Children’s Book for Women’s History Month

Picture Book Review for Women’s History Month – Beatrice and the Nightingale

 

BEATRICE AND THE NIGHTINGALE

Written by Patricia Newman

Illustrated by Isabelle Follath

(Peachtree; $19.99, Ages 6-9)

 

 

Beatrice and the Nightingale cover Beatrice playing cello as bird sings.

 

 

 

From the publisher:

“In 1924, an audience of more than one million listeners across the world listened in amazement to the first live radio broadcast of a nightingale accompanying the young cellist Beatrice Harrison.”

 

From Booklist:

“A gentle gem of a story [with] charming ink-and-watercolor illustrations . . . A delightful introduction to a lesser-known life, and a welcome reminder of the wonder that exists in the natural world.”

 

Review:

Beatrice Harrison grew up surrounded by music: in her home, through her father’s regimental band …

 

Beatrice and the Nightingale int1 surrounded by music.
Interior art from Beatrice and the Nightingale, written by Patricia Newman and illustrated by Isabelle Follath, Peachtree Publishing, ©2026.

 

even in nature. But nothing stirred her heart quite like the cello. So when her mother brought one home, Beatrice practiced and practiced, dreaming of the day she would share its music with the world.

 

 

Beatrice and the Nightingale int2 Beatrice practiced.
Interior art from Beatrice and the Nightingale, written by Patricia Newman and illustrated by Isabelle Follath, Peachtree Publishing, ©2026.

 

By 17, she had won Germany’s highest musical prize. She went on to share music throughout Europe and Russia, even playing for the President of the United States.

One day, while practicing in her garden, a nightingale joined Beatrice, lending its voice whenever she stopped playing. Night after night, the pair performed, sparking an idea in Beatrice’s mind. What if everyone could hear their duet?

Beatrice struggled to convince the BBC of the merits of her plan—broadcasting her nature concert live on the radio—but eventually she did, and her concert was a huge success! For 12 years, the BBC recorded Beatrice’s annual concert with the nightingale and aired it to their worldwide audience.

 

Beatrice and the Nightingale int3 BBC and Beatrice awaiting the nightingale.
Interior spread from Beatrice and the Nightingale, written by Patricia Newman and illustrated by Isabelle Follath, Peachtree Publishing, ©2026.

 

Charming watercolor illustrations bring Beatrice and the Nightingale, this nonfiction biography by Patricia Newman and Isabelle Follath to life. Best known for her nonfiction STEM titles, Sibert Honor recipient Newman expands her repertoire with this STEAM-tastic book, highlighting the connection between music and science, while Follath’s whimsical conceptualization of musical sounds further marries that connection. As per usual, Newman’s extensive backmatter and teacher’s guide make this book perfect for the classroom—especially during Women’s History Month.

-Reviewed by Roxanne Troup

 

Please see below for links to more reviews from previous Women’s History Months.

Three Picture Books for Women’s History Month

Five Children’s Books for Women’s History Month

Share this:

Three Picture Books for Women’s History Month

 

 

THREE PICTURE BOOKS
FOR WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

∼A ROUNDUP∼

 

women's history month clip art

 

 

 

Unshakable Eleanor cover Eleanor Roosevelt giving speech.UNSHAKABLE ELEANOR
Written by Michelle Markel
Illustrated by Alejandro Mesa
(Balzer + Bray; $19.99, Ages 4-8)

I felt the author’s admiration for our former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, from the very first page of this timely, well-written biography. As the longest-serving First Lady, Roosevelt’s human rights impact was unmatched. This picture book details how Roosevelt’s powerful voice and popularity grew throughout her lifetime, leaving an impressive legacy of leadership that has profoundly impacted the role of first lady.

But, Eleanor wasn’t always outspoken. As a child growing up an orphan in New York, Eleanor is described by Markel as shy. “She’s been told she’s homely and made to feel like a failure.” Not exactly confidence-building. Yet this persevering young girl found love and encouragement in the letters from her late father. She clearly was well-to-do since the Roosevelt name carried clout and connections. We also learn she was sent to “finishing school” overseas. Eleanor came into her own during this period, already eager to help poor immigrants. Throughout the book, Mesa’s illustrations do a terrific job of conveying emotion and atmosphere.  Young readers may not know that Eleanor was a distant cousin of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and that their eventual marriage proved to be a powerful combination. While FDR focused on politics, Eleanor focused on unfair practices from child labor and unsafe factory conditions. Her work as a reformer was just getting started.

When she became First Lady, the country was in the throes of the Great Depression. In her new role, Eleanor brought women’s issues to the fore and even persuaded FDR to appoint women to high ranking positions. But she didn’t stop there. She helped people fight poverty and starvation as she traveled across the USA. She got involved in the struggles of Black Americans against “white lynch mobs” and worked tirelessly to help them be treated as equals. And while she faced a lot of pushback and bad press, she never let it deter her. “Every small victory makes a difference.” Eleanor always managed to keep those in need of justice on her radar, so it seemed fitting when the newly formed United Nations invited her to “lead a committee on the rights and freedoms of all human beings.” This Universal Declaration of Human Rights still exists. With a career as long and as storied as Eleanor Roosevelt’s was, Markel manages to keep to her theme and provide many jumping off points for further research for older readers (and I do think kids as old as 10 would enjoy this book). The highlighted examples reinforce Roosevelt’s vast accomplishments for the younger ones, making her a role model for budding activists. Four fantastic pages of backmatter detail just how much good Eleanor did and include a timeline where I learned the Ku Klux Klan once placed a $25,000 bounty on Eleanor’s head! There’s also a select bibliography, a section about “More About People of Color and Women During the Depression,” one on “People of Color and Women During the New Deal,” and one on “Mary McLeod Bethune, Walter White, and the Roosevelt Administration.” I’m glad to still be learning new things about Eleanor Roosevelt all these years later.

 

 

One Girl's Voice cover Lucy Stone in DC.

ONE GIRL’S VOICE:
How Lucy Stone Helped Change the Law of the Land
Written by Vivian Kirkfield
Illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon
(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

I hope that reading about the women movers and shakers from the 19th and 20th centuries in this roundup motivates young girls today to continue making their voices heard as Lucy Stone did from a very young age.

Enlightening quotes from this women’s rights advocate are used throughout One Girl’s Voice making Stone’s advocacy that much more meaningful when you consider the era during which she grew up. Kirkfield notes that in 1830, in Massachusetts and across the United States, the law said the voices of girls and women didn’t count. In other words, they should be seen, especially in the kitchen, and not heard, out in public that is. Even Lucy’s father agreed with that sentiment, which caused Lucy no end of anguish.

Lucy was determined to show that women’s voices mattered despite how her father and society felt. She’d earn her own money to pay for books, and then college, but a rude awakening awaited her at Oberlin College. Women were not permitted to speak in the public speaking class! So Lucy met with other women and practiced debating in secret. But they still had to put their newly acquired skills to the test. And though she persuaded her professor to let the women speak in the classroom, when the administration got wind of this, all future debates by women were banned. This blatant lack of equality irked on many levels since Lucy also discovered she was working to pay for college at half the pay her male classmates received. Lucy wrote a letter arguing against this inequity and was rewarded with equal pay. A small but meaningful triumph. After the college invited her to compose a speech for graduation, she learned a male student would deliver the speech so she withdrew. But, soon she was offered a job by the head of the New England Anti-Slavery Society, and that position secured her national reputation as an inspirational orator. “Now all we need is to continue to speak the truth fearlessly, and we shall add to our number those who will turn the scale to the side of equal and full justice in all things.”

The art, rendered in vivid acrylic ink and colored pencil, creates just the right tone for this story of one woman’s unwavering perseverance and gift of persuasion. Stone, allow me the word play, left no stone unturned in her quest for equality for all. She fought for the abolition of slavery as well as suffrage for all regardless of gender or race. She also pushed for the passing of a law that gave married women property rights. And while she wouldn’t live to see women gain the right to vote, it was her powerful and unceasing voice that helped lead the way. Six pages of backmatter contain an Author’s Note, a timeline and a personal fave, “Fun Facts.” It’s here I learned that Lucy Stone kept her married name just like I did. Women who chose to do so back then were referred to as Lucy Stoners!  This is a recommended year-round read that reinforces how important all voices are.

 

 

Hiding in Plain Sight cover Kate Warne Detective Abraham Lincoln.HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT:
Kate Warne and the Race to Save Abraham Lincoln
Written by Beth Anderson
Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport
(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

Starred review – Booklist

I knew about Kate Warne’s involvement in the famed Pinkerton Detective Agency, but I never knew about the foiled plot to assassinate Lincoln that this picture book covers. Beth Anderson has chosen an episode in history that is not that easy to explain since major logistics were involved for the mission to be a success. Between Anderson’s storytelling and Wern Comport’s mixed-media collage art with maps, old photos, and pencil drawings that evoke a bygone era just a few months before the Civil War, Hiding in Plain Sight weaves a tale of intrigue that kept me turning the page.

The book’s design, with dates and locations on most spreads, makes navigating Lincoln’s thirteen-day train journey from Springfield, Illinois, to his D.C. inauguration full of tension despite knowing he avoids harm. Kids will find Kate Warne’s spying skills rather cool, especially for a 19th-century woman when that kind of career would have been frowned upon. Pretending to be a “Mrs. Barley” she fit in with the Baltimore crowd and learned about the rebel’s plan to kill Lincoln when his train passed through Baltimore, the only way to get to Washington. She alerted Allan Pinkerton, who seemed to already know about the plot. They had to let the future president know his life was in danger. That meant delivering a message to his assistant, Mr. Judd. Now, imagine the pressure Kate was under. She had only a few days to thwart the plot, but she also needed Lincoln’s okay to change his schedule.

When Lincoln “refused to cancel plans,” Kate and Pinkerton had only one other option, which I won’t reveal here. Spies were probably everywhere, and the new plan left no room for error. Here, Anderson keeps the suspense at a fever pitch. Even though I knew Lincoln would be safe, I worried. How would they pull this off when anyone could leak details of this top-secret mission? Well, as history proves, Kate and Pinkerton succeeded, and Lincoln made it to his inauguration in D.C. Phew!! Seven pages of interesting backmatter featuring an Afterword, photos, a Great Western Railroad Time Card, code names, and more add to this picture book’s appeal.

 

Share this:

Nonfiction Picture Book Review for Women’s History Month – Chef Edna

 

 

CHEF EDNA:
Queen of Southern Cooking, Edna Lewis

Written by Melvina Noel

Illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera

(Cameron Kids; $18.99, Ages 4-8)

 

 

Chef Edna cover queen of southern cooking edna lewis.

 

This mouthwatering, treat of a book introduces readers to Edna Regina Lewis, with illustrations that pair deliciously with the prose. I was ready to book a trip to the South to sample all the tasty cuisine mentioned in Chef Edna written by Melvina Noel and illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera. Just look at that inviting cover! It speaks to exactly what this picture book is all about.

 

Chef Edna int1 when Edna grew up on a farm.
Interior spread from Chef Edna: Queen of Southern Cooking, Edna Lewis written by Melvina Noel and illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera, Cameron Kids ©2023.

 

Growing up on a farm in Freetown, Virginia, Edna was one of six children. She spent her childhood “cooking with her mother, Mama Daisy.” Life on a farm offered fresh fruit, vegetables, meats, and fish year-round as well as the opportunity for young Edna to learn every recipe. She made her mama’s biscuits “so many times she could make them by heart.” That and other tricks, such as listening to a cake to know whether it’s done (A bubbling sound meant it needed to cook more. No sound meant it was done.) became ingrained in Edna.

 

Chef Edna int2 making biscuits
Interior art from Chef Edna: Queen of Southern Cooking, Edna Lewis written by Melvina Noel and illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera, Cameron Kids ©2023.

 

When Edna’s father passed away, she left home at age 15 to work to help support her mother and the family. She headed to New York and did a host of jobs. Her seamstress skills brought her to the attention of celebrities and soon she was “making clothes for movie stars.” One of my favorite illustrations not shown here is of Edna strolling down a Manhattan street wearing one of her own designs with African motifs and “bright, bold colors.” And, while this brought in much-needed money, Edna still yearned for the farm in Freetown, being with family, and enjoying all the delicious Southern food she was raised on.

Edna met many people through her seamstress work. She “catered events and threw dinner parties for her new friends.” Everyone appreciated her scrumptious cooking infused with a love of the South. Demand grew. It’s easy for us to forget that today, with such a variety of food available that, in late 1940s New York, a female chef, let alone a Black female chef, serving up flavors of her hometown down south, was not common on the Upper East Side where she opened a restaurant with a partner. Famous people including poets, playwrights, and even a First Lady flocked there to see for themselves what Southern cuisine was all about.

 

Chef Edna int3 simple pure ingredients.
Interior spread from Chef Edna: Queen of Southern Cooking, Edna Lewis written by Melvina Noel and illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera, Cameron Kids ©2023.

 

With New York now her home, Edna continued to seek out “fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, and fish. Fresh seasonal farm-to-table ingredients for Southern cooking,” at Union Square Green Market. When I was growing up that market had long disappeared but it’s back again which I know would make Edna smile. Cabrera’s artwork in muted tones with brush strokes showing, conveys a thriving market of a bygone era.

In her lifetime, Edna the granddaughter of formerly enslaved people, worked at many different jobs where her creativity was put to good use whether as a window dresser, a seamstress, a cooking teacher, a cookbook author, or a chef. This “Grand Dame of Southern Cooking” worked in her later years to preserve Southern food, and was honored not only with numerous awards, but was featured on a U.S. Postal stamp in 2014! Since dates are not mentioned, readers may not always get a clear sense of the timespan in this biography but it’s clear from the art and backmatter that Edna never really slowed down noting that Edna worked “well into her early seventies.” The author has chosen an inspiring subject for this picture book that might even influence young readers to pursue a career as a chef.

After you finish the book, be sure to read Noel’s interesting Author’s Note and try your hand at Edna’s “Biscuits for Two or Three.” I know I will! Don’t forget to look under the book jacket for a sweet “undies” surprise from Cabrera.

  • Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

 

Want to read more for Women’s History Month? Click here.

Share this:

Five Children’s Books for Women’s History Month

FIVE CHILDREN’S BOOKS

FOR

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

∼ A ROUNDUP ∼

 

 

Just Wild Enough cover of primatologist Mireya Mayor in MadagascarJUST WILD ENOUGH:
Mireya Mayor, Primatologist
Written by Marta Magellan
Illustrated by Clémentine Rocheron
(Albert Whitman & Co.; $17.99, Ages 4-8)

Picture book biographies such as Just Wild Enough are exactly why I love nonfiction and why I especially love Women’s History Month. Part of the She Made History collection, this book brings primatologist Mireya Mayor to the attention of young readers and might just plant the seed for some of them to study the fascinating and important field of primatology.

From a young age, animals were always a part of Mayor’s life. She could never have enough pets whether they were cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, a chicken, or a snapping turtle. At the same time, she felt that nothing was quite wild enough. This phrase is often repeated and is backed up by many impressive examples throughout the bio.

While she attended university, Mayor was also an NFL cheerleader for the Miami Dolphins. Yet her dream to be a primatologist persisted. People she knew couldn’t see why she’d want to visit jungles and study primates. In fact, one of my favorite lines in the book is when some researchers told her she didn’t look like a scientist. Magellan writes “But what does a scientist look like, anyway?”

Much to everyone’s surprise, Mayor eventually ended up on the island of Madagascar to study inky-black lemurs. There she was hired by National Geographic “as its very first woman wildlife TV reporter.” Still, nothing she experienced was quite wild enough. Her tenacity took her deep into one of the last virgin rainforests. Always one to look closer, Mayor discovered a new species of mouse lemur. But finding that species also meant the need to speak with the prime minister since the mouse lemur’s habitat was being devastated. Using fire, people stripped “the trees from the rain forest for fuel.” When Mayor met him she asked if he could declare the rain forest a national park thus ensuring the mouse lemurs’ survival. He agreed!

Magellan’s chosen to introduce kids to an inspirational woman in a well-balanced presentation of the life of a primatologist. I enjoyed learning about Mayor’s colorful and conscientious life. The art helps young readers see what some of Mayor’s responsibilities were and the text helps them understand her motivation. Dubbed the female Indiana Jones, she continues to this day to promote the protection of endangered species and the importance of conservation. Rocheron’s artwork takes us on the football field and into the jungles with illustrations that work well in this bio but would also look great on a TV show. Four pages of back matter include a Glossary, Author’s Note, About Mouse Lemurs, and Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve.

 

Dolly!-The Story of Dolly Parton and Her Big Dream Dolly playing guitarDOLLY!:
The Story of Dolly Parton and Her Big Dream
Written  by Robyn McGrath
Illustrated by Ellen Surrey
(LBRY/Christy Ottaviano Books; $17.99, Ages 4-8)

I know very little about Dolly Parton so I couldn’t wait to dive into this picture book. What I learned is that Dolly grew up in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and is the fourth of twelve children so it’s no surprise she became a performer. What better way to make your presence known?

Dolly’s musical prowess showed up when she was five years old and “composed her first song about her handmade corncob doll, Tiny Tasseltop.” She could be found singing to her animals at home or in church and loved listening to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio on Saturdays along with her family. The music moved her. The Partons occasionally found time for music sessions together playing “some Appalachian porch pickin’ music.” Dolly easily moved from instrument to instrument learning as she went. And, growing up dirt poor, Dolly channeled unpleasant experiences of bullying into her music, her musical dreams motivated by her mama’s singing and stories. Dolly’s primary dream was to be onstage at the Opry but was always told the same thing – she was too young.

Did that stop Dolly? Like the other women in this roundup, Dolly didn’t take no for an answer and persevered. And though she had farmwork to take care of, she still wrote and sang songs, never losing sight of her dream. Her uncle Bill observed her talent and after Dolly got her first guitar, he not only encouraged her but helped her get her first radio and TV gigs. Despite being well received by audiences, that didn’t mean an automatic entrée for Dolly into the Grand Old Opry.

Then one day Dolly’s big dream was realized when “another singer agreed to let Dolly go onstage in his place at the Grand Ole Opry!” After three encores that night, the rest is history. Dolly went on to dazzle audiences on TV as her career took off. To this day her singing and songwriting still thrill fans and she’s added philanthropy to her playbook. Back matter details her literacy, health care, and marriage equality initiatives. I got a kick out of her Dollyisms also included. Here’s my favorite from the book: “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain.” The pairing of McGrath’s prose with Surrey’s art is a winning combination. It was probably not easy to narrow down what to focus on in such a storied life, but McGrath’s homed in on highlights such as her close family life and self-confidence that help readers understand Dolly’s drive. You can also feel Dolly’s energy in the bold illustrations.

 

A Life of Service Tammy Duckworth in wheelchairA LIFE OF SERVICE:
The Story of Senator Tammy Duckworth
Written by Christina Soontornvat
Illustrated by Dow Phumiruk
(Candlewick Press; 18.99, Ages 5-9)

Soontornvat shows readers how there is so much more to Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth’s life than meets the eye. Her commitment to serving our country has remained steadfast despite facing a life-changing accident in 2004.

Written using a straightforward chronological structure, this bio shares that Tammy was born in Bangkok, Thailand, and growing up she and her family moved around Southeast Asia. Because of her father’s job working for the United Nations, she saw people from all walks of life who had been displaced due to war and were living as refugees. Her caring about others was instilled at a young age and never left her.

When her father lost his job, he moved everyone to Hawaii where at times Tammy was the sole breadwinner. Her drive and caring never faltered and she worked hard at school despite the family’s tough financial situation. After high school, Tammy continued on to college and graduate school knowing she wanted to serve her country, just not how.

Tammy found fulfillment in the ROTC, then joined the Illinois Army National Guard. She also fell in love and got married. Fascinated by aviation, she mastered operating a Black Hawk helicopter eventually becoming her unit’s commander. When the US decided to invade Iraq, Tammy did not agree but chose to stay with her company in Balad, Iraq as battle captain. Near the end of a mission, on Nov. 12, 2004, her helicopter was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade. Tammy almost didn’t survive. The result – one leg lost and one partially lost from the knee down. And though the pain was debilitating, Tammy’s fellow vets provided motivation. She’d get better and return to combat. But that was not to be.

In rehab for 13 months, Tammy was the most senior ranked vet and soon found she was helping others navigate benefits and other challenges they encountered. With this experience under her belt it was no surprise she was asked to run for Congress. And though she lost the first time, she didn’t the second time! Not one to shy from breaking the glass ceiling, Tammy also won her Senate race where “she racked up a long string of firsts,” including being the first female amputee to serve in Congress, and the first senator to give birth while in office. To this day Tammy Duckworth is a force to be reckoned with as she fights for disability rights, immigration, and refugee protections, helping vets find work, and supporting family needs.

Dow Phumiruk’s art brought Tammy into my home (and heart) as I followed her childhood to her military years to her rise and influence in politics. Together with Soontornvat’s thoughtful prose, A Life of Service introduces young readers to a role model worthy of a place in Women’s History Month and Women’s History in general. I am glad to have learned her story. Backmatter includes a helpful timeline of major events in Tammy’s life, suggested reading as well as her “Ongoing Legacy of Service.”

 

Wonderful Hair cover Annie Malone with clientWONDERFUL HAIR:
The Beauty of Annie Malone
Written by Eve Nadel Catarevas
Illustrated by Felicia Marshall 
(Creston Books; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

Annie’s story is one of perseverance and success, and more impressive since it happened around the turn of the 19th century when Black women were denied the same opportunities as whites. Annie’s neighbor and friend, Lillie even said to her, “Black girls like us grow up to be maids, washerwomen, or cooks.” But from a young age, Annie found herself interested in hair care as Black women were seeking “the same fashionable hairstyles white women had.” She was determined to follow her own path.

As a girl, Annie had friends and family coming to her for she had a way with Black women’s hair. And she knew it was going to be her destiny. That vision took her from strength to strength.

Annie asked her herb doctor Aunt Mary to create a product a product to help make hair grow. Too many women she knew had bald patches from harsh hair straightening products and remedies “to tame rebellious curls and kinks.” Aunt Mary’s product launched Annie’s career. When Annie decided to make one even better, she called it “Wonderful Hair Grower” and charged 25 cents for it. With her growing beauty business, Annie moved to Brooklyn, Illinois and sold her products from a horse-drawn wagon.

Annie’s company continued to thrive and relocated to St. Louis. There, she expanded her line of self-care items to include shampoo, conditioner, soap, and lipstick. “She named her company Poro, a West African word for physical and spiritual growth.’ Because Black women’s products weren’t sold in stores, Annie went door-to-door selling. As demand increased, she trained women to ” operate their own hair salons.” She even launched Poro Beauty College! At one point she had 75,000 beauty agents worldwide and even had a store at St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904!

So now, when you hear that Sarah Breedlove was the first self-made Black female millionaire because of her hair-care company Madam C.J. Walker, you’ll know that in fact she was trained by Annie Malone who can truly claim that accomplishment. I enjoyed how Catarevas brought  Annie’s story to life buoyed by occasional quotes such as “One dime will do,” said by Aunt Mary who charged her niece that sum for her hair-growing mixture. Coupled with Marshall’s illustrations that had an oil painting quality because of the visible brushstrokes, Catarevas grounds readers in an era where change was on the horizon, and entrepreneurs like Annie who reached out and grabbed opportunities could realize her dreams.

Josephine and Her Dishwashing Machine cover inventor surrounded by dishesJOSEPHINE AND HER DISHWASHING MACHINE:
Josephine Cochrane’s  Bright Invention Makes a Big Splash
Written by Kate Hannigan
Illustrated by Sarah Green
(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

Sometimes I wonder if all our household conveniences have already been invented but there was a time when this was not the case. In the 1870s and ’80s, following the civil war, inventors were hard at work around the world developing new products and devices to make life easier in homes, on farms, in offices and factories, and at hospitals. Enter Josephine Garis Cochrane, a woman with a neat idea.

Green’s full-page illustrations depict a woman who is wealthy enough to have a maid. She also probably grew up not lacking the necessities in life being the daughter of a bridge builder and great-granddaughter of a steamship designer. It didn’t hurt that inventiveness was in her blood. So, when Cochrane noticed what bad condition her dishware was in from all the handwashing it had endured, she knew there had to be a better way. While there had been an earlier version of a dishwasher that “just splashed water around,” Josephine wanted her invention to actually clean.

After trying to fashion the dishwasher herself, Josephine enlisted the talents of a mechanic, George Butters, to help her. At first, things looked bright but when Josephine’s husband died, she was ready to throw in the towel. But we know, since there’s a book about her, she didn’t throw in the towel. Instead, with George’s assistance, she “tested and tinkered and pushed and persevered until she was satisfied.” You’ll note how Hannigan’s use of water and cleaning-related language to share her story is spot on (pun intended!).

At last, her dishwasher was ready to be patented! But without investors, Josephine’s nascent business could not succeed. Those male investors were not likely to bet on a business run by a woman in the late 19th century. Fortunately for this enterprising woman, she decided to exhibit her invention at the Columbian Exposition (aka the Chicago World’s Fair) in 1893. Not only did her dishwasher win first place for “best mechanical construction” it also won her orders from across the country. Hotels, restaurants, schools and even hospitals wanted one. “The Garis-Cochrane Dish-washing Machine Company soon outgrew the backyard shed.” Her company grew and thrived. Well into her seventies, Josephine continued to sell her dream with the ultimate goal of getting it into homes.

I chose to review this story because the topic is so relatable and also because it’s not a cradle-to-grave biography. It focuses on Cochrane as a grown woman determined to create the best possible dishwasher in order to free up people to have time to enjoy other activities. Hannigan’s included several quotes throughout the book from Josephine that attest to her spirit. When others might have given up, she never did. Green’s lively and lovely artwork added to my enjoyment. I’m glad she included pictures of the patents, too. Comprehensive back matter sheds light on what it was like for a woman inventor and business owner to try to get her product out into the world when modern appliances such as toasters and irons were not to be seen until 1913, the year Josephine died. More pages are devoted to Notable Women Inventors and a Timeline of Fascinating Inventions.

 

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READS

CHEF EDNA: 
Queen of Southern Cooking, Edna Lewis
Written by Melvina Noel
Illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera
(Cameron Kids; $18.99, Ages 4-8)
Available for Pre-order now

A STORY IS TO SHARE:
How Ruth Krauss Found Another Way to Tell a Tale
Written by Carter  Higgins
Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
(Abrams BYR; $19.99, Ages 4-8)

I AM TEMPLE GRANDIN
(Ordinary People Change the World)
Written by Brad Meltzer
Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos
(Rocky Pond Books; $16.99, Ages 5-9)

SPLASH!: 
Ethelda Bleibtrey Makes Waves of Change
Written by Elisa Boxer
Illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley
(Sleeping Bear Press; $17.99, Ages 6-10)

A TAKE-CHARGE GIRL BLAZES A TRAIL TO CONGRESS:
The Story of Jeannette Rankin
Written by Gretchen Woelfle
Illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon
(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

DAZZLIN’ DOLLY:
The Songwriting, Hit-Singing, Guitar-Picking Dolly Parton
Written by Suzanne Slade
Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham
(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

CLOAKED IN COURAGE:
Uncovering Deborah Sampson Patriot Solder
Written by Beth Anderson
Illustrated  by Anne Lambelet
(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

 

Share this:

Picture Book Review for Women’s History Month – Loujain Dreams of Sunflowers

 

 

LOUJAIN DREAMS OF SUNFLOWERS:
A Story Inspired by Loujain AlHathloul

Written by Lina AlHathloul & Uma Mishra-Newbery

Illustrated by Rebecca Green

(mineditionUS; $18.99, Ages 4-8)

.

Loujain Dreams of Sunflowers covr

 

Available now in time for Women’s History Month is Loujain Dreams of Sunflowers. This new picture book introduces children to the young main character in the morning when she’s squeezing her eyes shut to recall her favorite dream. In this scene, she dreams of being able to fly, soaring above “a place her baba described as the carpet of a million sunflowers.” While having flying dreams is not uncommon, readers soon see more of the fantasy element come into play when, after getting up, Loujain joins her father to get their wings out of the shed.  The joy in Loujain’s face as she makes believe she can fly is palpable. But in reality, she’d never fly anywhere because she was a girl, and girls were forbidden to fly. How could this possibly be fair?

 

Loujain Dreams int1
Interior spread from Loujain Dreams of Sunflowers written by Lina AlHathloul & Uma Mishra-Newbery and illustrated by Rebecca Green, minedition ©2022.

 

The sunflowers Loujain fantasized visiting were in a picture taped to her wall and she was determined to see them. While her father knew the harsh reality, her mother did not want to discourage her daughter. But at school kids teased Loujain for thinking a girl could fly when only boys were allowed. Loujain pleaded with her father to give her lessons. His wife told him, “Why should flying be only for boys?” Especially, she added, “if we all can use wings?”

 

Loujain Dreams int2
Interior spread from Loujain Dreams of Sunflowers written by Lina AlHathloul & Uma Mishra-Newbery and illustrated by Rebecca Green, minedition ©2022.

 

Loujain had the good fortune to have open-minded, caring parents and a father who clearly agreed that it was not right to keep girls from spreading their wings and taking to the skies.  Her baba lovingly trained her and after preparing her, they set out the very next day on the journey to see the amazing sea of sunflowers.

 

Loujain Dreams int3
Interior art from Loujain Dreams of Sunflowers written by Lina AlHathloul & Uma Mishra-Newbery and illustrated by Rebecca Green, minedition ©2022.

 

The powerful symbolism conveyed in this story will not be lost on children who perhaps in their lifetime have experienced or heard about gender bias whether in sports, academics, employment, the arts, or in other fields. Of course in this case it’s a metaphor for the real-life Loujain AlHathloul who made history for challenging the ban on women’s right to drive cars in Saudi Arabia and was imprisoned because of it. She is no longer in prison, but her restrictive release conditions and her dream of bringing more freedoms for girls and women are described in the authors’ note.

 

Loujain Dreams int4
Interior art from Loujain Dreams of Sunflowers written by Lina AlHathloul & Uma Mishra-Newbery and illustrated by Rebecca Green, minedition ©2022.

 

Loujain Dreams of Sunflowers invites multiple reads and discussions in the context of women’s rights/gender bias and discrimination, perseverance and persistence as well as pursuing one’s dream. Green’s gorgeous and energetic art, created in acrylic gouache and colored pencil adds to the enjoyment of each read. I love her varied composition from page to page and the glorious color palette she’s chosen. Every spread, especially ones with the sunflowers, feels so expansive and full of possibility, just right for this hopeful and empowering picture book.

Follow Lina AlHathloul on Twitter here.

Find out more about Uma Mishra-Newbery here.

Find out more about Rebecca Green here.

Learn more about the #FreeJoujain campaign here.

 

Share this:
Back To Top