Hello, friends! Our book today is A Lady Has The Floor: Belva Lockwood Speaks Out For Women’s Rights, written by Kate Hannigan and illustrated by Alison Jay, a fabulous biography of one of America’s first great feminists.

Since she was a little girl in the late 1800’s, Belva Lockwood outright refused to be treated any differently than a boy. When she became a schoolteacher at the age of 14 and found out that she was paid half of what male teachers made, her resolve was solidified. She decided to persue a degree in education when it was rare for women to do so, and then went back to get her law degree when women were outright banned from studying law at all! During the way, Belva fought prejudice, harassment, and mockery, not only for herself but for all women and girls. When she became a lawyer, she dedicated herself to taking cases that no one else wanted: women, former slaves, Native Americans. She fought hard and long, eventually becoming the first woman to argue a case before the Supreme Court, and the first women to run for President.

This book was AWESOME! Belva is an inspiring figure in her own right, and this biography does her story great justice for little readers. Along with a good overview of Belva – who she was, what she believed, and her many accomplishments – the story also integrates her powerful quotes in both the text and the illustrations. The art is meant to emulate oil paintings of the era, and do a fantastic job of bringing Belva and the time she lived in to life. The length is better for slightly older bookworms, though JJ sat through it quite comfortably. This one is an absolute winner, and a great choice to show little ones that they should never let the world they live in dictate the person that they have the will to become. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)