Written by: Candace Fleming
Illustrated by: Nancy Carpenter
For ages: 4-8 years
Language: English
Topics Covered: History, Politics, Women in Leadership, Preservation, Activism, Peaceful Action, Feminism.
Summary: I checked out this book from the library with cautious optimism. I was hoping that the book would have solid representation in historical figures and not be another ode to the founding fathers of the United States. Imogene, our main character, is a spitfire that is far from embracing stereotypes.
Imogene Tripp has a fiery passion for history, and uses her free time to educate people on the past while quoting MLK Jr. and giving lectures on Sojourner Truth during Show & Tell in school. When she refurbishes her town’s historical society, no one shows up. In fact, the town plans to tear it down and build a shoelace factory. Indignant, Imogene commences various demonstrations around town, urging her community to care about the past they’re determined to erase. Alone in her quest, she is undeterred and continues to demonstrate perseverance to the reader. Imogene quotes historical figures throughout the book to express her feelings, and seeks solace in her father when people keep telling her that a shoelace factory is what will put their town on the map. Imogene decides to put herself in the stocks on the porch of the historical society in a one-girl protest movement, quoting Vietnam War protestors. Slowly, she begins to draw attention to herself (and her dad, who decides to also lock himself in the stocks in solidarity!) and townspeople begin to gather on the historical society lawn amongst the bulldozers.
We’ll spoil the ending on this one, because it’s so important to the story. In the end, a letter that Imogene hastily fires off to a professor works and the professor arrives in the knick of time with the President! In an act of feminism, both of these WOMEN help Imogene save her precious historical society. The President is a woman of color! We love the fact that Imogene uses direct quotes of historical figures throughout the book. The majority of the figures quoted are white men, but Imogene does speak of protests and marginalized groups to get her most dynamic points across. It’s really great to see a strong, intelligent, girl as a main character of a book that is history-based. The book would be great to introduce social justice movements, activism, and historical figures. Imogene’s Last Stand is a fantastic addition to any book shelf!
About the Author & the Illustrator:
Candace Fleming awarded herself the Newbery Medal in fifth grade after scraping the gold sticker off the class copy of The Witch of Blackbird Pond and pasting it onto her first novel—a ten-page, ten-chapter mystery called Who Done It? She’s been collecting awards (her own, not Elizabeth George Speare’s) ever since.
Today, Candace is the versatile and acclaimed author of more than forty books for children and young adults, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize honored The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of the Russian Empire; Boston Globe/Horn Book Award-winning biography, The Lincolns; the bestselling picture book, Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!; the Sibert-Award-winning Giant Squid; and the beloved Boxes for Katje. She contributed the chapter on Katharine of Aragon to Fatal Throne.
Nancy Carpenter is the celebrated illustrator of more than forty books for children. Her unique multimedia approach to illustration has garnered numerous honors, including two Christopher Awards and the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award. Ms. Carpenter lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family and dog.