Hurrah for Heroines!

The Book of Heroines: Tales of History's Gutsiest Gals
by Stephanie Warren Drimmer
176 pages; ages 8-12
National Geographic Children's Books, 2017

This book is chock-full of Leading Ladies, Daring Dames, Gritty Girls, Peace Heroines, Legendary Ladies, and a few outstanding non-human heroines. These strong girls don't wear capes or have superpowers. But they do share seven qualities, writes Stephanie Drimmer.

How to Identify a Heroine:

1. Heroines step up when help is needed.
2. They are brave. They do the right thing no matter how scared they are.
3. They're confident, even when folks say "you can't do that." 
4. They put others first.
5. Heroines do the right thing.
6. They face risk - which means they act even when doing so means they might be called names, or face danger.
7. And when the going get tough, they don't quit.

So who are these real-life heroines Drimmer profiles? One is Eleanor Roosevelt who became the First Lady when F.D.R. was elected President in 1932. She held press conferences and wrote a column about her opinions on social and political issues. She used her position to give a  voice to people who didn't have one: women, children, African Americans, and the poor. She challenged stereotypes.

One section highlights women who led nations: Golda Meir, Angela Merkel, Margaret Thatcher, Cleopatra. Another introduces athletes. Within the pages are stories of code breakers, warriors, journalists, business leaders, pilots, and explorers. There are profiles of courageous peace-makers, like Malala Yousafzai and Rigoberta Menchu Tum. And there are scientists and inventors.

These women pushed against barriers, saved lives, and discovered new worlds. They're the sort of heroes you'd like any child to meet. Review copy from publisher.

Bug Girl

Bug Girl
by Benjamin Harper and Sarah Hines Stephens; illustrated by Anoosha Syed
304 pages; ages 8-12
Imprint, 2017

I've been posting reviews of "bug" books over at Archimedes Notebook for the past month: insect field guides, mantids - and more today. So when I learned that there was a superhero (or heroine) calling herself Bug Girl... you know I could not pass up a chance to check her out!

I fell in love with this book from page 0 whereupon was printed a dedication to dorks, geeks, science nerds and other "misfits" in the middle school world.

Then there's the adorably geeky Amanda Price, backpack covered by bug buttons slung across her shoulder, dragonfly lunchbox, and Trina, a Madagascar hissing cockroach. (Full disclosure: I had a Madagascar hissing cockroach for a pet, too.) She has penned such school reports as "Tree Lobsters: Where are they now?" Her classmates are not as enamored of arthropods as is Amanda. In fact, they are appalled/disgusted/offended when she brings her cockroaches to school.

What I like about this book: Of course there are villains, and the adult superheroines are taken captive. Who will save the town? Amanda decides she will, but to do so she needs the help of her ex-best friend. Plus there's the whole going through metamorphosis thing.... but now that she has antennae and special insect superpowers, saving the town shouldn't be too difficult. Except that it is.

I love the Fun Bug Facts scattered through the book, the scientific illustrations of Amanda and her friends (labeled, of course), rules of middle school, directions to make a paper hat, and comic book-style illustrations. I even learned the difference between farfalle and macaroni.

Bug Girl is fun to read, filled with imagination, and may cause readers to want to get to know more about insects. Will there be more? I'm sure of it! The world is filled with villains, and Amanda introduced us to just a few of the 2 million (or more) species of insects in this world.

Head over to Archimedes Notebook today to learn how to survive as a firefly (and more about bugs). And on Monday, we'll be hanging out on Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers over at Shannon Messenger's blog. Hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by publisher.

Send for a Superhero!

Send for a Superhero!

By Michael Rosen; illus. by Katharine McEwen

40 pages; ages 3-7

Candlewick Press, 2014

It’s bedtime and Dad is reading Emily and little Elmer a story. It is, in fact, the very book we are reviewing, and it features two very bad villains: Filth and Vacuum. And today’s the day they will destroy the world!

Dad reads a comic-book version of the story in which Brad Forty, a very nice guy, must act fast. Because Vacuum guy is sucking all the money out of the banks, and Filth guy is polluting muck and slime along the beaches. He texts the Mayor a warning.

The Mayor sends for Steel Man, but he is no match for the Two Terrible Villains. So the Mayor sends for Super-flying-through-the-air-very-fast man. But he is not fast enough.

When the Mayor exhausts his list of superheroes, Brad says, “send for Extremely Boring Man!” Who is (yawn) very (snore) boring… and Dad thinks his little ones are fast asleep. “Oh No, we’re Not!” shouts Emily….. they want another chapter.

This is the perfect book for kids who love superheroes - even the less-than-super heroes. Best served on a rainy day with a side order of drawing paper and colored pencils and bath-towel-capes.

Review copy provided by publisher.