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

by Cynthia Chin-Lee, Megan Halsey (Illustrator), Sean Addy (Illustrator)

Overview

Twenty-six amazing women; twenty-six amazing stories. From writers to scientists, sports figures to politicians, this diverse collection highlights women who changed the world. Celebrating twenty-six unique voices, visions, and victories, Amelia to Zora, introduces children to the scope of both the struggles and the achievements of women historically and globally. Beautiful and intricate collages bring these women’s stories and message to life in this collection that will bring young readers inspiration in each turn of the page.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781570915239
Publisher:	Charlesbridge
Publication date:	07/01/2008
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	445,950
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.13(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Cynthia Chin-Lee was born and raised in Washington, D.C., in a family with four older siblings. Her father is a medical doctor and her mother an artist. Cynthia picked up a pen and began writing for fun when she was in the sixth grade. "I liked writing poetry and scribbling in my journal because I found it comforting and therapeutic. I still write for that reason and because I like playing with words." Cynthia has written several books for children and lives in California.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 4-7-An introduction to 26 diverse, 20th-century women who have made a difference in such varied fields as the arts, sports, journalism, science, and entertainment. The entries include Dolores Huerta, Frida Kahlo, Lena Horne, Maya Lin, and Patricia Schroeder. Determination, imagination, perseverance, and strength are what bind them together. Entries are arranged alphabetically by first name; each woman is featured on a full page that includes a two-paragraph introduction, a quote, and striking mixed-media art that illustrates the essence of the person. There is sophistication in both the quotes and in the art, encouraging repeated readings. The nuggets of information should inspire readers and leave them with a thirst to know more about these women. Kathleen Krull's Lives of Extraordinary Women (Harcourt, 2000) takes a more detailed, humorous look at 20 women (both books include Wilma Mankiller); Lynne Cheney's A Is for Abigail: An Almanac of Amazing American Women (S & S, 2003) is more limited in scope.-Peg Glisson, Mendon Center Elementary School, Pittsford, NY Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

With spirited language and marvelous collages, an abecedarium of contemporary women takes flight. Chin-Lee doesn't attempt, in her single page of text, to do anything but evoke the lives of her subjects, but she does that powerfully. For each woman, she tells an anecdote or illuminates a single action rather than summarize an entire life. Each page also includes a quotation from her subject. By using their given names instead of their family names, she not only personalizes her approach, but also creates an intimacy between these women and their readers. D is for Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers; G is for Grace Hopper, who helped create COBOL and popularized the term "bug" for computer errors; O is for Oprah; U is for Ursula Le Guin, writer and activist. The collages use everything from cloth, photographs, pen-and-ink drawings, found objects and dried flowers to make images that invite repeated examination. Many of these women are still alive and working; the earliest birth date is Helen Keller's in 1880. An inspiration and a delight. (bibliography, author's note) (Picture book/biography. 5-10)

Kirkus Reviews