Tag: michelle markel

When You Grow Up To Vote (Eleanor Roosevelt, with Michelle Markel)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is When You Grow Up To Vote, written by Eleanor Roosevelt with Michelle Markel and illustrated by Grace Lin, a wonderfully informative chapter book that walks children through the structure of the US government and the effect we can have on it.

Originally published in 1932, this second edition has been updated to be more inclusive and to reflect changes in government since Roosevelt’s day. Starting with an introduction to government employees such as police, firefighters, and sanitation workers, the topics move up through city, state, and national government. Readers are introduced to how bills become laws, how the electoral college works (and how it can be manipulated through gerrymandering), and above all, the importance of making one’s voice heard by voting in elections.

Both timely and timeless. This was a chapter book, and definitely meant for an age group older than JJ’s, but we did choose some key passages to read together and I was so impressed. It’s amazing how Roosevelt’s voice and passion for government carries across decades, and Markel has done a wonderful job of providing necessary updates to the subject matter. The information covered is vital for any citizen, yet it’s approached in a way that simplifies it for – yet never talks down to – its reader. The illustrations bring diversity and visual interest to what can sometimes be dry topics, and fits perfectly without overwhelming. The length is absolutely for older bookworms, but it’s a great way to introduce little ones to their own important place in government. Baby Bookworm approved!

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

Top 5: Women’s History Month – Part 2

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Hello, friends! As you may know, March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate incredible women and their contributions to science, the arts, government, society and humanity. In honor of this, we’re here to present our second annual Women’s History Month Top 5! We loved compiling part one of this list last year, so we’ve pulled together some amazing kidlit biographies of female luminaries that we’ve enjoyed in the year since.

To celebrate the start of March, here’s a few more of our favorite books for Women’s History Month:

1. A Lady Has The Floor: Belva Lockwood Speaks Out For Women’s Rights (Kate Hannigan, illus. Alison Jay)

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Growing up in the late 1800’s, Belva Lockwood outright refused to be treated any differently than a boy. She pursued a degree in education, then went back to get her law degree when women were banned from studying law. 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.

“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. […] 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.”

2. Shark Lady: The True Story Of How Eugenie Clark Became The Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist (Jess Keating, illus. Marta Álvarez Miguéns)

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When she was a child, there was no place Eugenie would rather be than the aquarium, watching and learning about her beloved sharks; while many people saw them as mindless eating machines, Eugenie saw fascinating and intelligent creatures. Eugenie dedicated her life to studying sharks and other marine life, fighting discrimination against her gender and public views of sharks the whole way. Eugenie refused to be scared – of the sharks or the people – and made breakthrough discoveries that have changed what we know about sharks to this day.

“[…T]he perfect way to introduce Eugenie and her love of marine biology to younger ones. The text is written in a […] story-like narrative, which allows little readers to follow her childhood and early career. The illustrations are wonderful, full of color, joy, determination, and just a hint of fantasy that inspires readers to see the world through Eugenie’s eyes. […] JJ loved all the sharks and fishes, and I loved the message: girls can be and do whatever they dream of… they simply have to dive in.”

3. Ella, Queen Of Jazz (Helen Hancocks)

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In the 1950’s, there was no better blues and jazz singer than Ella Fitzgerald, but there was terrible prejudice in the way of Ella achieving all her dreams as a singer. At the fanciest joint in town, Ella was turned away at the door, and she was heartbroken. But Ella was about to receive a very surprising call, thanks to one of the most famous women in Hollywood, so that her incredible voice could be heard any stage she graced it with.

“[…A] wonderful story of women helping women, and Hancocks does a fabulous job of telling it. She wisely keeps the focus on Ella until the very end, noting that it was her talent and perseverance had earned her the opportunity, and Monroe’s intervention was simply to force the hand of the racist club policies. Then, she celebrates the real-life friendship between the two, showing little readers that the key to overcoming our differences is by bonding over our similarities. It’s all wrapped up in a beautiful package of simple yet engaging text and colorful period-inspired art.”

4. Brave Girl: Clara And The Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike Of 1909 (Michelle Markel, illus. Melissa Sweet)

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To look at Clara Lemlich when she arrived in New York City, she wouldn’t have looked like much: five feet tall, only seventeen years old, and barely able to speak English. Clara went to work in a garment factory sweatshop, encountering deplorable working conditions and cruel and corrupt bosses. Unwilling to be treated unfairly, Clara encouraged her fellow workers to form a union and strike, eventually organizing a walkout of 20,000 workers and inspiring similar strikes across the country.

“[…T]old clearly and powerfully, yet briefly enough for little bookworms to make it through in one sitting. And it’s a great story: the tale of a brave young woman with an emphasis on education, courage, justice, and the power of both united people and women in general. The illustrations were lovely, and peppered with some truly clever mixed-media elements that made it stand out. JJ and I both really enjoyed this look at a real-life feminist hero[…]”

5. Hidden Figures: The True Story Of Four Black Women And The Space Race (Margot Lee Shetterly & Winifred Conkling, illus. Laura Freeman)

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Based on Shetterly’s book of the same name, Hidden Figures examines the contributions of four remarkable women of color to the space and aeronautics industry from WWII to the height of the space race. Dorothy Vaughn, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Christine Johnson were all good at math… VERY good. However, all four live in a time in which women, especially black women, are held back by racist and sexist laws and conventions. But these women knew that they had valuable gifts, so they fought, studied, and persisted to have their work recognized for the indispensable contribution it was.

“The women of Hidden Figures are remarkable, both in their natural intellect and the fortitude they showed in fighting for advancement and recognition, and this book does a good job of editing their stories down for young readers […] The illustrations are fabulous, staying grounded in reality yet adding just a touch of artistic flair to drive vital points home. […] A knockout that celebrates science, women, and people of color […]”

 

That’s our list! We’d also like to note the fabulous She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed The World, written by Chelsea Clinton and illustrated by Alexandra Boiger – the only reason it wasn’t included on this list is because we’ve featured it on another. There are also plenty more wonderful stories of real-life girl power, and we encourage our readers to use this month to discover them! Did we miss any of your favorites? Do you have a book you would like to recommend to us? Let us know in the comments, or message us from our Contact page. Thanks so much!

Balderdash!: John Newbery And The Boisterous Birth Of Children’s Books (Michelle Markel)

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Hello, friends! Today, we’re reading Balderdash!: John Newbery And The Boisterous Birth Of Children’s Books, written by Michelle Markel and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, the story of the famous publisher and his dream to bring a new genre of literature to life.

Back in 18th century, when John Newbery was just a lad, there were no books for children – well, except for dry school texts and ominous religious parables. It was thought that children shouldn’t read for pleasure because it might make them unruly and mischievous. John – who grew up loving books and learned to print and publish his own materials under his own company – disagreed. He believed that children deserved stories, magazines, novels and nonfiction books that entertained as much as they instructed. So he began printing children’s stories, assembling his own anthology for little ones called A Little Pretty Pocket-Book, filled with games, stories, and lessons. The children of London went wild for it, and it eventually became a best-seller in England and the US. Newbery went on to publish more books and periodicals just for little ones, pioneering a genre that still brings joy to baby bookworms today.

This one was right up our alley, and we ADORED it! The story celebrates Newbery’s belief in children’s literature as well as the concept of kidlit itself, recognizing that children have always been passionate about reading, and detailing Newbery’s devotion to bringing the power of words and stories to that audience. The pace is fantastic; where kidlit biographies can sometimes be tedious, this one moves briskly while using creative typeset and detailed, whimsical illustrations to keep little readers engaged. The length is great, and JJ and I both loved learning about this visionary publisher. A fun and informative true story, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

Brave Girl: Clara And The Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike Of 1909 (Michelle Markel)

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Hello, friends! Today’s book is Brave Girl: Clara And The Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike Of 1909, written by Michelle Markel and illustrated by Melissa Sweet, a picture book biography of Clara Lemlich, one of the organizers of a massive protest of garment workers at the turn of the century.

To look at Clara Lemlich when she arrived in New York City, she wouldn’t have looked like much: five feet tall, only seventeen years old, and barely able to speak English. When her father could not find work, Clara went to work in a garment factory sweatshop to help provide for her family. She found the conditions to be deplorable, and the managers and bosses to be cruel and corrupt. Unwilling to be treated unfairly, Clara encouraged her fellow workers to form a union and strike, facing intimidation, arrest, and even violence in her pursuit of a safe and fair working environment. Eventually, this brave young immigrant would help organize a walkout of 20,000 workers, inspiring similar strikes across the country and forcing employers to create fair working conditions for their employees.

This one was fabulous! Oftentimes with picture book biographies, the length is either too much for one sitting or not long enough to tell a cohesive or satisfying story. But this one was told clearly and powerfully, yet briefly enough for little bookworms to make it through in one sitting. And it’s a great story: the tale of a brave young woman with an emphasis on education, courage, justice, and the power of both united people and women in general. The illustrations were lovely, and peppered with some truly clever mixed-media elements that made it stand out. JJ and I both really enjoyed this look at a real-life feminist hero, and it’s definitely Baby Bookworm approved!