A moving collection of poems about 14 young girls who had a huge impact on our world. Each woman's story is paired up with a woman illustrator to bring art alongside the informational poems. Readers will learn about women such as Ruby Bridges, Mae Jemison and Frida Kahalo along with many more. These young woman had impacts across multiple different fields. Included in the back is further reading on each of the mini biographies. Great book that children enjoy!

Description: Learn about 14 remarkable women who made a significant impact in various fields, inspiring young readers to follow their dreams.
Age Group: 4-8 years

Reading Level: 8+

Author Susan Hood joins forces with fourteen woman illustrators in this poetic picture-book examination of the lives of fourteen young women who did extraordinary things. The women profiled include well-known figures like Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, African-American civil rights activist Ruby Bridges, and Pakistani education advocate and Nobel Peace Prize-winner Malala Yousafzai. Other figures - 18th-century firefighter Molly Williams, cancer researcher Angela Zhang, World War II spies Jacqueline and Eileen Nearne - are less well known. All of the women - the others include: Nellie Bly, Annette Kellerman, Pura Belpré, Frances Moore Lappé, Mae Jemison, Maya Lin - are interesting. Each two-page spread here features one of these women, with a poem from Hood and artwork from a different illustrator. The book concludes with an author's note, and a section of source materials and further reading, for each of the fourteen figures discussed...

Compilation biographies featuring women who did groundbreaking things have been quite popular in the last few years, from Chelsea Clinton's She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World and She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History to Vashti Harrison's Little Leaders: Visionary Women Around the World and Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History, and many more besides. Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World is the first I have encountered in poetic form, and the first to features multiple illustrators, as well as multiples subjects. I enjoyed it, and although already familiar with most of the women profiled, did learn some things. The artwork was appealing, and it was quite interesting to see the different styles utilized by the various artists. I think my favorite sections, from a visual perspective, were those done by Julie Morstad and Melissa Sweet. This sort of anthology of mini-biographies can be very useful, I believe, especially for young readers who are not already familiar with most of the women discussed. It will offer an introduction to a variety of life stories, which the child can then pursue in greater detail. Recommended to young biography lovers, and to picture-book readers searching for stories of women who achieved great things, and made a difference in the world. ( )