THE VAN BUREN SISTERS VS. THE PANTS POLICE

The Van Buren sisters defy gender roles on a cross-country motorbike ride.

To prove that women are just as capable as men of serving as messengers during World War I, Addie and Gussie Van Buren set off on a journey from Brooklyn to San Francisco, armed with Addie’s mechanic tools and sporting goggles and leather jackets and pants, but not everyone supports them. Though their father raised them with a love of sports and a confident attitude, most people at this time believe that women should be prim, quiet, and domestic while wearing cumbersome dresses, and they make sure to tell Addie and Gussie that over and over again. But the indomitable sisters won’t be dissuaded from their adventure and complete their 5,000-mile trek despite threats of arrest for the crime of wearing men’s clothing. With only a pair of goggles to differentiate them when they’re in their biker gear, it’s difficult to tell the sisters apart throughout the story. Bland backgrounds and the largely interchangeable cast of mostly White-presenting characters flatten the reading experience. At times, the book seems to suggest that wearing dresses and frilly clothes is inherently incompatible with women achieving autonomy. Still, many will welcome this enthusiastic celebration of two relatively lesser known women sticking up for their passions and beliefs despite societal expectations. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An occasionally simplistic but rousing tale that shines a light on a story that should be more widely known.