Gail Rolka

Ack! It's not a 'trivia' quiz! How ridiculous to develop a book of influential people, and then belittle the readers' attempt to learn about them by dismissing it as 'trivia!' Still, it's a good quiz and will surely help some of what I learned stick in my mind.

If I were a teacher of 9-12 year-old children who were learning to write reports, I'd use this as a resource - each child picks one woman to do more research on. If they can't find more info. on her, at least they can find out more about the time she lived in... and the fact that info. on her is scarce is a good lesson right there.

How marginalized are women? Well, the earliest photographic representation is of Mary McLeod Bethune. For Gertrude Bell, born 1868, there is not even a likeness - a drawing of Oxford Univ. illustrates her page. Eli Whitney could not have 'invented' the cotton gin without significant help from Catherine Littlefield Greene.

The book isn't amazing. It's clumsily written (though the birth & death dates are given, the articles usually waste space giving age at death). It's visually plain and unappealing (black and white drawings) The maps are small and irrelevant (Explorers are located at their birthplace, not their focus of travel.)

But the women's lives and accomplishments make up for the faults of the book. What inspirational people - role models and heroes for both boys and girls.

Definitely recommended for educators, parents, and people who are struggling with the idea that women can be strong, smart, and brave.

If you know of a similar but even better book, please let me know in the comments below.… (meer)