Girls to the Front: 40 Asian American Women Who Blazed a Trail

by Niña Mata Narrated by Amielynn Abellera

Overview

Stand back, the girls are coming through: Learn about forty amazing Asian American women who have changed the course of history!

From the big stage to the US Navy, from laboratories to the boardroom, from the Olympics to the pages in books, these girls and women lead every line. Bold, bright, and empowering profiles by Geisel Honor-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling artist Niña Mata place these incredible changemakers at the very front and inspire readers to tap into their own greatness.

Perfect for fans of Little Leaders, Latinitas, Rebel Girls, Notable Native People, and other anthologies for children.

Listeners will meet: Mary Tape · Umpeylia “Sugar Pie” DeSanto · Susan Ahn Cuddy · Sunisa “Suni” Lee · Zarina Hashmi · Cristeta Comerford · Anna May Wong · Grace Lee Boggs · Christine Ha · Kimora Lee Simmons · Vicki Manalo Draves · Amy Tan · Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu · Tammy Duckworth · Lucy Liu · Gyo Fujikawa · Kalpana Chawla · Helen Zia · Ny Sou Okon · Vera Wang · Geena Rocero · Patsy Mink · Gabriella Wilson (H.E.R.) · Dr. Erika Lee · Chloe Kim · Margaret Cho · Maya Lin · Yuri Kochiyama · Kristi Yamaguchi · Tye Leung Schulze · Ali Wong · Dr. Kazue Togasaki · Merritt Moore · Nicole Ponseca · Miyoshi Umeki · Joy Cho · Dorothy Toy · Ruby Ibarra · Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee · Kamala Harris.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Illuminating… highlights the lives and achievements of 40 women of the Asian American diaspora.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“An engaging celebration of Asian American ingenuity and triumph.” — Booklist (starred review)

“Shines a much-needed spotlight on Asian American trailblazers.” — Kirkus Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

2025-03-08
Profiles in greatness.

In her foreword, Mata describes how alienating it felt to learn a monolithic version of history: “What if I had opened a book and it told me an extraordinary story about a girl who looked like me?” Here she writes the work her younger self longed for—a celebration of 40 Asian American women who “pushed their way to the front.” She covers both well-known subjects (author Amy Tan, fashion designer Vera Wang, vice president Kamala Harris) and those potentially less familiar (Mary Tape, a 19th-century Chinese American immigrant who fought for her children’s right to an education; Gyo Fujikawa, a Japanese American children’s book illustrator). Each entry is accompanied by an engaging portrait, surrounded by colorful doodles that playfully hint at their contributions. And though the profiles aren’t in any chronological order, readers will get a taste of the historical events that shaped the lives of these women: An entry on actor Anna May Wong addresses the racism she confronted, as well as the practice of “yellow face”; a profile on historian Erika Lee touches on the impact of the Chinese Exclusion Act and the California Gold Rush on her own family. Young readers and their caregivers will find this an accessible entry point for learning about these compelling women. A glossary is included, and quotes are interspersed throughout the book, though they aren’t cited.

Shines a much-needed spotlight on Asian American trailblazers. (list of other notable women, glossary)(Collective biography. 8-12)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940192624524
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/28/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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