An afterword by Young Shelton explains that she retold this story, told to her many times growing up, drawing from conversations with Young and from her own research; family photos are also included. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A pivotal moment in a child’s life, at once stirring and authentically personal. (illustrator’s note) (Autobiographical picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-545-55465-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
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