Colman, Penny. Girls; a history of growing up female in America - Brief Article - Young Adult Review - Book Review

Scholastic. 192p. illus. maps. bibliog. index. c2000. 0-590-37130-4. $12.95. JS

The author wrote this book because "the fact of being born female in America matters and it always has ... It is the stirring story of ordinary and extraordinary girls who found ingenious ways of making do and performing incredible feats of der-ring-do." She drafted this history after consulting hundreds of primary and secondary sources, and provides a list of 63 "selected sources for further reading." Enhancing the text are hundreds of b/w illustrations, maps, photos, drawings, documents, and newspaper articles. A chronology of women's history from the Ice Age until the 1900s lines the inside of the front and back covers. An extensive index, photo and text credits are provided This history of women ("girls") includes many excerpts from diaries and eyewitness accounts, which gives immediacy to a variety of events, from the stock market crash to the ill-fated Donner party expedition. Such subjects as Barbie, Nancy Drew, Wonder Woman, and Ms. take on new meaning in their historical context The beginnings of the ERA, Roe v. Wade girls in Little League baseball, and "take our daughters to work" day are described By reading this book, a solid understanding of women's history is gained. Clear typeface, good white space, and the many illustrations make this an accessible and attractive book. Highly recommended for all collections. Rita Fontinha, Lib. Media Spec., Norwood H.S., Norwood, MA

COPYRIGHT 2004 Kliatt
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group