Product Review: Amelia to Zora: Twenty-Six Women Who Changed the World [Paperback] (Ages 8+)

“Si, se puede!” (Yes, we can!) – Dolores Huerta (1930- )

As a daughter, mother of a daughter and working wife I find inspiration in stories of strong women.  My favorite type of book is biographies and I have read every type of background of people you can possibly imagine although I am fond of reading about successful females.  Already impressed by a recent Charlesbridge read, I could not stop thinking about Amelia to Zora ever since I saw the description in their catalog.  The A to Z listing of women discussed is impressive and diverse and this book does not disappoint.  The background for each of the twenty-six females (I am including the complete list below) is done in just a few quick paragraphs for each person which is perfect for children age eight and older and encourages future research for our kids.  I read through the book with intense curiosity and was happy to point out the lovely scrapbook-esque illustrations to my daughter.  I look forward to going more in to depth on this book with Brooke when she gets older and hope she finds great encouragement in their stories.

“I encourage young women to aspire to leadership.  We are missing a lot of great solutions to society’s problems because we do not hear women’s voices in every sector of society.”  – Wilma Mankiller (1945- ), chief of the Cherokee nation

1. Amelia Earhart (1897-1937), pilot
2. Babe Didrikson Zaharias (1914-1956), athlete
3. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin (1900-1980), astronomer
4. Dolores Huerta (1930-), union co-founder
5. Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), first lady
6. Frida Kahlo (1907-1954), painter
7. Grace Hopper (1906-1992), computer scientist
8. Helen Keller (1880-1968), advocate for the disabled
9. Imogen Cunningham (1883-1976), photographer
10. Jane Goodall (1934-), naturalist
11. Kristi Yamaguchi (1971-), ice skating champion
12. Lena Horne (1917-), entertainer
13. Maya Lin (1959-), architect
14. Nawal El Sadaawi (1931-), women’s rights activist
15. Oprah Winfrey (1954-), talk show host
16. Patricia Schroeder (1940-), congresswoman
17. Quah Ah (1893-1949), artist
18. Rachel Carson (1907-1964), environmentalist
19. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (1945-), democratic leader
20. Mother Teresa (1910-1997), servant of the poor
21. Ursula Le Guin (1929-), writer
22. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (1900-1990), diplomat
23. Wilma Mankiller (1945-), chief of the Cherokee nation
24. Chen Xiefen (1883-1923), journalist
25. Yoshiko Uchida (1922-1992), writer
26. Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960), anthropologist

Bonus!  Check out the Teacher’s Guide available through Charlesbridge Publishing here.

For the Boys!  Not to exclude the boys, Charlesbridge also has the book Akira to Zoltan: Twenty-Six Men Who Changed the World available for purchase!

Amelia to Zora: Twenty-Six Women Who Changed the World [Paperback]

www.charlesbridge.com

List Price: $16.95 (Currently $12.71 through Amazon.com)