Tag: Women’s History Month

Posted in picture books

Biographies for Women’s History Month

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’ve got some great bios for Women’s History Month. Add these to your displays!

Only the Best: The Exceptional Life and Fashion of Ann Lowe, by Kate Messner & Margaret E. Powell/Illustrated by Erin K. Robinson, (Oct. 2022,. Chronicle Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781452161600

Ages 5-8

How do you tell the story of the first nationally known African-American fashion designer? You assemble an award-winning author, a costume historian, and a fashion designer and illustrator. Ann Lowe, granddaughter of an enslaved seamstress and daughter of a designer for society ball gowns, learned her craft at her mother and grandmother’s sides. Refusing to be overlooked, even when her white employers took credit for her work, she made a name for herself, catching the eye of Jacqueline Bouvier, fiancée to John F. Kennedy. Messner and Powell reconstruct Lowe’s life from various sources, including interviews with Lowe, to create this picture book biography of a woman who knew her worth. Robinson’s digital artwork uses color and texture to create spreads that look like they were created from mixed media; she sets stages that Lowe’s life plays out upon for readers. When readers see Ann Lowe standing at last in front of her own store front, arms raised in victory, they will rejoice along with her. An author’s note, quotations, and photos make up the back matter, and there is a bibliography for further reading. Endpapers show a textured rendering of scissors and fabric flowers, for which Ann Lowe was so well known. A stunning book and an excellent choice for picture book biographies.

Only the Best has starred reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Kirkus. The National Museum of African-American History and Culture has an extensive webpage on Lowe; The New Yorker and The Vintage Woman both have detailed articles with photos.

 

Courage in Her Cleats: The Story of Soccer Star Abby Wambach, by Kim Chaffee/Illustrated by Alexandra Badiu, (Jan. 2023, Page Street Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781645676294

Ages 5-8

This picture book biography on U.S. Women’s soccer player Abby Wambach is a study in perseverance and determination. Beginning with Wambach’s childhood, Chaffee draws a verbal picture of an outspoken competitor who refused to give up when the going got tough. As Chaffee emphasizes throughout the story, when things get tough, “Abby was tougher”. The narrative follows Wambach through high school, college, and the U.S. Women’s Olympics Team; her 2008 injury and rehabilitation, and her return. Wambach emerges as a dedicated teammate who is quick to share the spotlight and encourage her teammates. Badiu’s colorful illustrations bathe Wambach in colorful, star-studded waves, setting her apart from everyone else. Badiu’s rendering of Wambach’s iconic pose, holding the American flag, greets readers at the title page. Facts on Wambach, a brief glossary of soccer terms, and a bibliography round out back matter. A good choice for sports collections.

Interested readers and sports fans can visit Abby Wambach’s webpage for more info. She also has a biographical page on the U.S. Women’s Team webpage.

 

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Spotlight on Women’s History: Alma Thomas, Artist

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas, by Jeanne Walker Harvey/Illustrated by Loveis Wise. (Feb. 2022, HarperCollins), $18.99, ISBN: 9780063021891

Ages 4-8

Growing up in the Jim Crow-era Southern U.S., young Alma Thomas and her siblings weren’t allowed to go to the “white school” nearby; they couldn’t visit the museums or library, but they surrounded themselves with joy, art, and culture. Alma Thomas’s mother designed dresses; her aunts painted; Alma used the red clay near a stream to create bowls and cups. Her parents created a salon in their home, inviting teachers to talk about “people and places around the world, famous stories, and ways of thinking”. And when Alma and her family joined The Great Migration and left Georgia for Washington, DC, Alma was finally able to attend school, graduating from college where she studied art. While DC was still segregated, Alma was determined to bring art to the people in her neighborhood; she taught art at her local school; taught children to make marionettes and perform their own plays at her home; set up an art gallery: the city’s first gallery in a school. When she retired, she went on to create her own art, becoming the first solo show by a Black woman on display at The Whitney Museum in New York City and, posthumously, the first Black woman to have artwork on display in the White House. Ablaze with Color is a gorgeous, vibrant picture book biography of a teacher, an artist, an activist that worked to bring art to everyone. Loveis Wise’s illustrations are stunning, alive with color and movement, inspired by Alma Thomas’s bright palette. Jeanne Walker Harvey brings Alma Thomas’s story to life, describing the natural world that influenced Thomas’s work and using straightforward storytelling to educate her readers. Back matter includes a timeline of Alma Thomas’s life, sources, notes, and references.

There are a wealth of online resources for those who want to learn more about Alma Thomas. Visit The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s page on the artist; The Phillips Collection’s page on their Alma Thomas exhibit, Everything is Beautiful; and ArtNews’s article on Alma Thomas’s importance in art. TeachersPayTeachers has several good activities on the artist, including a coloring sheet from Artful Ideas; a presentation from The Creative Crayon, and an abstract mosaic activity from LessonZest. Finally, don’t forget to visit Jeanne Walker Harvey’s website for more resources!

Ablaze with Color has starred reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and The Horn Book.

 

Jeanne Walker Harvey has had many jobs, ranging from working as a roller coaster ride operator to an attorney for high-tech companies to a writer of magazine articles to a teacher of Language Arts and writing workshops at a public middle school. She has also been a longtime docent at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Just like Alma Thomas, Jeanne believes that art brings us joy. Her other picture books include Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines and My Hands Sing the Blues: Romare Bearden’s Childhood Journey. Jeanne studied literature and psychology at Stanford University. She lives in Northern California. Visit her online at www.jeanneharvey.com.

Twitter: @JeanneWHarvey

Pinterest: @JeanneWalkerHarvey

 

Loveis Wise is a nonbinary illustrator and designer from Washington, DC, now based in Los Angeles. They have collaborated and imagined with clients such as the New Yorker, the New York Times, HarperCollins, Google, Disney Hyperion, and Adobe, to name a few. Their work often speaks to themes of joy, mindfulness, and liberation. For more information visit: loveiswise.com.

Instagram: @loveiswiseillu

Posted in Intermediate, Middle Grade, Non-fiction, Non-Fiction

Spotlight on Women’s History: Kip Tiernan and Rosie’s Place

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Sanctuary: Kip Tiernan and Rosie’s Place, the Nation’s First Shelter for Women, by Christine McDonnell/Illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov, (March 2022, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536211290

Ages 7-10

Inspired by her grandmother, who fed hungry men from her door during the Great Depression, Kip Tiernan went on to work with and feed the homeless as an adult. She noticed women dressing as men to get on the food lines, and began noticing more and more homeless women on the street; when she worked to bring public notice and aid, however, she was initially told that homelessness was not a “women’s problem”. Determined to make a safe place for women, she pushed until the city of Boston rented her an empty supermarket for $1 a year: Rosen’s Market because Rosie’s Place, opening in 1974; they served hot meals and provided free clothes, beds, and a safe place for women to come together. Sanctuary is Kip Tiernan’s story, told in straighforward prose and accompanied by evocative watercolor and digital illustration set against a white page, giving readers the feel of peeking into moments from Kip Tiernan’s life. The focus is on community, with multicultural women coming together to talk and support one another; there are embraces, hand-holding, and active listening, all there to emphasize the importance of connection and compassion. Display and booktalk with Dangerous Jane, the picture book biography of Jane Addams, founder of Chicago’s Hull House.

Sanctuary: Kip Tiernan and Rosie’s Place, the Nation’s First Shelter for Women, has starred reviews from The Horn Book and Book Page.  Visit the Rosie’s Place webpage to learn more about the sanctuary. The Harvard Radcliffe Institute houses Kip Tiernan’s papers.

Posted in picture books

Women to Know: Sarah Gerhardt, Surfer

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Sarah and the Big Wave, by Bonnie Tsui/Illustrated by Sophie Diao, (May 2021, Henry Holt & Co), $18.99, ISBN: 9781250239488

Ages 4-8

Sarah Gerhardt, one of the first female big-wave surfers and the first female to surf Mavericks, an infamous big-wave surf break in California, has her moment in this picture book biography. Sarah’s story begins in Hawaii, where she began surfing small waves as a young girl, working her way up to larger waves and finessing her technique. The story touches on the sexism she encountered, and the joy of finding a group of friends to surf with. Working her way from Hawaii to California, Sarah is ready for the next challenge: The Mavericks, also called “Mount Everest meets Niagara Falls”. An inspiring story for young women about meeting challenges, readers will enjoy meeting Sarah Gerhardt. Talk about mindful practices she uses, like breathing and counting, to help readers understand the need to put oneself in a calm frame of mind when up against hurdles in life. Back matter includes a timeline in the history of women and surfing, going back to the 17th century and famed Hawaiian princess Kaneamuna! Illustrations are simply beautiful, with deep blues and greens inviting readers to embrace the ocean, and action shots of Sarah Gerhardt are dynamic.

There are some good resources on Sarah Gerhardt for more discussion. Keep some of these articles handy for anyone interested in learning more: “Sarah Gerhardt on Big-Wave Surfing in a Man’s World” (Outside magazine, 2018);  “Women in the Wild: Sarah Gerhardt” (The Outdoor Project, 2019); “Titans of Mavericks: Sarah Gerhardt” (Titans of Mavericks), and “Sarah Gerhardt: Girl Meets Mavericks (Visit California, 2021).

Posted in professional development

Women’s History Month: Women to Know

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

March is Women’s History Month, and as I’ve looked through my books, I realize I have quite a few on women in history: women like Codebreaker Elizebeth Friedman, and astronomer Vera Rubin are two real-life figures in history who are finally seeing their stories told; books like My Day with the Panye praise Haitian women for their strength, and fictional characters like Dominguita Melendez and Ruth Keller shine a spotlight on young women taking charge.

For the next couple of weeks, as we finish March, I’ll be spotlighting women to now in my review posts. Some you may know, others may be new to you. And that’s okay: it means their stories are finally being told. Now, go out and tell others about them.

In the meantime, some links to keep the Women’s History Month momentum going:

National Women’s History Museum

National Women’s History Alliance

 

And some activities:

Women’s History Month trading cards (Counting on Words, Teachers Pay Teachers)

Women’s History Month coloring poster and writing activity (The Constant Kindergartener, Teachers Pay Teachers)

Women’s History Month poster set (Create-Abilities, Teachers Pay Teachers)

Education.com List of Women’s History Month resources