Elinor McGrath, Pet Doctor: The Story of America's First Female Veterinarian

by Jacqueline Johnson, Alette Straathof (Illustrator)

Overview

I can do this! Elinor rolled up her sleeves. She was smart enough. She was strong enough.

When Elinor McGrath decided she wanted to be a veterinarian, the world told her no. It was 1907, and that job was not considered suitable for women. Even after she was accepted into veterinary school, the 137 male students in her class made it clear she was not welcome. Yet despite constant criticism, Elinor persevered. She could see that the future was changing and was determined to show the world of veterinary medicine that accepting women wasn't the only change the profession needed.

Written by a small-animal veterinarian, Elinor McGrath, Pet Doctor tells the true story of the first woman veterinarian in the US. Backmatter highlights Elinor's career as well as other pioneering women vets from around the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506492032
Publisher:	Augsburg Fortress, Publishers
Publication date:	03/19/2024
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	357,455
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	860L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jacqueline Johnson received a BS in Wildlife Biology before going on to become a small-animal veterinarian. She is the author of The Doggy Doctor and The Upset Tummy.

Alette Straathof was born and raised in a small town in The Netherlands. She received a BFA in illustration and minored in gamification from the Willem de Kooning Academy in 2016. Alette works exclusively as a freelance illustrator and lives in Paris, France.

Editorial Reviews

"Elinor's irrepressible spirit is an inspiration, and the attractive artwork captures her exuberance and determination in a soft watercolor style. The perfect intro to an unusual life that young animal lovers are bound to appreciate." —Booklist

"This book about America's first woman to own a veterinary practice is for anyone who loves animals, needs a burst of self-confidence, or wants to soak up herstory as well as history." —Spirituality & Practice

From the Publisher

05/24/2024

Gr 4–6—The picture book biography of Elinor McGrath, who enrolled in veterinary school in 1907. As expected in this time period, McGrath faced discrimination, but persevered. Upon graduation, she became the first woman to open a veterinary practice in the United States. McGrath is depicted as resilient, pushing off slights, i.e., her name being misspelled in a veterinary journal. She was also resourceful, gearing her practice more toward domestic animals, as house pets such as dogs and cats became more common than farm animals in her era. Elegant watercolor illustrations nicely complement the occasionally wordy text. Environments are nicely detailed, people are expressive, and animals are lovingly depicted. In early scenes, McGrath is often accompanied by a mouse or a snail on her person. The animal companion appears so frequently in the book's first pages that readers may expect a Richard Scarry-like Easter egg; however, its appearance becomes inconsistent as the story progresses. Rich back matter gives more information about McGrath and brief biographies of other female pioneers in veterinary medicine. VERDICT Recommend this biography to young animal lovers; it's a nice addition to the nonfiction shelves. —Chance Lee Joyner

School Library Journal