English YA Historical Figures WWII Spy French Resistance Disability Feminism Heather Demetrios summary Okay so uhh Virginia Hall is the most badass person I’ve ever read about. Not only is being a spy pretty much the coolest (& most dangerous) job I could think of having, but Virginia accidentally shot her own ding dang foot…
Tag: WWII
lotte’s magical paper puppets: the woman behind the first animated feature film
english 7-10 years Feminism Historical Figures Animation brooke hartman & kathryn carr summary: This book talks about Lotte Reiniger, a German woman who became enamored with the cinema and began to create paper puppets, resulting in the first animated films! The storyline itself is rather abstract, with additional information in the back. I love how…
some women in stem you need to know!
This March, I decided to do a few roundups of biographies (arguably my favorite genre) of people not all of us learned about in school (I sure didn’t).
Holocaust Remembrance Day 2021
Antisemitism is alive and well here, a fact that became clear to many when the insurrection and Capitol takeover occurred in early January. On this Holocaust Remembrance Day 2021, I don’t have many words of my own. Only a need to say loudly to everyone I can that this is malicious and pointedly white…
The Power of Her Pen
Written By: Lesa Cline-Ransome Illustrated by: John Parra For Ages: 4 years and up Language: English Topics Covered: Black Journalists, Trailblazing Women, Historical Figure, Black Protagonists, Politics, Social Justice. Summary: Ethel was born in 1911 and always had an ear for stories. She endured constant racism while trying to get an education, and was able…
A Portrait in Poems: The Storied Life of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas
Written by: Evie Robillard Illustrated by: Rachel Katstaller For ages: 8-12 years Language: English Topics Covered: LGBTQ Relationships, Artists, Writers, History, Historical Figure. Summary: This book is gorgeous in text and illustrations, telling a life overview of art collecting writers Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. The two women were popular in artistic social circles, and had a beloved dog…
They Called Us Enemy
Created by: George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, Harmony Becker For ages: YA-Middle and High School Language: English, some Japanese. Topics Covered: Japanese Internment, Historical Figures, Historical Events, WWII, Growing Up, LGBTQ, Japanese-American Experience, Own Voices, Graphic Novel. Summary: This is an incredible graphic novel, telling of historical events that are rarely taught in schools. Deciding to post it today,…
Little People Big Dreams: Josephine Baker
Written by: Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara Illustrated by: Agathe Sorlet For ages: 4-8 years Language: English Topics Covered: POC-Centric Narratives, Biography, Historical Figure, Musician, Women in Music, Trailblazer, Segregation, Racism, Activism, Modern Black Freedom Struggle, WWII. Summary: Josephine was a born performer, and found her fame dancing on a chorus line in New York City. Due to ongoing segregation and general…
The Brave Cyclist: The True Story of a Holocaust Hero
Written by: Amalia Hoffman Illustrated by: Chiara Fedele For ages: 8-12 years old Language: English and some Italian Topics Covered: Judaism, WWII, Holocaust, Activism, Global Community, Historical Events, Historic Figure, Sports, Cycling. Summary: Gino Bartali was a small and sickly child, but he loved riding a bicycle more than anything else. He got a part-time job at a bike shop to learn…
Miep and the Most Famous Diary
Written by: Meeg Pincus Illustrated by: Jordi Solano For ages: 6-12 years Language: English & very little German Topics Covered: Historical Figures, Historical Events, Holocaust, Judaism, Global Community, WWII, Activism, Strength, Resilience. Summary: This book opens with Miep hearing the footsteps of Nazi soldiers, coming to arrest the 8 Jewish people that she’s been helping to hide in attic storage rooms for the…