Girls Who Rocked the World : Heroines from Sacagawea to Sheryl Swoopes

An illustrated, inspiring book for girls tells the stories of thirty-five girls, past and contemporary, who influenced history before they were twenty, complemented by the life plans of many girls throughout America. Original. 20,000 first printing.

Grade 5-8-Thirty-three short biographical sketches of young women who achieved "something extraordinary" before age 20. The entries are in chronological order, beginning with Cleopatra and ending with tennis star Martina Hingis. Some of the names are familiar (e.g., Hellen Keller, Anne Frank, and Wilma Rudolf), while others are less well known. Welden introduces pioneer Virginia Reed (of the ill-fated Donner party), scientist Irene Joliot-Curie, archaeologist Mary Leakey, musician Vanessa-Mae Nicholson, and others. Some of the entries, especially those about people who lived before 1800, contain a great deal of fictionalization. For example, the chapter on Phillis Wheatley reads: "She fiddled with her front baby teeth, which were loose, as she longed for her warm home in Africa...." This sort of narration builds mood but undermines the book's credibility. Each biography is illustrated with a good-quality black-and-white photograph or less effective drawing of the subject. Some of the illustrations are decidedly unattractive, and the one of Phillis Wheatley looks distorted. The boxed quotes by and photos of modern girls explaining how they will "rock the world" are charming touches.
Rebecca O'Connell, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 4^-7. Young women looking for inspiration will surely find it here. Including a variety of individuals--from athletes and political leaders to scientists and artists--Welden has assembled a collection of biographical sketches of women who "have achieved something extraordinary while under the age of twenty." Some accounts, like those of Helen Keller and Anne Frank, are well-known. Others are about women whose names we may have heard but whose stories are not familiar. Welden clearly admires them all, though she doesn't hesitate to reveal unflattering deeds. The short biographies serve nicely to whet readers' appetites for more. Each is followed by a small photo of a modern girl answering the question, "How will you rock the world?" An extensive bibliography is appended. Lauren Peterson