Colorful and hip potraitures create a visual sensation that immediately draws in readers. Profiled are 26 American women from the 18th through 21st centuries, who have made—or are still making—history as artists, writers, teachers, lawyers, or athletes. The women come from a variety of economic and ethnic backgrounds and many had to overcome extreme hardships. One woman represents each alphabetical letter beginning with Angela Davis, an activist, teacher, and writer, and concludes with Zora Neale Hurston, an anthropologist and writer. Readers will also encounter Carol Burnett, the Grimke Sisters, Lucy Parsons, Rachel Carson, and Sonia Sotomayor, among others. Interestingly, the letter X is designated for the women, "we haven't learned about yet, and the women whose stories we will never read." The book's conclusion challenges readers to be strong and to make a difference in their own communities and suggests 26 things that students can do to be rad. VERDICT Classes across the curriculum can utilize this informative book.
Like all A-Z books, this one illustrates the alphabet—but instead of "A is for Apple", A is for Angela—as in Angela Davis, the iconic political activist. B is for Billie Jean King, who shattered the glass ceiling of sports; C is for Carol Burnett, who defied assumptions about women in comedy; D is for Dolores Huerta, who organized farmworkers; and E is for Ella Baker, who mentored Dr. Martin Luther King and helped shape the Civil Rights Movement.
And the list of great women continues, spanning several centuries, multiple professions, and 26 diverse individuals. There are artists and abolitionists, scientists and suffragettes, rock stars and rabble-rousers, and agents of change of all kinds.
The book includes an introduction that discusses what it means to be "rad" and "radical," an afterword with 26 suggestions for how you can be "rad," and a Resource Guide with ideas for further learning and reading.
American history was made by countless rad—and often radical—women. By offering a fresh and diverse array of female role models, we can remind readers that there are many places to find inspiration, and that being smart and strong and brave is rad.
Rad American Women will be appreciated by various age groups. It is Common Core aligned for students grades 3 - 8. Pre-school and young children will be captured by the bright visuals and easily modified texts, while the subject matter will stimulate and inspire high-schoolers and beyond.
This is the only alphabet where A stands for Angela Davis and Z stands for Zora Neale Hurston--and you haven't learned it, yet. Writer Kate Schatz and artist Miriam Klein Stahl have radical ambitions to amplify your vocabulary of women's history. This is a wonderful book of rousing tributes to 26 women who didn't keep their heads or voices down. The book has colorful and hip portraitures create a visual sensation. I believe that classes across the curriculum can utilize this informative book.l
About the Author
Kate Schatz is a writer, editor, and educator. Her book of fiction, Rid of Me: A Story, was published in 2006 on Continuum Press as part of the acclaimed 33 1/3 series. She is the author of Rad Women Worldwide. Her writing has been published in Oxford American, Denver Quarterly, Joyland, and West Branch, among others, and her short story "Folsom, Survivor" was included as a 2010 Notable Short Story in Best American Short Stories 2011. She is a co-founder and editor of The Encyclopedia Project. She taught at the School of Literary Arts at Oakland School for the Arts and received her MFA in Fiction from Brown University, and a double BA in Women’s Studies/Creative Writing from UC Santa Cruz. She lives with her family on the island of Alameda.
Miriam Klein Stahl is a Bay Area artist, educator and activist. In addition to her work in printmaking, drawing, sculpture, paper-cut and public art, she is also the co-founder of the Arts and Humanities Academy at Berkeley High School where she’s taught since 1995. She illustrated the book Rad Women Worldwide. As an artist, she follows in a tradition of making socially relevant work, creating portraits of political activists, misfits, radicals and radical movements. As an educator, she has dedicated her teaching practice to address social inequity through the lens of the arts. Her work has been widely exhibited and reproduced internationally. She lives in Berkeley, California with her family
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