13 American Women Who Changed the World

Starred review from May 29, 2017
Mitch McConnell’s dismissal of Elizabeth Warren during a Senate confirmation hearing immediately became a feminist rallying cry. Clinton (It’s Your World) and Boiger (Max and Marla) further transform it into a lovely, moving work of children’s literature that might even win over those cynical about celebrity efforts in that space. Clinton succinctly summarizes the lives of women who “did not take no for an answer”; each story reiterates “she persisted” in bold type and is paired with an inspiring quote. Familiar figures (Helen Keller, Sally Ride) join ones who may be new to some readers, like union activist Clara Lemlich and Claudette Colvin, the teenager whose courageous decision to keep her seat on a Montgomery bus helped “inspire Rosa Parks to make the same choice nine months later.” Boiger’s celebratory watercolors effortlessly mix drama and playfulness: a luminous Harriet Tubman guides escaped slaves to freedom; a few pages later, babies beatifically float around Virginia Apgar as she examines an infant. Clinton’s mother isn’t profiled, but readers will spot her portrait in a gallery scene that opens this polished introduction to a diverse and accomplished group of women. Ages 4–8.

June 1, 2017
Inspired by Sen. Elizabeth Warren's stand against the appointment of Sen. Jeff Sessions as U.S. attorney general--and titled for Sen. Mitch McConnell's stifling of same--glancing introductions to 13 American women who "persisted."Among the figures relatively familiar to the audience are Harriet Tubman, Helen Keller, and Ruby Bridges; among the more obscure are union organizer Clara Lemlich, physician Virginia Apgar, and Olympian Florence Griffith Joyner. Sonia Sotomayor and Oprah Winfrey are two readers may already have some consciousness of. The women have clearly been carefully selected to represent American diversity, although there are significant gaps--there are no Asian-American women, for instance--and the extreme brevity of the coverage leads to reductivism and erasure: Osage dancer Maria Tallchief is identified only as "Native American," and lesbian Sally Ride's sexual orientation is elided completely. Clinton's prose is almost bloodless, running to such uninspiring lines as, about Margaret Chase Smith, "she persisted in championing women's rights and more opportunities for women in the military, standing up for free speech and supporting space exploration." Boiger does her best to compensate, creating airy watercolors full of movement for each double-page spread. Quotations are incorporated into illustrations--although the absence of dates and context leaves them unmoored. That's the overall feeling readers will get, as the uniformity of presentation and near-total lack of detail makes this overview so broad as to be ineffectual. The failure to provide any sources for further information should the book manage to pique readers' interests simply exacerbates the problem. Pretty but substance-free--which is probably not how any of this book's subjects would like to be remembered. (Informational picture book. 4-8)

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October 1, 2017

K-Gr 3-In this brief but elegant introduction to 13 women who "persisted"-such as Harriet Tubman, Nellie Bly, and Sonia Sotomayor-the author details the many ways that women have refused to take no for an answer. Instead, they rigorously pursued lofty, inspiring, and purposeful aims for the betterment of themselves and others. Readers see that working toward a far-reaching objective is a virtue. Rather than offering a more in-depth history of any single figure, this book explains the meaning of persistence and places it in a positive light. The artwork depicts a museum gallery with students looking at portraits of the 13 women, including one of Hillary Clinton wearing a red pantsuit, though she is not mentioned in the text. After a brief introduction, the format is largely consistent, with a paragraph about each subject's goal, a quote by her that exemplifies her persistence, and an illustration. As Florence Griffith Joyner said, "When anyone tells me I can't do anything...I'm just not listening anymore." VERDICT Use as a read-aloud to promote discussion, raise questions for research, and share related experiences. And since the book is dedicated to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a current connection could be made, too.-Myra Zarnowski, City University of New York

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2017
Grades K-2 After Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told Senator Elizabeth Warren to stand down, he noted afterward that she persisted. Clinton uses this admonition as a jumping-off point to introduce 13 women who overcame obstacles to affect history, beginning by telling girls not to listen to naysayers. Clinton then introduces reporter Nelly Bly, labor activist Clara Lemlich, Senator Margaret Chase Smith, and ballerina Maria Tallchief, among others, in short paragraphs. This brevity lends itself to some omissions and confusions. For instance, it seems odd not to mention teacher Anne Sullivan in the discussion of Helen Keller's persistence, and saying Claudette Colvin's refusal to relinquish her bus seat helped inspire Rosa Parks' civil disobedience, an act many point to as starting the modern civil rights movement, might make kids wonder why Parks gets the credit and not Colvin. The concise text does give more space for the exemplary watercolors, which show both delicacy and strength, and features inspiring quotes. This well-curated list will show children that women's voices have made themselves emphatically heard. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: This book has published quickly to capitalize on the steam of the still-going She Persisted meme. Clinton's celebrity status only catapults interest higher.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)