More Girls Who Rocked the World

October 1, 2017

Gr 4-7-This sequel to Girls Who Rocked the World includes profiles of 45 girls and women who have made a difference in their local and global communities. Figures include Josephine Baker, Cleopatra, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Jazz Jennings, Nadia Nadim, and Selena Quintanilla-Perez. Each informative profile is fairly brief and written in a straightforward conversational style. The author adds bits of storytelling flair to the biographical accounts: "Aretha stepped up to the chair. From this height, she could see the whole congregation at New Bethel Baptist Church." This technique helps move narratives forward without being distracting. Peppered throughout are quotes from contemporary girls that answer the question "How will YOU rock the world?"-providing readers with an opportunity to imagine themselves included among these inspiring women. VERDICT A fine offering for libraries looking to fill out their biography collection with a browser- friendly book.-Heather Acerro, Rochester Public Library, MN

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2017
Grades 4-7 In this follow-up to Girls Who Rocked the World (2012), McCann introduces 45 more women from around the globe who exhibited courage and pushed the limits of gender. Beginning with Esther, the Biblical queen of the Persian Empire, and Cleopatra, chronologically arranged sketches place each woman in her time period and describe pivotal events that solidify her place in history. For instance, Josephine Baker is not only remembered as an African American dancer who charmed Paris when her native U.S. upheld segregation, but also as a spy who communicated secrets to the French Resistance. Invented dialogue gives the sketches an appealing, modern feel, while sidebars add interesting details. Many names will be recognizable, from Eleanor Roosevelt and Hillary Rodham Clinton to Beyonce and Jazz Jennings. Others, like Indian architect Sheila Sri Prakash and Arlen Siu Bermudez, a revolutionary poet from Nicaragua, may be new. In addition to striving for diversity, the author includes many young women making history today. Readers can find out more about these dynamic women through the appended bibliography and source notes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)