[Nonfiction Wednesday] Biographies of Fantastically Great Women (Part 2 of 2)

Myra here.

We are delighted to join the Nonfiction Picture Book meme 2018 hosted by Alyson Beecher @ Kid Lit Frenzy. We would also be linking our nonfiction choices with our reading themes throughout the year, when we can.

Last week, I shared biographies of great women who changed the world. Here is Part 2 of the post where I feature great women who made history.

Fantastically Great Women Who Made History

Written and Illustrated by Kate Pankhurst
Published by Bloomsbury Children’s (2018)
ISBN-10: 1408878895
ISBN-13: 9781408878897
A review copy was provided by Pansing. Book photos taken by me.

It is fairly easy to assume that simply because we are able to celebrate women now, that it has always been this way. I do hear comments from male students who wonder about the necessity of empowering females in a society that they feel already honour and regard women as equals, and in some cases, even hold positions of power and authority over men such as themselves.

I remind my students, with great patience and deliberation, how these liberties had not always been present in society, that to take this freedom for granted is a grave dishonour to the countless of women who came before, who fought tooth and nail for the rights and privileges that young girls now enjoy and often take for granted.

Take Boudicca in the image above, for instance. She was Queen of the Celtic Iceni Tribe. The Romans during 59 AD felt that it was absurd for a female to rule and so they claimed with certainty and authority that they were in charge and treated her daughters cruelly, all in an attempt to scare Boudicca off. They were not counting on her fierce, merciless courage that indicated she would rather be dead than remain in subservience to a culture that was not her own.

I like how each full-page spread depicted the brilliance and grace, bravery and wisdom of various women coming from different countries and cultural backgrounds. I felt that this volume had greater diversity, with a layout that is considerably easier on the eye, as compared to the first one.

Hence, from Ada Lovelace to Hatshepsut, from Sayyida Al-Hurra to Noor Inayat Khan, the young reader gets a snapshot of the lives of strong women who would undoubtedly inspire them to make a difference in their own lives, and eventually shape history.