By SK

Have you ever heard of the Chicano Blowouts? Or the Federal Theater Project? What about Sister Corita's artwork, or the NAMES project? In Rad American History A-Z, Kate Schatz and Miriam Klein Stahl explore the American history that you might not have learned in school. Some stories are from America's founding, while others focus on recent events, but all celebrate the power of unified people, working together to change their world for the better.

I loved Rad Girls Can, so I was excited to learn that Rad American History A-Z had come out, and it completely lived up my high expectations! The striking illustrations and appealing formatting make it a fun, engaging read for younger readers, but I would highly recommend it to older readers as well--I had never heard of many of the featured people and events at all, and of those which I had, the book usually provided new facts or a fresh perspective. I really liked how instead of focusing on a particular person for each section, the book focuses on a broader subject (from #BlackLivesMatter to Hull House to Riot Grrrl), and then delves into the stories of a handful of related events, people, or topics, such as the Combahee River Collective and March for Our Lives. I also appreciated how the book highlights not just movements and events, but also things which have long been a part of democracy and resistance, such as libraries, quilts, and jazz. The writing is snappy, accessible, and informative, and the illustrations combine watercolor and cutouts with stunning results. An inspiring read celebrating the power of the people and the ever-present possibility of positive change, I would highly recommend Rad American History A-Z to readers ages eleven and up.

By Super Kitty

Have you ever heard of Maryam Mirzakhani? How about Chien-Shiung Wu? Or Mae Jemison? In Women in Science, Rachel Ignotofsky writes about fifty amazing women from around the world who made vital contributions to the world of science. Full of quotes, fun facts, and colorful illustrations, each page focuses on a different scientist’s life and achievements.

Interesting and inspiring, this book makes even the most abstract fields of science feel accessible—it’s almost guaranteed to get you researching more about the amazing people it celebrates! In many ways it’s reminiscent of Rad Girls Can, with its engaging, illustrated biographies of groundbreaking women and focus on encouraging girls to pursue their passions. (Though boys are sure to enjoy it as well!)

Many of the women featured in Women in Science have been largely forgotten, or in some cases were never properly recognized in the first place, and learning about them gives a different perspective on history—behind many incredible discoveries there are unsung sheroes who never received the credit they deserve. The movement to encourage girls to pursue STEM careers has led to the publication of many awesome books celebrating those little-known scientists. Women in Science is definitely a top pick.

By Super Kitty
 
In Fly Girls, P. O’Connell Pearson tells the forgotten story of the women pilots who worked for the military during World War II. In the United States, planes were being produced at an incredible rate, and the army needed them—and fast.

To allow as many pilots as possible to fly in combat, two accomplished pilots named Jacqueline Cochran and Nancy Love proposed a program where female aviators could fly planes from factories to bases. Woman were taking on what were traditionally men’s jobs all over the country, but if a woman wanted to work directly for the military, only specific roles were open. While not all of them consisted of traditionally ‘feminine’ work, many people thought women flying combat planes, particularly the heavy bombers, was going too far.

But women were not afraid to join the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), despite the hard conditions and difficult standards (often much higher than those required of male pilots), and one thousand, one hundred and two of them flew for their country until the program was shut down in 1944.
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Fly Girls tells a fascinating story, and one I can’t believe I didn’t know about. More than eleven hundred women worked ferrying planes from 1942 to 1944, and yet this is a piece of history largely forgotten. It also gave me a different perspective on World War II and the suffragettes; how far we have come since then, but also how far we have to go before women will have complete equality with men. The writing is engaging, and it reads like a story, which I for one quite appreciated, as many similar books tend to be on the drier side. I was impressed by the amazing women the story centered around—now forgotten, many battles might have ended differently were it not for the young pilots who risked their lives flying for their country. I would recommend it to readers ages ten and up looking for interesting and inspiring history, about war, planes, and the women who flew them.    

By Super Kitty

Malala Yousafzai is world famous. She has received countless awards and honors, and is the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in world history. Hers is now a household name.

But before all of that, she was an ordinary girl, born and raised in the beautiful Swat Valley in Pakistan, attending school and playing with her younger brothers. Her lifestyle was very different from that of most American children, but her world was a peaceful one, and she was happy.

Then the Taliban came, and her world turned upside down. The Taliban called girls weak and inferior to boys, and said that educating them is a waste of time and money. Suddenly, Malala couldn’t go to school, and she began to realize how much learning meant to her. Her father, a community leader and activist, had always taught her to stand up for what she believed in, and she began to give speeches with him, writing, traveling, and doing anything she could to get her voice heard. She spoke up, and people listened. She gained widespread recognition for her work for women’s rights and education—but it was only when the Taliban tried to assassinate her that she entered the world spotlight.

Powerful, moving, and inspiring, this book completely lived up to my high expectations. Malala’s determination and courage shine through as she writes, exploring the complex politics and history of her native country. Her perspective, as a civilian who survived in a place of countless attacks, threats, battles, and bombs, gives a vivid picture of the bloody conflict that has defined so much of her life, and is deeply honest and human in a way that a news story or government report could never be.

Malala is an amazing speaker and activist, and I loved learning about her. She is inspirational and yet still relatable, and her passion for social justice has made her a symbol of peaceful protest and positive change around the world. This is a story of violence and terrorism, yes, and of the horrors that continue to occur around the world. Yet it is told with hope, voiced by a girl who nearly died for her cause, yet continues to fight—and risk her life—to realize her dreams of education and equality for girls everywhere.
 
Note: I would recommend I am Malala for readers ages 12 and up, since parts of it are upsetting or would be too confusing for younger kids. However, there is also a young reader’s edition available, which Piranha T. read and enjoyed—it’s a story which is important to know, and which version ever you read, you’re sure to be inspired!

By Super Kitty
 
Malala Yousafzai. Yusra Mardini. Madison Kimrey. All over the world, girls are making headlines, whether they’re breaking records, giving speeches, or fighting for social justice. Some have become celebrities, while others have worked against inequality in their own communities. And of course, there are those who are now grown up, but changed the course of history when they were girls.
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Rad Girls Can celebrates the accomplishments of almost fifty amazing young women, all under the age of twenty, who have in some way changed the world for the better. I’m always looking for books like this one, and it has become one of my favorites. Fun, empowering, and inspiring, not to mention beautifully illustrated, I would highly recommend it—especially to girls, but really to any readers who love learning about the incredible things kids can do. As Marley Dias, founder of the #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign, says: “You don’t have to be very old to start trying to fix the problems you see in the world around you.”

By Piranha T.
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During the two world wars, not only were the jobs for mathematics at NASA more important, there were less men to serve them. That’s why the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory of Hampton, Virginia opened its jobs to women and African-Americans, and how many talented women got the jobs.

Hidden Figures tells the story of four women who worked at the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory. Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden were four talented, smart, mathematically-minded African-American women who helped create faster airplanes, missions to the moon, and helped other extraordinary ventures. When Dorothy Vaughan first arrived at the laboratory, the women were reserved into ‘computing pools’ to do calculations for the male engineers, but by the time Kathrine Johnson helped send the first manned spacecraft to the moon, she worked side-by-side with some of the men.

In Hidden Figures, Margot Lee Shetterly tells the story of these four women who did incredible work at NASA and helped to launch Americans into space. It was an interesting book to read, because it was not only about these four women but also mentioned many others working in the same field. Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Kathrine Johnson and Christine Darden were part of countless important calculations, and their discoveries in part sent men into space and to the moon. Although it’s not the normal kind of book we review, I enjoyed it’s engaging, informative text.

I’d highly recommend Hidden Figures for anyone looking for an interesting, informative, historical read for kids and adults ages 8 and up.