Book Bundles: Go, Girls!!

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Dow Phumiruk. Before Title IX became law in 1972, girls and women could be excluded from sports programs, fired from jobs, and denied educational opportunities--all "on the basis of sex." In a simple, direct narrative, Becker highlights what life was like pre-Title IX and how the law ushered in opportunities for everyone. Phumiruk's understated digitally created illustrations let the concepts expressed in the text take center stage. Two pages at book's end briefly profile the women (three lawmakers, one academic) who were instrumental in the law's passage. More details on what changed, progress made since, and the work ahead are appended, as is a reading list.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Marissa Valdez. A young girl with brown skin sees a confident Black woman on TV. Judgments blare out from the screen: "Too confident / Too ambitious / Too proud." The woman faces out, as if addressing the girl: "Don't let anyone tell you who you are. You tell them who you are." In a rhyming first-person text, the girl expands on the mixed messages she receives when she speaks her truth. She takes strength from women in her family and from the "...sisters, aunties, mothers / [who] have opened so many doors." Valdez's energetic illustrations expand on the text's girl-power message. An author's note alludes to criticism of "one of the women in our family" (VP Kamala Harris, who's not named) as the book's spark.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Meg Hunt. In 1977, New York City's fire department opened its entrance exam to women, but none of the women who applied passed the physical test. One of them, Brenda Berkman, sued the FDNY for discriminatory entrance testing. After winning in court, Berkman became a firefighter--but endured cruel on-the-job discrimination for years. Hunt's expressive mixed-media illustrations and Rinker's well-shaped story effectively convey Berkman's persistence and resilience, which paved the way for future female firefighters. An author's note discusses "Modern Trailblazers," and an endnote adds biographical details. A bibliography and list of websites are appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn