Nurse, Solider, Spy

The Story of Sarah Edmonds - A Civil War Hero

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday
hosted today by School Library Journal's
Practically Paradise
Abrams Books for Young Readers

(pub. 3.1.2011)
48 pages
 
A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: MARISSA MOSS

              and Illustrator: JOHN HENDRIX

C haracter: Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War hero

O verview from book flap: 
     "When Frank Thompson sees a poster requesting recruits for the new Union army, he is ready and willing to enlist.  Except Frank isn't his real name. In fact, Frank isn't a man - he is really Sarah Emma Edmonds.

     At only nineteen years old, Sarah had already been dressing as a man for three years and living on the run in order to escape an arranged marriage.  She had tasted freedom, and there was no going back.

     Eager to fight for the North during the Civil War, Sarah ... excels as a soldier [and as a nurse].  Because of her heroism, she is asked to become a spy...

     This incredible, true story of a brave young woman who makes an unlikely choice to fight for her country is one that should not be lost to history."

T antalizing taste: 
      "Freedom, she knew, wasn't something to take for granted.  It was something to fight for, to cherish.

     And so long as her heart was beating strong, that's just what she would do."

and something more:   The picture book biography, Nurse, Soldier, Spy, is a perfect book to wrap up this month's celebration of Women's History Month.  As Marissa Moss wrote in the Author's Note, Sarah Emma Edmonds Seelye "became the first and only woman to be recognized as a veteran of the Civil War with an honorable discharge and to receive a pension and back pay for her service.  She was also the only woman invited to join the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), the association for Civil War veterans of the Union army... [She] was the only woman to be buried in a military cemetery, in a plot reserved for Civil War veterans." 

     As John Hendrix' commented in his Artist's Note, he needed to draw Sarah "to look different from the other characters in the book, but still appear strong and confident in her abilities."  Yes!  She certainly was a strong and confident woman who not only performed the roles of nurse, solider and spy during the Civil War, but also, after the war, worked with her husband to improve the lives of others in a number of good causes.

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Fearless

The Story of Racing Legend Louise Smith

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday
hosted today by The Children's War


Dutton Children's Books 
(pub. 10.14.2010)
32 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: BARB ROSENSTOCK 
              and Illustrator: SCOTT DAWSON

C haracter: Louise Smith, race car driver

O verview from book flap:
     "When Louise Smith started to race cars, most girls weren't even allowed to drive. Her first wild adventure behind the wheel of her daddy's Model T Ford taught her the thrill of driving fast and the freedom that comes from fearlessly following your heart... 
     Scott Dawson's dynamic paintings capture all the energy and excitement of Barb Rosenstock's text. Together they bring life to one of the true legends in car racing history."


T antalizing taste:

     "Louise drove for eleven years.  She won thirty-eight times.  She was the first woman elected to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame - forty-three years after she stopped racing.
     As Louise got old, walking got harder, but driving never did.  Wearing rhinestone bifocals, sparkly earrings, and hair piled high on her head, Louise pushed her sedan to the limit ...
     FAST!  FASTER!  FLYING!
     FREE!
                                        FEARLESS!" 


and something more:  FEARLESS is another picture book biography to celebrate  Women's History Month.   Louise Smith stopped racing cars for the same reason Tillie Anderson stopped racing bikes (as I talked about in my post about the picture book biography, Tillie the Terrible Swede): women were banned from racing. 
      Barb Rosenstock writes in the Author's Note that "Louise was not only the only woman at the track on those wild summer nights, but there were very few... From the mid-1950s until the mid-1970s, women were banned from the track on the grounds that it was too dangerous for them.  Some still raced in ladies races at small tracks around the country, but usually women were allowed to participate only as beauty queens." 
     It's another reason we need to celebrate Women's History Month -- to remember these women who were pioneers in their fields, but were then banned from pursuing their passion.

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Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday
hosted today by Chapter Book of the Day


Disney Hyperion (pub. 2.2.2010)
96 pages 


A True Tale with A Cherry On Top
 

A uthor: SARAH STEWART TAYLOR

              and Illustrator/cartoonist:  BEN TOWLE

C haracter: Amelia Earhart, pilot and aviation pioneer


O verview from book flap:
     "Amelia Earhart developed a love of flying at a very young age  What began as a simple joy became something much deeper - a commitment to open doors for all women... In Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean, Taylor and Towle focus on Amelia's triumphant crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in 1928, offering us a glimpse of her relentless ambition and her tireless will to promote women's rights..."

T antalizing taste:
    
December 1920  Daugherty Field Long Beach, California
     "Dad, I'd... I'd like to go up.  What do you think?"
     "Are you sure? It's dangerous, Amelia.  These planes are always crashing, you know."
     "Just to try it.  Please, Dad."
     "All right.  I'll see how much it costs.  Ahoy! You there!... My daughter would like to go for a ride.  How much?
     "Your daughter?
     "My daughter.
     "You sure, mister?"
     "Yes."
     "Ten dollars for ten minutes.
     "Be here tomorrow at nine.


The next morning [illustrations of Amelia going up in airplane with pilot.]
     [Man on the ground to Amelia's father] "Girl's got moxie.  Ya don't mind me sayin.'
     [Amelia's father]: "That's my Amelia."


and something more:  I diverged from reviewing picture book biographies to include this graphic novel to fit within the scope of today's Nonfiction Monday host, Chapter Book of the Day.  And, I was intrigued to read it because it's one of several cartoon biographies presented by The Center for Cartoon Studies.  Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean celebrates Women's History Month.  The introduction to the graphic novel is written by Eileen Collins, a former NASA astronaut and the first female pilot of a Space Shuttle in 1991 (and later the first woman commander in 1999). Eileen Collins describes the impact Amelia Earhart had on her career, and quotes her: "'The most difficult thing is the decision to act; the rest is merely tenacity ... You can do anything you decide to do.  You can act to change and control your life." 
     Eileen Collins recounts that she was given one of Amelia Earhart's scarves by Carol Osborne, an aviation historian.  NASA arranged to have the scarf "carefully folded and vacuum-packed in clear plastic along with the other special items my crew members had arranged to have on board. I took a great deal of comfort and pride knowing that one of Amelia Earhart's possessions was part of my first space mission.  Shortly after I returned to Earth, I made sure to get the scarf, along with a whole lot of gratitude, back to Carol Osborne.  It is now among Amelia's treasured goods."
     And just as Amelia Earhart was a role model for Eileen Collins, Eileen Collins is now returning the favor by being a role model for today's girls with a dream. 

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Soar, Elinor!

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday
hosted today by Picture Book of the Day

Farrar Straus Giroux (pub. 10.12.2010)
40 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top
 

A uthor: TAMI LEWIS BROWN

              and Illustrator:  FRANCOIS ROCA

C haracter: Elinor Smith, pilot and aviation pioneer

O verview from book flap:
     "Plucky Elinor Smith was six years old when she first went for a ride in a rickety 'flying machine.' At ten, she was taking flying lessons ...  By the time she was seventeen, she had become the youngest licensed pilot in the United States, male or female, and earned the respect of famous pilots like Charles Lindbergh. 

     Elinor dreamed of making her living as a professional pilot, but not everyone thought that girls should fly.  When male pilots and newspapermen mocked her, Elinor decided to perform an aerial maneuver they thought was impossible.  It would take training and preparation.  But this aviation pioneer was determined to show that with talent, hard work, and plenty of grit, a girl could climb to any height."

T antalizing taste:
     "She'd learned to land only ten days before.  Was she ready to fly alone?  'It's now or never,' she thought as she taxied down the runway.
     She climbed to 1,000 feet and leveled off. 'In that instant,' she said, 'I knew I was home and would never turn back.' She practiced banking turns, then glided in to land with a gentle bump.
     She had done it! She had soloed!
     From that moment, Elinor lived to fly.  The sky was her playing field; the hum of the wind rushing through her plane's wing wires, her favorite song...
     At sixteen, she was the youngest flier in the United Sates - boy or girl.
     Soar, soar, Elinor!"

and something more:  The picture book biography, Soar, Elinor!, is the perfect book to begin this month's celebration of Women's History Month.  Elinor Smith flew through the glass ceiling when she fulfilled her dream to become a professional pilot and, in a male dominated field, was named chief test pilot for the Bellanca Corporation, piloted jets and flew paratrooper training missions with the Air Force Association.  And, in 2000 at age 89, she became the oldest person to 'fly' the NASA Space Shuttle Simulator. 
     A Women's History Month Activity Kit and Teachers Curriculum Guide based on the book are available on the website of the author, Tami Lewis Brown, an attorney and pilot also.  The Women's History Month Activity Kit includes a "Guess the Women in History Quiz", a list of other books to celebrate Women's History Month, a word search, a board game, and a crossword puzzle.  And, my favorite section of the Activity Kit is the interview with the author and a photo of her with Elinor at age 96.  The author had the opportunity to interview Elinor Smith for hours which added such depth and interest to this inspirational book.  As Tami Lewis Brown said, "In 1930, The New Yorker Magazine published an article calling Elinor Smith a 'feminist.' Girls like Elinor broke down barriers that gave modern girls the chance to be whatever they want to be."  As Elinor Smith said, "Children must be allowed to dream and have a horizon to work toward."  
     Elinor truly soared!

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Jimi Sounds Like A Rainbow

A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix

* This post is part of Nonfiction Monday
hosted today by Rasco From RIF *

Clarion Books (pub. 10.4.2010)
32 pages

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top 

A uthor: GARY GOLIO

              and Illustrator:  JAVAKA STEPTOE

C haracter: Jimi Hendrix, rock 'n' roll guitar player

O verview from the back cover:
     "Jimi Hendrix was a superstar, a rebel, a hero, an innovator. He was bold as love, and colorful as a rainbow. He was one of the greatest guitar players of all time. 
     But before he was all these things, he was a boy named Jimmy who loved to draw and paint and listen to records. A boy who played air guitar with a broomstick and longed for a real guitar of his own. A boy who asked himself an unusual question: Could someone paint pictures with sound?
     Told in vivid language and stunningly illustrated, this is a story of a talented child ... a determined kid with a vision, who worked hard to become a devoted and masterful artist. Jimi Hendrix - a groundbreaking performer whose music shook the very foundations of rock 'n' roll... and set the world on fire."

T antalizing taste:
     "He had a rainbow of sounds at his fingertips, and he wanted to paint the world with them...
     Like no one before him, Jimmy Hendrix taught his guitar to sing, scream, laugh, and cry.  He learned to use it as an artist uses paint, creating new worlds with the colors of sound.
     To the heart and soul of the blues he added the restless energy of rock 'n' roll...
Dressed in the colors of the rainbow, he played for audiences far and wide, joining fiery sounds with tender feelings and painting the world with his songs."


and something more:  The picture book biography, Jimi Sounds Like A Rainbow recently received the 2011 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book award.  I enjoyed reading how illustrator Javaka Steptoe sought to reflect Jim Hendrix in his vibrant illustrations: "I thought about guitars - their sound, their vibrations, their look and feel - so I used plywood I found at The RE Store [in Seattle]. I thought about how Jimi saw the world and how that differed from other people's views, so I painted Jimi one way and his surroundings another way.  I thought about the depth and texture of his music, so I layered and used bright colors ... rainbow colors."

     As Javaka Steptoe also wrote in the Illustrator's Note, "To really know about a person, you have to do things that they did, and see the things they saw."  And that makes sense, given that he views himself as an observer.  When asked "What inspired you to draw?" (as posted by The Brooklyn Children's Museum), Javaka Steptoe answered with a wonderful anecdote about observing, "...I like observing things.  I like observing people ... and I find normal things interesting.  Maybe something is a particular color. Let me give you an example.  One day I was on a bus and I had a purple jacket on and khaki pants. A woman sat next to me, and she had a khaki jacket and purple pants ... I don't think she noticed. I don't think anyone else on the bus noticed. I just had to tap her on the shoulder, and she just laughed. So that's me."          
     And, that's why his art rings true with Gary Golio's lyrical text.

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A Picture Book of Cesar Chavez

* This post is part of Nonfiction Monday
hosted today by Three Turtles and Their Pet Librarian *


Holiday House (pub. 7.31.2010)
32 pages  Grades 2-4

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top 

A uthor: DAVID A. ADLER and MICHAEL S. ADLER

              and Illustrator:  MARIE OLOFSDOTTER

C haracter: Cesar Chavez, leader of American farmworkers

O verview from the jacket flap:  "For Cesar Chavez, dignity always meant more than money. As a child growing up in California during the Great Depression, Cesar picked produce with his family to make ends meet. The work was backbreaking, the pay was very low, and many families, including his, were homeless. 

     Cesar Chavez later dedicated his life to helping American farmworkers. He argued for better pay and fair working conditions, and was even jailed for his efforts. But he never stopped urging people to stand up for their rights. Young readers will be inspired by the fascinating life story of this champion of social justice."

T antalizing taste:  "Cesar's father was often too busy to spend time with his family. It was Cesar's mom who kept them together. She told her children stories. She taught them values and many proverbs, such as 'What you do to others, others do to you.'"

and something more: In honor of Presidents' Day today, I want to highlight Cesar Chavez' 1964 award of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, accepted by his wife. The Picture Book of Cesar Chavez includes President Clinton's tribute to him upon the presentation of the award: "'This remarkable man... with faith and discipline, with soft-spoken humility and amazing inner strength led a very courageous life. And in so doing, he brought dignity to the lives of so many others and provided for us inspiration for the rest of our nation's history.'"  
     The Presidential Medal of Freedom was originally established in 1945 by President Truman to honor civilian service during World War II.  In 1963, President Kennedy expanded the scope of the award to encompass "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors." (Executive Order 11085)
      I like that this award includes "cultural endeavors".  As the artist and architect, Maya Lin (a Presidential Design Award recipient), has expressed, "[A]rt, at times, can look at a subject differently, and in doing so can get people to pay closer attention."
     In 1964, the year Cesar Chavez was honored, the recipients in the creative world included the soprano Leontyne Price, the artist Willem de Kooning, the composer Aaron Copland, and the authors T.S. Eliot, Carl Sandburg and John Steinbeck.
     Last week, President Obama honored the fifteen recipients of the 2010 Presidential Medal of Freedom. The group included three of my favorites in the creative world: the cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the artist Jasper Johns, and the author and poet Maya Angelou.
     As a thought for today, Presidents' Day, here are the powerful concluding words of Maya Angelou's poem, "On the Pulse of Morning", which she recited at President Clinton's 1993 inauguration:

"Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes, and into
Your brother's face, your country
And say simply
Very simply 
With hope
Good morning."

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Tillie The Terrible Swede - How One Woman, A Sewing Needle, and A Bicycle Changed History

Knopf Books for Young Readers (pub. 1.25.2011)
Random House 

40 pages   Grades 1-5

* This post is part of the children's
Nonfiction Monday hosted
today by Wrapped in Foil *  


A True Tale with A Cherry On Top 

A uthor:  SUE STAUFFACHER

        and Illustrator: SARAH McMENEMY

C haracter: Tillie Anderson,
            an immigrant from Sweden
            and the women's bicycle-racing
            champion of the world in the 1890s

O verview from the picture book jacket flap:
     "In the old days, most girls came to America with a dream. All Tillie Anderson had was a needle ... So she got herself a job in a tailor shop and waited for a dream to come and find her.
     And then one day, a man sped by the shop on a bicycle  That was it ... With arduous training and her (shocking!) new clothes, Tillie began entering - and winning - races.  Amidst criticism for her 'unwomanly' riding and support from women's rights activist, she became a whirling sensation - and the women's bicycle racing champion of the world!
     Sue Stauffacher's lively text and Sarah McMenemy's charming illustrations capture the energy of the bicycle craze that swept America in the 1890s and tell the story of a remarkable woman who would not let society's expectations stop her from achieving her dream."
  

T antalizing taste:
    "'Bicycles aren't for ladies,' Tillie's mother reminded her. But Tillie wasn't listening. From that day on, she saved up her money and dreamed of nothing but riding. Not the slow and stately sort of riding. No, Tillie dreamed of the speedy, scorchy, racy kind of riding."

and something more:  After reading this wonderful picture book biography, Tillie the Terrible Swede by Sue Stauffacher, I wondered why Tillie Anderson stopped racing when she was doing so well, winning 18 out of 19 races in 1901.  I learned from the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame that Tillie "remained the champion of the World until retiring in 1902 when women were barred from racing due to the level of danger involved in the sport."  Hmm... steps forward and steps backwards.
   Tillie Anderson was a U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame 2000 Inductee in the Veteran Pre-1945 Competitors Category.  In that same year another woman was honored: Jacquie Phelan in the Mountain Bike Category.  I live in mountain biking territory (Marin County, California) where Jacquie also lives (although I'm more of a hiker than a biker).  Jacquie took her first mountain bike ride in 1980 on a three speed, and became the U.S. Women's National Champion in 1983, 1984 and 1985.  She organized the Women's Mountain Bike and Tea Society (WOMBATS), an organization that encourages women's and girls' participation in the sport.  She organized the sport's earliest skills camps called Fat Tire Finishing School.  In 2004 she placed 8th overall in the Transportugal, a 1300 km offroad adventure race, where she was the only woman participant.  I think Tillie Anderson would have been thrilled to be honored along with Jacquie Phelan.
     And because this is a Valentine's Day post, it's sweet to acknowledge both of their marriages to spouses who support(ed) their cycling passion: Jacqui to the inventor, Charlie Cunningham, a pioneering bicycle framebuilder, and Tillie to her manager.
    Also, just yesterday, Jacquie participated in a fundraiser here in Marin for Trips for Kids, a national organization that takes inner-city children on guided mountain bike adventures.  Terrific! And in May 2011, the author Sue Stauffacher and her husband, cyclist Bob Johnson, and various groups of schoolchildren along the way, will ride from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Chicago, Illinois, on The Tillie Ride to deliver donated copies of Tillie the Terrible Swede to the Chicago Public Library.  Terrific!
    Inspired by these wonderful women, I think I might just get my bike out of the garage, put some air in the tires, and go for a ride!

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