The Daring Nellie Bly: America's Star Reporter - Hardcover

Christensen, Bonnie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0375815686 ISBN 13: 9780375815683

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2003

Synopsis

From the award-winning picture book biographer of Woody Guthrie comes the inspirational story of Nellie Bly. Born in 1864, during a time in which options were extremely limited for women, Nellie defied all expectations and became a famous newspaper correspondent. Her daring exploits included committing herself to an infamous insane asylum in New York City to expose the terrible conditions there and becoming the first American war correspondent of either sex to report on the front lines of Austria during World War I. In 1889, Nellie completed her most publicized stunt, her world-famous trip around the world in just 72 days, beating the record of Jules Vernes’ fictional hero in Around the World in 80 Days.

With an informative text and pen-and-ink illustrations reminiscent of the graphic style of the late 1800s, The Daring Nellie Bly captures the independent spirit of America’s first star reporter, Nellie Bly.

About this title

About the Author

Bonnie Christensen is the award-winning author-illustrator of Woody Guthrie: Poet of the People. She also illustrated the Folio Society’s limited edition of The Grapes of Wrath and several children’s books, including Moon Over Tennessee: A Boy’s Civil War Journal.

Reviews

Grade 2-5-Born in 1864, Bly (christened Elizabeth Jane Cochran) lived at a time when opportunities for women were extremely limited. Not only did she overcome overwhelming obstacles to become one of the first "serious" female newspaper reporters, but she also became one of the most well known. Her expos‚s on the discriminatory work practices toward women at several factories and the deplorable condition of a city-run mental institution made her famous, but her historic 72-day journey around the world made her a folk hero. Large, colorful, pen-and-ink illustrations cover almost every page, and a four-page world map helps readers follow the journalist's round-the-world jaunt. Appropriately enough, this terrific biography reads like an adventure story. Perfect for read-alouds, the book gives just enough information to tell a good tale, while providing inspiration for the curious to seek out more material about this fascinating woman.
Sue Morgan, Tom Kitayama Elementary School, Union City, CA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 3-5, younger for reading aloud. This picture book for older readers tells Nellie Bly's fabulous story: a riches-to-rags childhood; a job at the Pittsburgh Dispatch when no woman had such a thing; a move to New York, where she went undercover in an insane asylum and then wrote the story for the New York World. She bested the fictional hero Jules Verne by going around the world--alone-- in 72 days, and she was a war correspondent during World War I. In an easy-to-read style, Christensen lets Bly's story tell itself, and her art, as it was in Woody Guthrie: Poet of the People (2001), is powerful and rich in color. She uses strong black line to outline figures, add detail, and emphasize vivid facial expression in oversize pictures that are full of movement and action. Children will thrill to the true-life story. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0375815686
• ISBN 13: 9780375815683
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32