The Taxing Case of the Cows: A True Story About Suffrage

Almost 100 years after the American Revolution, Abby and Julia Smith were fighting against taxation without representation. Women hadn't been given the vote, and the Smith sisters refused to pay an unfair property tax that they had no voice in establishing. When the authorities confiscated their cows, the Smiths bought them back at auction, thus paying what they owed without paying their taxes. The cows were seized at tax time for a number of years, and the Smiths's stand attracted the attention of women's suffrage supporters across the country. Lively, carefully researched illustrations bring this historical episode vividly to life.

Pegi Deitz Shea, a recipient of the Connecticut Book Award, has written many children's books. She lives in Rockville, Connecticut. Her web site is www.pegideitzshea.com.

Iris Van Rynbach has written and illustrated numerous children's books, and her work has appeared on the cover of The New Yorker magazine.She lives in Glastonbury, Connecticut. Visit her at www.irisvanrynbach.com.

Emily Arnold McCully received the Caldecott Medal for Mirette on the High Wire. The illustrator of more than 40 books for young readers, she has a lifelong interest in history and feminist issues. She divides her time between Chatham, New York, and New York City.