A Vote for Susanna: The First Woman Mayor (She Made History) - Hardcover

Greenwald, Karen M.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0807553131 ISBN 13: 9780807553138

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company, 2021

Synopsis

Great Reads from Great Places 2022: Kansas
2022 Kansas Notable Book

When Susanna Salter stood up for her right to vote, she became mayor of her town.

In 1887, the state of Kansas gave women the right to vote in municipal elections. But some men in the city of Argonia, Kansas didn't think women should have a say in choosing their next mayor, so they put a woman on the ballot—as a joke. That woman was Susanna Salter—and soon the men would find the joke was on them! Narrated by a grandmother who remembered what happened on that election day, this is the true story of a woman who stood up for her right to vote and accomplished so much more.

About this title

About the Authors

Karen M. Greenwald is the author of A Vote for Susanna, which was a Kansas 2022 Notable Book. It represented Kansas at the Library of Congress National Book Festival and in the Great Reads from Great Places initiative. She cofounded the #SunWriteFun writing contest, which raises money for kidlit charities, and her strategic branding efforts have earned seventeen international awards. Karen shares her Maryland office with a very noisy dog.

Sian James was born in Hong Kong and has been drawing ever since she could pick up a pencil. Having lived a previous life as an archaeologist, she likes to combine her passions for history and illustration to tell stories from the mundane to the magical.

Reviews

Gr 2-4-Ed wants to know if boys can bake cakes, too, or if baking is only for girls. His grandmother Dora tells him the story of Susanna Salter, a woman who defied the gender norms of her era and became the U.S.'s first female mayor when she was elected in Argonia, Kansas in 1887. The book ends with a surprising twist. Students will appreciate the straightforward language and engaging images. The colorful illustrations are appealing enough to intrigue curious readers. Historical details in the images support comprehension of the narrative and anchor students in an unfamiliar place and time. Teachers will appreciate the author's message and theme. There is also a clear application with social studies and history standards. The book is based on solid historical research and the research method is discussed in the back matter; librarians even get a mention! The back matter also includes images of and more information about Salter. VERDICT An engaging work of narrative nonfiction that has clear applications in classrooms and school libraries. Recommended for elementary collections.­Christina Salazar, Mesquite I.S.D., TXα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0807553131
• ISBN 13: 9780807553138
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: James Sian
• Number of pages: 32