An inspirational lot, overall, of women who have “enhanced our country in many resplendent ways.” (selected sources, index)...
Frank profiles of 45 women who, for the most part, made the best of a “weird job.”
From “mellow” Martha Washington to Michelle Obama (“serious role model”), Krull finds ways of bringing out the distinctive achievements and characters of each presidential mate and selected female relatives. Never one to gloss over rough spots, she conscientiously notes her subjects’ often problematic racial attitudes as well as their responses to their spouses’ affairs—but while portraying the first ladies as products of their times and classes, she also positions nearly all as women who pushed against gender-based expectations and prejudices. (Perhaps betraying expectations of her own, the author cites surveys in 1972 and 2014 that highlight Hillary Clinton’s presidential qualities and leaves space at the end for 2016 election results.) Even lesser lights, such as Sarah Polk (“In another era she might have become a politician herself—for now she could only marry one”) and Florence Harding, whose “reputation might have been stronger had she backed a different man,” shine here as brightly as Jackie, Eleanor, “bubbly, bold, and brave” Dolley Madison, and “drama queen” Mary Lincoln. The author intersperses firsts in women’s history to add hints of broader context. Finished art, mostly individual portraits, not seen.
An inspirational lot, overall, of women who have “enhanced our country in many resplendent ways.” (selected sources, index) (Collective biography. 10-14)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-238107-1
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2016
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats.
Why should grown-ups get all the historical, scientific, athletic, cinematic, and artistic glory?
Choosing exemplars from both past and present, Mitchell includes but goes well beyond Alexander the Great, Anne Frank, and like usual suspects to introduce a host of lesser-known luminaries. These include Shapur II, who was formally crowned king of Persia before he was born, Indian dancer/professional architect Sheila Sri Prakash, transgender spokesperson Jazz Jennings, inventor Param Jaggi, and an international host of other teen or preteen activists and prodigies. The individual portraits range from one paragraph to several pages in length, and they are interspersed with group tributes to, for instance, the Nazi-resisting “Swingkinder,” the striking New York City newsboys, and the marchers of the Birmingham Children’s Crusade. Mitchell even offers would-be villains a role model in Elagabalus, “boy emperor of Rome,” though she notes that he, at least, came to an awful end: “Then, then! They dumped his remains in the Tiber River, to be nommed by fish for all eternity.” The entries are arranged in no evident order, and though the backmatter includes multiple booklists, a personality quiz, a glossary, and even a quick Braille primer (with Braille jokes to decode), there is no index. Still, for readers whose fires need lighting, there’s motivational kindling on nearly every page.
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats. (finished illustrations not seen) (Collective biography. 10-13)Pub Date: May 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-14-751813-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Puffin
Review Posted Online: Nov. 10, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015
Deftly written and informative; a call for vigilance and equality.
An examination of the history of Chinese American experiences.
Blackburn opens with a note to readers about growing up feeling invisible as a multicultural, biracial Chinese American. She notes the tremendous diversity of Chinese American history and writes that this book is a starting point for learning more. The evenly paced narrative starts with the earliest recorded arrival of the Chinese in America in 1834. A teenage girl, whose real name is unknown, arrived in New York Harbor with the Carnes brothers, merchants who imported Chinese goods and put her on display “like an animal in a circus.” The author then examines shifting laws, U.S. and global political and economic climates, and changing societal attitudes. The book introduces the highlighted people—including Yee Ah Tye, Wong Kim Ark, Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, and Vincent Chen—in relation to lawsuits or other transformative events; they also stand as examples for explaining concepts such as racial hierarchy and the model minority myth. Maps, photos, and documents are interspersed throughout. Chapters close with questions that encourage readers to think critically about systems of oppression, actively engage with the material, and draw connections to their own lives. Although the book covers a wide span of history, from the Gold Rush to the rise in anti-Asian hate during the Covid-19 pandemic, it thoroughly explains the various events. Blackburn doesn’t shy away from describing terrible setbacks, but she balances them with examples of solidarity and progress.
Deftly written and informative; a call for vigilance and equality. (resources, bibliography, image credits) (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780593567630
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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