I think picture book biographies are a great way to meet new people! There are so many stories of people who are new to me. Here are some new people I've recently "met"!
Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls Answer the Call: The Heroic Story of WWI Telephone Operators
written by Claudia Friddell
illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley
I've just recently been reading some books of women codebreakers in the two great wars, but this one focuses on the women who answered the call - the switchboard calls during WWI. Grace Banker was at the forefront of this, manning the boards and organizing the ladies who took calls from soldiers - during the fight and just trying to make a call - as well as transfer secret codes! All the while, being in a wartime environment with bombs and explosives going off around her!
Lots of information is included in the backmatter about the important work Grace and her "Hello Girls" did to help during the War!
Headstrong Hallie! The Story of Hallie Morse Daggett, the First Female "Fire Guard"
written by Aimée Bissonette
illustrated by David Hohn
I really enjoyed meeting Hallie. She was headstrong in that she knew what she wanted and didn't let the word "no" stop her. She loved the forests that were all around her and it devastated her when forest fires ate up the trees and threatened the wildlife that lived within them. After years of applying for jobs with the Forest Service, they finally said yes. She became the first female fire lookout at the Eddy Gulch Lookout Station in California. It was really interesting to see where she lived, how she lived, and how much she loved this job.
Try It! How Frieda Caplan Changed the Way We Eat
written by Mara Rockliff
illustrated by Giselle Potter
Tomatoes, potatoes, apples, bananas. They have been staples of markets and stores for a long time. And if it weren't for Frieda Caplan, that may still be our choices! After working at a market as a bookkeeper, she moved into sales and decided to introduce some new produce. Kiwis, baby carrots, spaghetti squash, sugar snap peas, and passion fruit might still be relatively unknown if not for Frieda. In addition to carrying the new produce, she would even give customers ideas for how to use them in recipes!
A Thousand Glass Flowers: Marietta Barovier and the Invention of the Rosetta Bead
by Evan Turk
Had we not had the mighty Marietta who pushed through gender barriers to become a master of glass, we would not have the beautiful and colorful rosetta beads that are often seen in necklaces. Marietta lived in Italy during the Renaissance when women rarely left the home. However her father saw her passion and taught her the fine art of glass blowing. Her brothers and Marietta carried on their father's work after his passing and Marietta became known for her beautiful work.
I really enjoyed the backmatter where Turk includes information about how he tried glass blowing and some of the places he went to recreate the art and get the right feeling for his illustrations.
I hope you met someone new today! I bet you'll have a reader that wants to learn more about one of these amazing women!
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