(2) YA Multiple legal, social, religious, and medical strands comprise the history of reproductive rights in America. Blumenthal, in her trademark straightforward journalistic style (Tommy: The Gun That Changed America, rev. 7/15; Bonnie and Clyde, rev. 1/19), creates a narrative that not only presents a comprehensible overview of the facts but also establishes the historical culture in which those facts existed. Blumenthal incorporates well-chosen case studies and numerous sidebars (each unfortunately titled a "Pregnant Pause")--such as charts reporting the historic trend of deaths related to abortion or the changing positions of major religious groups. These reveal the misogyny (until the midpoint of the twentieth century, unmarried women could not legally buy contraceptives); racism (women of color were often sterilized without their knowledge); and classism (overwhelmingly white, financially stable women were, and are, able to get abortions) that influenced the issue of unwanted pregnancies for a century and a half. In addition, she outlines the unexpected consequences, including social pressures, mass media coverage, and death, that some women faced when trying to obtain abortions before the Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade, as well as the limits that have been imposed on the law since the 1973 decision. Blumenthal's impeccable research is revealed in the extensive back matter (including documentation, a subject bibliography, a timeline, and a glossary) that completes this compelling book.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard. Young Pari joins her mother on the library bus for the first time. The bus brings books to remote villages and refugee camps "beyond the mountains" of Kabul; Pari's mother also delivers school supplies and teaches English to the girls. Her mother explains that the camps and villages don't have schools--and that, until recently, Afghan girls weren't allowed to get an education. Rahman, who grew up in wartime Afghanistan, states that "all of the characters [in this fictional story] are inspired by the children that I met during my visits to refugee camps and orphanages in Kabul." The reassuring watercolor and digital illustrations help convey Rahman's assertion that "when you are born in war, you are truly unaware of the alternative, peace. War is your normal."

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Eric Velasquez. Velasquez's arresting jacket portrait of Ginsburg, superimposed on a facsimile of the U.S. Constitution, conveys a woman of purpose; Rappaport's biography, largely focused on Ginsburg's work for gender equality, reinforces this first impression. Despite societal inequalities between men and women in the 1950s, Ginsburg receives a full scholarship to Cornell and is then accepted to Harvard Law School. She graduates first in her class from Columbia Law (where she had transferred), but not a single law firm interviews her. She begins teaching at Rutgers with a salary less than those of her male counterparts and a legal barrier against claiming her student husband as a dependent. After joining several lawsuits addressing these issues, she successfully argues one such case before the Supreme Court. Rappaport's narrative scope includes Ginsburg's personal life, where her marriage mirrored her beliefs of shared and equal gender roles. Generous oil paintings place Ginsburg front and center except in illustrations relating to her marriage; there both husband and wife share the visual spotlight. Ginsburg's own words, stating both the inequalities she endured and her own convictions, conclude thus: "When I'm sometimes asked when will there be enough women on the Court, and I respond when there are nine, people are shocked. But the Supreme Court has had nine men for ever so long, and nobody's ever raised a question about that." Appended with a timeline, notes from both author and illustrator, a brief bibliography, and source notes.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(3) K-3 Citizen Kid series. Illustrated by Marianne Ferrer. To honor his young daughter's memory, Sundar Paliwal proposes that his Indian village plants 111 trees for each baby girl born. He hopes this act will help change the deeply held belief that "a daughter was a burden..." and counter decades of environmental damage caused by mining. Changing people's minds takes effort and time, but Sundar persists and eventually sees his dream become reality. Accompanied by Ferrer's stylized illustrations in muted earth tones, Singh's approachable text conveys how one person's passion and commitment can have tremendous impact on their community. Five pages at the end of the book discuss in more detail Sundar's mission, gender inequality, the project's "extraordinary changes," and "eco-feminism."

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) YA Keyser provides a broad but thorough introduction to the origins and implications of rape culture in America. She approaches this complex, controversial topic with authority and approachable language, using both academic and popular sources to build a case for dismantling systemic misogyny and violence. A first-rate resource for young researchers, activists, and news consumers alike. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(2) K-3 When Mary gets the daring idea to wear pants, she's met with angry adults for wearing "boy's clothes," but inside school she finds a classroom of girls also wearing pants--and happy smiles. Illustrations place the aspirational story based on Civil War surgeon and feminist Mary Walker's (1832–1919) life in a vaguely mid-nineteenth-century American setting; playful content, a riot of fabric patterns, and cheerful candy colors lend a modern sensibility.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Daria Peoples-Riley. This illustrated biography of Steinem provides a brief overview of her lifelong interest in personal freedom and her role in the women's liberation movement. Rinker deftly highlights Steinem's main agenda without overwhelming young readers with too much detail and background. The ink, gouache, and watercolor illustrations capture the essence of Steinem's time and place in the world. Author's and illustrator's notes appended. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) YA African American girl Jasmine is starting junior year at NYC's Amsterdam High with her (white) best friend Chelsea. Early in the school year, both girls are confronted with racism and sexism in their respective clubs. This leads to Jasmine and Chelsea starting their own club, Write like a Girl, which attracts both fans and trolls. Alternating narratives build a relatable, realistic, and inspiring story for teens.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery

(3) YA Twenty-one female YA authors offer personal essays about moments and life experiences that shaped their feminist worldview. The timely topics covered include the intersection of race and gender, sexual assault and rape, issues around weight and body image, and the experience of growing up a girl in an immigrant family. Engaging, emotional, and perfectly attuned to today's young women, this feminist collection promises to make an impact. Websites.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) YA Also written by Jennifer Donnelly, Candace Fleming, Stephanie Hemphill, Deborah Hopkinson, Linda Sue Park, and Lisa Ann Sandell. In first-person narratives by six female authors, each of Henry VIII's wives gives a retrospective account of the loves, flirtations, and political maneuverings that brought about the end of her time as Henry's queen. Between wives, Anderson offers Henry's perspective, musing on his loves and lusts; Anderson's sly rendering reveals the depths of the king's complacency and egotism.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker

(4) YA Women have no rights in Viridia. Nonetheless, Serina dreams of serving as a "Grace" (concubine) in the Superior's court. Her sister Nomi is unexpectedly chosen instead, and Serina is banished to an island, surrounded by violence, danger, and death. Chapters alternate between the sisters' perspectives as they dream of reuniting. Some underdeveloped characters and predictable plot twists blunt the novel's power.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: Movements That Matter series. These succinct and dynamic books cover the causes, key players, and evolution of each titular movement throughout the years. "A Moment in the Movement" boxes focus on relevant events that had an impact and add value to the narratives. Frequent photographs help break up the texts; there's just enough historical context to keep young readers engaged and informed. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: Movements That Matter titles: The Civil Rights Movement, The Gay Rights Movement, and The Women's Rights Movement.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jess X. Snow. The literal and visual boldness in both verse and illustration delivers a powerful affirmation to African American girls. Offering an antidote to common stereotypes, Browne infuses her mature poem, best suited to reading aloud, with confidence and empowerment as she points black girls in the direction of their dreams. Snow's striking illustrations convey a message of unconditional self-love that is, indeed, magical.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(1) YA This fascinating chronological account of the bumpy road to women's suffrage in the U.S. begins with the 1848 Women's Rights Convention and culminates with ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment. Over half the book focuses on Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony; coverage of the movement's "second wave of suffragists" is more diffuse but no less compelling. Well-chosen archival reproductions and photographs ably support the text. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(3) YA Sixteen-year-old Lady Silvie of Loughsley must flee her privileged life to escape her cruel brother John's control. She founds a forest community bound by love and care, which expands to take in all those exploited by corrupt aristocrats until the balance of power shifts. A glorious gender-swapped reimagination of the Robin Hood legend, with flavors of matriarchal mysticism along with restorative economic justice.

Reviewer: Amy Bennett-Zendzian

(2) YA In post–Arab Spring Saudi Arabia, Leena and her best friend Mishail delight in small rebellions against their male-controlled, religiously strict society. But Leena's flippancy soon falls away to reveal the precariousness of both girls’ lives. In a growing oeuvre centering on experiences of young Muslim women, Deracine's debut stands out for its nuanced characterization and twisting plot. Arabic vocabulary and Saudi cultural concepts are explained for outsiders without bogging down the prose. Glos.

Reviewer: Anastasia M. Collins | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(3) YA Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger series. When a demagogic pretender to the throne and his cultish followers threaten the regency of Princess Cassandra and her daughter Maddie, Rangers Gilan and Horace sally forth but become besieged in an old fortress. Meanwhile, Castle Araluen comes under attack, and only Maddie's secret Ranger training can turn the tide. Lovers of strategy and hand-to-hand combat scenes will find much to reward them in this continuation of the popular series.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Maira Kalman. "They fought so women could be heard," writes Senator Gillibrand in this introduction to American women's suffrage. Glimpses at the usual suspects (Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony) mingle with profiles of less commonly covered women, such as Jovita Idár and Inez Milholland. Pink abounds in Kalman's distinctive and recognizable gouache paintings, which provide striking portraits of the suffragists and vignette scenes of their fight. Timeline.

Reviewer: Erica Wetter

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Alison Jay. Hannigan's lively picture-book biography of Belva Lockwood (1830–1917) focuses on Lockwood's lifelong fight against injustice, especially toward women. She became the first woman to argue before the Supreme Court and run for president, even before women had the right to vote. Hannigan's liberal quoting of her subject brings Lockwood's story to life, as do Jay's period-reminiscent crackled oil-paint illustrations. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(3) YA Being Female in America series. In readable prose, Harris unpacks the biases, double standards, and unrealistic expectations placed on American women in a variety of settings. Harris manages to provide a fresh and unique approach with each title, and throughout the series she encourages readers to consider the issues from a wide angle. Discussion starters and related-topic sidebars are sprinkled throughout each text. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Being Female in America titles: Growing Up a Girl, Male Privilege, Sexism and Race, Sexism at Work, Sexism in Politics, and Sexism in the Media.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello