A True Wonder: The Comic Book Hero Who Changed Everything

by Kirsten W. Larson, Katy Wu (Illustrator)

Overview

A behind-the-scenes look at the creation and evolution of Wonder Woman, the iconic character who has inspired generations of girls and women as a symbol of female strength and power.

Perhaps the most popular female superhero of all time, Wonder Woman was created by Bill Marston in 1941, upon the suggestion of his wife, Elizabeth. Wonder Woman soon showed what women can do—capture enemy soldiers, defeat criminals, become president, and more. Her path since has inspired women and girls while echoing their ever-changing role in society. Now a new group of devoted young fans enjoy her latest films, Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984, and await a third installation being planned for theatrical release. This exceptional book raises up the many women who played a part in her evolution, from Elizabeth Marston to writer Joye Hummel to director Patty Jenkins, and makes clear that the fight for gender equality is still on-going.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780358238423
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/28/2021
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 10.60(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Kirsten W. Larson used to work with rocket scientists at NASA. Now she writes books for curious kids. Her picture books include A True Wonder: The Superhero Who Changed Everything; Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane; and The Fire of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars are Made of. Kirsten lives near LA with her dog and family. kirsten-w-larson.com, Twitter: @KirstenWLarson, Instagram: @KirstenWLarson

Katy Wu illustrated the picture books A True Wonder: The Superhero Who Changed Everything by Kirsten W. Larson and Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code by Laurie Wallmark, among several others. She lives in Portland, Oregon. katycwwu.tumblr.com, Twitter: @thewildkat, Instagram: @thewildkat

Editorial Reviews

★ "[I]nspiring and entertaining, much like Wonder Woman herself....A lively exploration of recent women’s history as well as the creation of an iconic female superhero."—Kirkus, STARRED review ★ "This story about Wonder Woman, the iconic comic book, comic strip, TV show, and blockbuster superhero movie persona, splendidly parallels the history of women in America over the past 80 years....This is an engaging addition to the superhero canon and packs quite a punch for everyday women heroes."—Booklist, STARRED review —

From the Publisher

★ 2021-07-27
“As lovely as Aphrodite—as wise as Athena—with the speed of Mercury and the strength of Hercules….”

Wonder Woman was born when her creator, Bill Marston, decided that children needed a female superhero. But the male publishing world laughed at the idea, so Marston needed to find a way to be incredibly convincing—and he did, eventually bringing Wonder Woman into the mainstream and hiring women writers and artists to help him do so. Told entirely as a comic, complete with panels, speech bubbles, biographical text boxes, captions, and sound effects, the thought-provoking and accessible story accompanied by engaging illustrations describes how the lives of women in the U.S. changed during and after World War II and how Wonder Woman’s character embodied many of these changes. It chronicles the dilution of her personality in the 1950s, the integration of the comic into Ms. magazine in the ’60s, the ’70s television show that showed execs people would tune in for a female lead, and the woman-directed 2017 movie. While the retro illustrations focus on the all-White primary cast (helpfully labeling all the White men at work making comics in an early scene), people of color are included throughout. Whether or not they already know the character, children will be drawn into this informative tale, which is inspiring and entertaining, much like Wonder Woman herself. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A lively exploration of recent women’s history as well as the creation of an iconic female superhero. (author’s notes, source notes, selected reading) (Informational picture book. 5-10)

Kirkus Reviews