Diane Todd
LIS 615
Dr. Wertheimer
4/29/04

                                    CMP for Kapolei Public Library

Description of Library

In 2000, funds to build a new regional library in Kapolei were approved and construction began on what will be the second-largest public library in Hawaii and the fiftieth library in the Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS). In keeping with Kapolei’s “e-city” status, the planners promised a high-tech library, with over sixty computers and expanded Internet access. Unfortunately, the opening of the library has been delayed due to lack of funds, but the Hawaii state legislature has granted the necessary appropriations for the 2004-2005 fiscal year, beginning in July 2004. Kapolei Public Library’s collection is still being developed. Although the building can hold up to 150,000 books, the Library is expected to open with an estimated 60,000 books.

Library Staff

Currently, only five out of the projected twenty-four positions at Kapolei Public Library have been filled. The small staff includes Richard Burns, Branch Manager (Librarian V); Liane Watanuki, Children’s Librarian (Librarian III); Sharon Fong, Library Technician V; Yvonne Kaaiai, Library Assistant III; Larry Nihoa, Janitor II. Fully staffed, the Library will have twenty-four employees: 1 branch manager, 6 librarians, 4 library technicians, 10 library assistants and 3 janitors.

User Base

Founded in 1990, Kapolei’s population has increased exponentially. The 2000 Census indicates that Kapolei’s population grew by 60 percent in its first ten years. Approximately 77,000 residents now live in the region that Kapolei Public Library will serve. In this relatively affluent and multicultural community, dual-income families own homes at a high rate (71.9%). The median age in Kapolei is 32.7 and the average family size is 3.77. Six schools are located in Kapolei: Barbers Point Elementary, Kapolei Elementary, Kapolei High School, Kapolei Middle School, Makakilo Elementary School, and Mauka Lani Elementary. Island Pacific Academy, a private school, is going to be built in the lot next to the Kapolei Public Library.

Proposal

Kapolei Public Library seeks an endowment for the Princess Ka’iulani Collection, a special collection in memory of Hawaii’s last princess. The Princess Ka’iulani Collection will be comprised of non-fiction books that feature strong female role models. Research has proven that many adolescent girls suffer from low self-esteem, which can lead to serious mental as well as physical problems. In Reviving Ophelia (1996), psychologist Mary Pipher asserts that girls are growing up in a “girl-poisoning culture (p 12).” Bombarded by mixed messages and peer pressure on a daily basis, girls are vulnerable to depression, eating disorders, drug/alcohol addiction, and sexually transmitted diseases. The books selected for the Princess Ka’iulani Collection will help instill confidence in girls and young women, aged nine to eighteen. Because Kapolei is such a diverse community, multicultural books will be emphasized. Princess Ka’iulani was multi-ethnic herself---half-Hawaiian and half-Scottish.

Parameters & Budget

We are proposing that the Princess Ka’iulani Collection begin with the purchase of fifty books primarily in English, although books in Hawaiian will also be reviewed. Our ultimate goal is to add at least fifty books annually to the Collection. If a book is suitable for the Collection, then we will select it regardless of the publication date. However, we anticipate that most of the books selected for the Collection will be contemporary. To estimate the initial budget for the Collection, we compared the costs of ten potential books and averaged the amount. At an approximate cost of $15.80 per book, the projected budget for the Princess Ka’iulani Collection would be $790.

Selection Process

The process of selecting books for the Princess Ka’iulani Collection will be based upon favorable reviews in reputable sources. These sources include School Library Journal, The Horn Book, KLIATT, VOYA, The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, Publisher’s Weekly, and Booklist. We also intend to utilize the Wilson Children’s Catalog to help us assess the quality of books for the Collection.

Information on Selected Books

Section I Folktales/Mythology

Book I

Aphrodite’s Blessings: Love Stories from the Greek Myths by Clemence McLaren. New York: Simon & Schuster/Atheneum, 2002. 208pp. $16.00. Hardcover (school and library binding). ISBN: 0-689-84377-1

Reviews

School Library Journal: January 2002, Vol. 48 Issue 1, p137 (Patricia Lothrop-Green, St. George’s School, Newport, R.I.)

Booklist: January 2002, Vol. 48 Issue 1, p137 (Gillian Engberg)

Publishers Weekly: December 17, 2001, Vol. 248 Issue 51, p92

Comments and Overview:

This book tells three love stories based upon the Greek myths of Atalanta, Andromeda, and Psyche. The stories are told from their point of view, which offers a fresh spin on the classic myths. Amidst the patriarchal society of ancient Greece, the young women secretly yearn for independence and struggle to control their own fates. They fall in love, experience heartbreak and ultimately marry partners of their own choosing. Ancient Greece provides an intriguing background, replete with details of the women’s daily lives. The societal conditions they face are typical of the time: little or no formal education and arranged marriages. An afterward explores the real lives of upper-class women in ancient Greece. Favorably reviewed in three reputable sources, this book is included in the Collection because of its appeal to teenage girls (ages 12 and up), who will appreciate the determined heroines as much as the dramatic love stories.

Book Two

Fearless Girls, Wise Women, and Beloved Sisters: Heroines in Folktales from Around the World edited by Kathleen Ragan. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. 352 pp. $27.50. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-393-04598-6

Reviews:

Library Journal: June 1, 1998, Vol. 123 Issue 10, p118 (Patricia Beaber)

Journal of Popular Culture: Summer 2001, Vol. 35 Issue 1, p248, 2p (Barbara Harman)

Women’s Studies International Forum: May/June 1999, Vol. 22 Issue 3, p388 (Mikyoung Kim Park)

Comments and Overview:

This anthology of 103 culturally diverse folktales features the “forgotten heroines.” In her quest to find girl-powered stories to share with her daughters, Ragan searched libraries worldwide and reviewed over 30,000 stories. The stories are grouped by region: Europe, North and South American, Asia, the Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East. After every story, Ragan briefly describes the admirable characteristics of the heroine. The extensive notes contain complete citations and other interesting information. The book also includes an index and a bibliography of both picture books and secondary literature. Favorably reviewed in three reputable sources (two of them scholarly journals), this book is included in the Collection because it can be read and appreciated by females of all ages. Like Ragan and her daughters, girls and their mothers can read these folktales together. We also reviewed the classic Maid of the North by Ethel Johnston Phelps, but Ragan’s collection is more comprehensive.

Book Three

Fiesta Femenina: Celebrating Women in Mexican Folklore by Mary-Joan Gerson, illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez. Cambridge, MA: Barefoot Books, 2001. 64pp: ill. $19.99. Hardcover (school and library binding). ISBN: 1-84148-365-6

Reviews

 School Library Journal: October 2001, Vol. 47 Issue 10, p183, (Ann Welton, Grant Elementary School, Tacoma WA)

Hispanic: October 2001, Vol. 14, Issue 10, p78 (Katherine Diaz)

Criticas: November/December 2003, Vol. 3 Issue 6, p62 (Veronica Covington)

Comments and Overview

The eight folktales in this book focus on Mexican women and their important role in traditional literature. They range from Mayan and Aztec stories to “folktales of  Mixtex, Yaqui, and Euro-Mexican origin.” The women in the folktales include Rocha, a young girl who rescues the sun; Tangu Yu, a goddess; Kesne, a Zapotec princess; and the Virgin Mary. Brightly colored illustrations enhance the stories. The book includes an introduction, source notes, and a glossary. A Spanish version, Fiesta Femenina: Celebrando a las mujeres a traves de historias tradicionales mexicanas, is also available. Favorably reviewed in three sources, this book for intermediate readers is included in the Collection because it vibrantly depicts Hispanic women, showing their “bravery, cunning, trustworthiness, empathy, and serene certainty (School Library Journal).”

Book Four

Goddesses: A World of Myth and Magic by Burleigh Muten and illustrated by Rebecca Guay. Cambridge, MA: Barefoot Books, 2003. 80pp: ill. $19.99. Hardcover (school and library binding). ISBN: 1-84148-075-4

Reviewed in:

The Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Books: December 2003, Vol. 57 No. 4 p160 (Janice M. Del Negro)

Library Media Connection (*Starred Review): February 2004, Vol. 22 Issue 5 p82 (Kristin Fletcher-Spear, Young Adult Librarian, Foothills Branch Library, Glendale AZ)

Comments and Overview:

Burleigh Muten, the founder of Hands of the Goddess Press, includes over one hundred of the world’s goddesses in this encyclopedic volume. Each entry comes with a pronunciation and the origin of the goddess story. Listed alphabetically, the entries contain medium sized paragraphs with basic information about each goddess. Goddesses from most cultures around the world are covered---ranging from the Welsh Olwen, goddess of flowers and springtime, to Yolkai Estsan, the Navajo goddess of the moon. Guay’s stunning classical illustrations “deserve the highest praise” according to reviewer, Fletcher-Spear. Highly recommended, this comprehensive encyclopedia is included  because it can be used by readers of all ages, which is helpful since the Collection is for girls and young women of varying ages. Muten is the author of two other books also considered for the Collection, Grandmother’s Stories: Wise Woman Tales from Many Cultures and Lady of Ten Thousand Names: Goddess Stories from Many Cultures.

Book 5

Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy tales, and True Tales by Virginia Hamilton and illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. New York: Scholastic/Blue Sky Press, 1995. 128 pp: ill. $22.95. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-590-47370-0

Reviews

School Library Journal (SLJ’s Best Books 1995): December 1995, Vol. 41 Issue 12, p 21 (Trevelyn Jones and Luann Toth)

School Library Journal: November 1995, Vol. 41 Issue 11, p111 (Patricia Lothrop Green, St. George’s School, Newport R.I.)

Booklist (*Starred Review): November 1995, Vol. 92 Issue 5, p470 (Harriet Rochman)

New York Times Book Review: November 12, 1995, Vol. 145 Issue 50243, p23

Comments and Overview

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Author Award in 1996, this book by Newberry Medalist Virginia Hamilton contains nineteen fantastic tales about African American females. The stories are simply told in vernacular language and grouped in five sections: animal tales, fairy tales, supernatural tales, legends/ tall tales and true tales. The tales of the glamorous mermaid, creepy Cat Woman and “coal black and tree tall” Annie Christmas are brought vividly to life by a master storyteller. Hamilton also includes fascinating notes on the stories. llustrations by Caldecott Medalists, Leo and Diane Dillon, greatly enhance the book. According to School Library Journal,  “whether magical, eerie, comic or touching, the tales are aptly served by the gorgeous, glowing acrylic paintings.” This award-winning book for intermediate readers is included in the Collection because of its powerful portrayal of African American women and their heritage.

Book 6

Inanna: From the Myths of Ancient Sumer by Kim Echlin and illustrated by Linda Wolfsgruber. Toronto, Canada: Groundwood/Douglas & McIntyre, 2003. pp. 72: ill. $19.95. Harcover. ISBN: 0-88899-496-6

Reviews

The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books: February 2004, Vol. 57 No. 6 p228 (Janice M. Del Negro)

School Library Journal: March 2004, Vol. 50 Issue 3 p229 (Patricia Lothrop Green, St. George’s School, Newport, R.I.)

The Horn Book Magazine: January-February 2004, Vol. 80 p94 (Joanna Rudge Long)

Booklist (Feminist Books for Youth: The Amelia Bloomer Project) March 1, 2004 Vol. 100 Issue 3 p1205

Comments & Overview

Over four thousand years ago, the ancient Sumerians inscribed stories of the goddess Inanna on clay cuneiform tablets. Inanna is one of the earliest incarnations of the beautiful, irresistible goddess who later becomes the Babylonian goddess, Ishkar, the Semitic goddess, Astarte, and probably also the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite. A lover and a warrior, Inanna is both creator and destroyer. She outsmarts her powerful siblings (including Gilgamesh), falls in love with an unsuitable shepherd, and pursues immortality. Echlin, a Toronto scholar and novelist, discovered this lesser-known goddess while searching for myths to tell her two daughters. The poems are arranged chronologically, with “Songs of Love” taking up over half the book. The “Songs of Love” are unashamedly sensual and young women will find the contemporary-sounding verse compelling. Wolfsgruber’s illustrations echo Sumerian style and greatly enhance the book. According to the Horn Book, “this beautifully designed book, full of vitality and humor, makes a fine case for including Inanna in any pantheon---ancient, feminist, or all-inclusive.” This rousing retelling for high school readers is included in the Collection because it showcases Inanna’s thousands-year old strength and sexuality.

Book 7

Not One Damsel in Distress: World Folktales for Strong Girls by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Susan Guevara. San Diego: Harcourt Trade Publishers/Silver Whistle, 2000. pp. 128: ill. $17.00. Hardcover (school and library binding). ISBN: 0-152-02047-0

Reviews

School Library Journal: July 2000, Vol.46 Issue 7, p126 (Ellen A. Greever, University of New Orleans, LA)

Booklist: March 2000, Vol. 96 Issue 13, p1240, (GraceAnne A. DeCandido)

Social Education (Notable Social Studies Books for Young People): May 2001, Vol. 65 Issue 4 p6

Comments and Overview:

Comprised of thirteen folktales, this book features strong, spirited heroines from around the world. Award-winning author, Yolen, introduces the tales with an open letter to her daughters and granddaughters: “Anyone can be a hero if they have to be. Even girls. Especially girls.” The tales range from four familiar European tales to nine less known tales from Asia, Africa and South America. Yolen includes source notes and explanations on her treatments of the tales in a thorough bibliography. Although the cover painting is criticized in one review (Greever, School Library Journal) for the “buxom girl on a ship” image, Guevara’s illustrations inside the book are much better. According to Booklist, the stories “sing and soar in Yolen’s supple language, and each is contained enough for a read-aloud.” This lively book for intermediate readers is included in the collection because the sassy heroines are not damsels in distress, but as capable and clever as their male counterparts.

Book 8

The Serpent Slayer and Other Stories of Strong Women by Katrin Tchana and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. New York: Little, Brown & Company, 2001. 113pp: ill. $19.95. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-316-38701-0

Reviewed in:

 Library Talk (Recommended Review): March/April 2001, Vol. 14 Issue 2, p47 (Melinda Miller-Widrick)

Teacher Magazine (Recommended Review): March 2001, Vol. 12 Issue 6, p56 (Blake Rodman Hume)

 Booklist: December 2000, Vol. 97 Issue 8, p818 (Linda Perkins)

 TheHorn Book Magazine: November/December 2000, Vol. 76 Issue 6, p765 (Jennifer M. Brabander)

School Library Journal: November 2000, Vol. 46 issue 11, p148 (Anne Chapman Callaghan)

Publishers Weekly(Forecasts): August 2000, Vol. 247 Issue 32, p95

Comments and Overview:

In this anthology of eighteen folktales, the mother-and-daughter team of Trina Schart Hyman (mother and Caldecott-award winning illustrator) and Katrin Tchana (daughter and author) retell riveting stories about smart, strong-willed women who succeed despite the obstacles they encounter. The stories run the gamut---from adventure to humor---but they all retain the tales’ original flavor, including the darker elements. They are also representative of diverse cultures from around the world. For example, the tale of “Beebyeebyee and the Water God” takes place in the African country of Cameroon, the home of Tchana’s husband. Hyman’s striking watercolors depict Beebyeebyee as larger than life---with a muscular neck, braids that halo her head, long arms, hands and fingertips. In this way, the spectacular art enriches the text, which one reviewer found bland and overlong (Brabander, The Horn Book). This particular review was in The Horn Book, which usually only includes positive reviews. And, overall, the review was positive like the others. Tchana and Hyman’s 2002 book, Sense Pass King: A Story of Cameroon, was also considered for the Collection. When reviewing this book and Not One Damsel in Distress, we debated whether to include both since they share two of the same stories, albeit different versions of “The Rebel Princess” and “The Serpent Slayer.” Ultimately, we decided that they were complementary titles and both merited inclusion in the Collection. Girls reading at the intermediate level can soar with Yolen’s polished prose and delight in Hyman’s gorgeous illustrations. 

Book 9

Shower of Gold: Women and Girls in the Stories of India by Uma Krishnaswami and illustrated by Maniam Selven. North Haven, CT: Shoe String Press/Linnet Books, 1999. 125pp: ill. $19.95. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-208-02484-0

Reviewed in:

Book Report(Recommended Review): November/December 1999, Vol. 18 Issue 3, p70 (Denise Cinco, Library Media Specialist, Nokomis School, Holbrook, NY)
Booklist: March 15, 1999, Vol. 95 Issue 14, p1323 (Hazel Rochman)
School Library Journal: August 1999, Vol. 45 Issue 8, p173 (Carol Fazioli, The Brearley School, New York City)

Comments and Overview:

In this book, eighteen stories from the Indian subcontinent include Hindu and Buddhist tales as well as folklore, fables from old literary works and legends based on real Indian women. Reincarnation is a recurring theme in several stories. Hindu goddesses unleash their potent magical powers in other stories. Romeo and Juliet are alive in the “The Love Story of Roopmati and Baz Bahadur,” a story from fifteenth century India. After each story, Krishnaswami describes where she heard the story, how she adapted it, and what it means. She also cites further sources for each story so readers can find different versions of the stories and learn more about them. A glossary, pronunciation guide and character list are also included. Selven’s simple black-and-white line drawings add dimension to the stories. Favorably reviewed in three sources, this book is included because the “wise and powerful” women of India add more multicultural depth to the Collection (Fazioli, School Library Journal).

Book 10

Women Warriors: Myths and Legends of Heroic Women by Mariana Mayer and illustrated by Heller Julek. New York: HarperCollins/Morrow, 1999. 80pp: ill. $18.00. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-688-15522-7

Reviews

School Library Journal: September 1999, Vol. 45 Issue 9, p238 (Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WA)

Booklist: September 15, 1999 Vol. 96 Issue 2 p253 (Carolyn Phelan)

Comments and Overview

In this book, twelve cross-cultural women warriors from around the world demonstrate their courage on the battlefield. In an informative introduction to each three to six page selection, Mayer notes the story’s history and origin. The heroines’ dramatic stories are told in “accessible, rhythmic prose” (Welton, School Library Journal).  Each story is accompanied by a large, full-page painting of the heroine as well as a smaller one. Heller’s colorful illustrations portray the women warriors in action and accurately reflect their cultural background. The book includes a pronunciation guide and an index.

A double-page map identifies where other women warriors lived. This book for intermediate readers is included in the Collection because it proves that women have always been warriors, on and off the battlefield. While reviewing this book, I considered another book, Women Warriors: Adventures from History’s Greatest Female Fighters (Teena Apeles) because I thought that it might appeal more to teenage girls. But, unfortunately, it is not due to be published until April 26, 2004 and I had difficulty finding reviews. But I did discover Seal Press, the Seattle-based publisher of Apeles’s book, which has been publishing women writers for over 25 years.

Section II: History/Biography

Book 11

Booty: Girl Pirates on the High Seas by Sara Lorimer and illustrated by Susan Synarski.

San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 2002. 112pp: ill. $16.95. Paperback.

ISBN: 0-8118-3237-6

Reviews

Library School Journal: December 2002, Vol. 49 Issue 12, p175 (Christine C. Menefee, Fairfax Country Public Library, VA)

Comments & Overview

In these twelve easy-to-digest stories about real-life female pirates who roamed the world’s high seas from the ninth century to the 1930’s, the subjects range from Sadie the Goat to the Anonymous Indian Pirate Queen. The stories include fascinating details about the pirate girl’s life and the times she lived in without sanitizing the hardships she endured. For example, Sadie earned her goat nickname by headbutting her victims in the stomach. She grew up in the bloody Fourth Ward slum of lower Manhattan in late nineteenth century New York. After losing an ear to Gallus Mag of the Hole-in-the-Wall bar, Sadie joined a band of river pirates and quickly became their leader. Synarski’s bold, off-beat color illustrations are slightly askew, just like the girl pirates themselves. The last two chapters describe the classic pirate life and suggest further reading. Although some might not consider pirates to be good role models, this book “offers some fresh perspectives on the past, and it should attract graphic-novel fans as well as the most reluctant of readers (Menefee, Library School Journal).” This book for high school readers is included in the Collection because it offers a different definition of “booty” to young women.

Book 12

Born to Be a Cowgirl: A Spirited Ride through the Old West by Candace Savage. Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press, 2001. 64pp: photos. $15.95.  Trade Paperback. ISBN: 1-58246-020-5

Reviews

Booklist: May 15, 2002, Vol. 97 Issue 18, p1742 (Linda Perkins)

Booklist (Top 10 Women’s History Books for Youth): March 1, 2002, Vol. 98 Issue 13, p1146 (Ilene Cooper)

Herizons: Fall 2003, Vol. 17 Issue 2, p32 (Penni Mitchell)

The Horn Book Magazine: July/August 2001, Vol. 77 Issue 4, p476 (Margaret A. Bush)

School Library Journal: June 2001, Vol. 47 Issue 6, p180 (Trevelyn E. Jones)

Publishers Weekly: May 7, 2001, Vol. 248 Issue 19, p248 (Jeff Zaleski)

Comments & Overview

Candace Savage followed up her book, Cowgirls (Ten Speed Press, 1996), with Born to Be a Cowgirl, for girls of the younger generation. Savage effectively allows the cowgirls to speak for themselves by incorporating excerpts from their letters and diaries. Period photographs complement the animated text and show the cowgirls in action---breaking wild horses, branding or bronco riding. A glossary, list of sources, index and bibliography are included. This “enticing slice of western and women’s history” is an “exemplary work” according to reviewers (Perkins, Booklist; Jones, School Library Journal). This book for intermediate readers is included in the Collection because it will attract the attention of horse-loving girls who read The Saddle Club series. Oahu is home to several ranches and horseback riding is a popular sport. We think it will be helpful to show the girls and young women of Kapolei that they can be paniolos (Hawaiian cowboys), too. After selecting this book, we reviewed Women in Pants: Manly Maidens, Cowgirls, and other Renegades (2003) by Catherine Smith and Cynthia Greig and Bull’s Eye: A Photobiography of Annie Oakely (2001) by Sue Macy. These books may have more appeal to older girls and will probably be included in next year’s additions to the Collection.

Book 13

Count on Us: American Women in the Military by Amy Nathan. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, 2004. 90pp: photos. $21.95. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-7922-6330-8

Reviews

The Bulletin for the Center for Children’s Books: April 2004, Vol. 57 No.8 (Krista Hutley)

Booklist: February 15, 2004 Vol. 100 Issue 2, p1050 (Jennifer Mattson)

School Library Journal: March 2004, Vol. 50 Issue 3, p240 (Lana Miles, Duchesne Academy, Houston, TX)

Publishers Weekly: February 2, 2004, Vol. 251 Issue 5 p79

Comments and Overview

Nathan, the author of Yankee Doodle Gals, about female pilots during World War II, tells the stories of the women for whom the Women In Military Service for America Memorial was dedicated to in 1997. Beginning with Deborah Samson, who dressed as a man to fight in the American Revolution, Nathan traces the history of American women in the military to the present conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Interviews, photographs and personal accounts add depth to the book’s text. A list of resources and an index are included. We also reviewed two other military-related books, In the company of Men: a Woman at the Citadel by Nancy Mace and Generally Speaking: A Memoir by the First Woman Promoted to Three-Star General in the United States Army by Claudia J. Kennedy with Malcolm McConnell. These books will hopefully be added to the collection at a later date. Favorably reviewed in four sources, this “well-researched and well-written account of women fighting for their country…” will appeal to middle/high School readers who may be interested in military careers. The military is a large presence here on Oahu, and several military families live in Kapolei.

Book 14

Daring Nellie Bly: America’s Star Reporter written and illustrated by Bonnie Christensen. New York: Knopf/Borzoi, 2003. 32pp: ill. $16.95. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-375-91568-0

Reviews

The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books: Vol. 57 No 3 p97 (Krista Hutley)

Horn Book Magazine: September/October 2003, Vol. 79 Issue 5 p626 (Betty Carter)

Publishers Weekly: November 10, 2003, Vol. 250 Issue 45 p61 (Diane Roback)

School Library Journal: Octover 2003, Vol. 49 Issue 10, p146 (Sue Morgan, Tom Kitayama Elementary School, Union City, CA)

Comments and Overview

Famous female reporter Nellie Bly is the star of this engaging picture book biography. Born at the end of the Civil War, Bly defied the nineteenth-century ideal of the domestic “Angel in the House,” and became a world-renowned journalist. She reported on the social conditions of women and children, went undercover as a patient in the Women’s Lunatic Asylum, and staged a seventy- two day trip around the world--- breaking the record of Jules Verne’s fictional character, Phileas Fogg, in Around the World in Eighty Days.  Nellie’s around-the-world journey is the main focus of the book. Her motto, “Energy rightly applied and directed will accomplish anything,” is thematic of this fast-paced adventure. The large, colorful pen-and-ink illustrations vividly convey Nellie’s activities and the two double-page maps allow readers to follow Nellie’s journey. A chronology of events, bibliography and a videography are included. Favorably reviewed in several sources, this book is included in the Collection because Nellie Bly’s ground-breaking work as a journalist will inspire intermediate-reading girls to follow their dreams around the world. We also reviewed Ida Tarbell: Pioneer Investigative Reporter  (World Writers series) by Barbara A. Somerville (2002). We would like to add this well-reviewed book to the Collection for the older middle/high school readers.

Book 15

Four Pictures by Emily Carr written and illustrated by Nicolas Debon. Toronto, Canada: Groundwood, 2003. 29pp: ill. $15.95. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-88899-532-6

Reviews

Booklist: December 1, 2003, Vol. 100 Issue 7, p658 (Hazel Rochman)

Horn Book Magazine (Starred Review): January/February 2004, Vol. 80 Issue 1, p100 (Lolly Robinson)

School Library Journal: November 2003, Vol. 49 issue 11 p154 (Sophie R. Brookover, Mount Laurel Library, NJ)

Comments and Overview

The author, Nicholas Debon, utilizes an innovative comic book format in this book about the late nineteenth-century Canadian artist, Emily Carr. Each of the four chapters begins with a painting, culminating in her masterpiece, “Scorned as Timber, Beloved of the Sky.” Discouraged about her painting abilities for most of her life, Carr eventually gave up painting the wilderness she loved. At fifty-six, her earlier works were “discovered” and she became a working artist again. In the Horn Book Magazine’s starred review, reviewer, Lolly Robinson, writes that “this unusual and highly successful homage to Carr is for late bloomers of any age and vocation.” Favorably reviewed in three sources, Debon’s true-life story of Emily Carr will resonate with Intermediate/Middle School girls who may doubt their talents or ability to make a difference. We also reviewed Women Artists of the West: Five Portraits in Creativity and Courage by Julie Danneberg (2003), short biographies on Maria Martinez, Georgia O’Keefe, Laura Gilpin, Dorothea Lange and Mary-Russell Colton.  These artists also painted in the West, albeit the United States. We think that this book would complement Four Pictures by Emily Carr and interest older middle/high school students.

Book 16

Outrageous Women of Ancient Times by Vicki Leon and illustrated by Lisa M. Brown. New York: Wiley, 1997. 118pp: ill. $12.95. Paperback. ISBN: 0-471-17006-2

Reviews

School Library Journal: December 1997, Vol. 43 Issue 12, p140 (Rebecca O’Connell, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh)

Publishers Weekly: November 24, 1997, Vol. 244 Issue 48, p 76 (Diane Roback)

Comments and Overview

 The Outrageous Women series for younger readers retains the same irreverent character as the adult Uppity Women series. According to one review, Leon “has a unique talent for making the politics, wars, religious practices, and educational ideals of ancient civilizations understandable and interesting to modern young people (O’Connell, School Library Journal).” Using hip, cool language that young adults can appreciate, Leon transports intermediate/middle school readers to different historical periods and entertainingly narrates the women’s biographies. In the ancient times (2300 BCE to 200 CE), readers are introduced to outspoken women such as Iaia of Cyzicus (90 BCE). Iaia dreamed of becoming an imaginarius, a painter. She traveled from her home in Turkey to Rome, which was then the center of the world, and set up shop. She eventually became one of the most famous and successful imaginarii in Rome---remembered for the speedy way that she wielded her brushes.

Book 17

Outrageous Women of the Middle Ages by Vicki Leon and illustrated by Lisa M. Brown.

New York: Wiley, 1998. 118pp: ill. $12.95. Paperback. ISBN: 0-471-17004-6

Reviews

Booklist: April 15, 1998 Vol. 94 Issue 16, p1442 (Hazel Rochman)

School Library Journal: August 1998, Vol. 44 Issue 8, p177 (Rebecca O’Connell, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh)

Publishers Weekly: March 16, 1998, Vol. 245 Issue 11, p66

Comments and Overview

Outrageous women are back in Leon’s second installment in the series. This time the setting is the stark landscape of the middles ages, but Leon proves that women provided some light during these dark times. One reviewer praises the author’s “characteristic blend of playful language and historical accuracy (O’Connell, Library School Journal).” In the middle ages, Leon introduces outrageous women such as Lady Murasaki Shikibu (1000 CE), a wife and mother who secretly learned the forbidden language of Chinese and kept a diary of imperial court life which later formed the basis for the world’s first novel, The Tale of Genji. Although one reviewer quibbles with Leon’s  “anachronistic” language, we think the contemporary slang increases its appeal to young readers (Rochman, Booklist). We also reviewed Leon’s third book in the series, Outrageous Women of the Renaissance (1999), which we hope to include in the Collection next year. While researching this series, we discovered that there are three more books in the series that we would like to review in the future: Outrageous Women of Colonial America (2001), OutrageousWomen of the American Frontier (2002), and Outrageous Women of Civil War Times (2003). The author of these books in the series is Mary Rodd Furbee, a writing and journalism instructor at West Virginia University School of Journalism.

Book 18

Princess Ka’iulani: Hope of a Nation, Heart of a People by Sharon Linnea. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. 242pp: photos. $18.00. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-8028-5145-2

Reviews

Booklist: July 1, 1999, Vol. 95 issue 21, p1944 (Carolyn Phelan)

Book Report: November/December 1999, Vol. 18 issue 3, p72 (Brooke Selby Dillon, English/Reading Teacher, Tahoma (Washington) High School

School Library Journal: June 1999, Vol. 45 Issue 6, p150 (Ann W. Moore)

Social Education (2000 Carter G. Woodson Book Award, National Council for Social Studies): May 2001, Vol. 65 issue 4, p215

Comments and Overview

This biography of Princess Ka’iulani won a Carter G. Woodson Book Award in 2000. The Carter G. Woodson Book Awards were established by the National Council for Social Studies to select the most distinguished social science books appropriate for young readers that depict ethnicity in the United States. Born in 1875, Princess Ka’iulani was Hawaii’s last princess. Raised in Hawaii and educated in Europe, the biracial princess returned to America to plead for her country after her aunt, Queen Lili’uokalani, was overthrown in 1893. “Well researched and engagingly written,” this biography is a lively portrait of Princess Ka’iulani, who “grows from a spoiled child to a disciplined, self-assured young woman” (Phelan, Booklist). Tragically, she died early at only 23. The book includes photographs, excerpts from letters, and a Hawaiian glossary. Most girls and young women of Kapolei will be familiar with Princess Ka’ulani’ story, but now middle/high school readers can read more about her. We also considered The Last Princess: The Story of Princess Ka’iulani of Hawaii (2001) by Fay Stanley. This book for younger, intermediate readers would serve as a good introduction to Princess Ka’iulani: Hope of a Nation, Heart of a People.

Book 19

Runaway Girl: The Artist Louise Bourgeois by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2003. 80pp: photos. $19.95. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-8109-4237-2

Reviews

Booklist (Starred Review): April 15, 2003, Vol.99 Issue 6, p1469 (Gillian Engberg)

Horn Book Magazine: July/August 2003 Vol. 79 Issue 4, p478 (Lolly Robinson)

New York Times Book Review: June 1, 2003, Vol. 152 issue 52501, p24

School Library Journal: May 2003, Vol. 49 Issue 5 p169 (Delia Fritz, Mercersburg Academy, PA)

VOYA: August 2003, Vol 26 No. 3 (Delia A. Culberson)

Women’s Review of Books: November 2003, Vol. 21 issue 2 p1 (Patricia G. Berman)

Comments and Overview

Controversial abstract artist, Louise Bourgeois, continues to work on her powerful, intensely personal sculptures and assemblages at the age of 92. Bourgeois’s memories of her painful childhood in Paris fuel her art. After her mother’s death, she left Paris with her new husband and settled in New York, where she still resides. The title of the book comes from her own quotation about that time: “I was in effect a runaway girl.” In 1982, the Museum of Modern Art held a retrospective of her work, the first of a woman sculptor. Bourgeois’s recent work, Maman (1999), is a huge steel spider---spiders are a recurring motif in her work---representing her mother who she says was “deliberate, clever, patient, soothing, reasonable, and dainty, subtle, indispensable, neat and useful as a spider.”  Bourgeois’s story is interwoven with her own words as well as photographs of her artwork. The book concludes with a glossary, bibliography, and notes. In Booklist’s starred review, Gillian Engberg praises the authors’ ability to make “challenging art accessible and exciting to teen readers.” The Honolulu Academy of the Arts is Hawaii’s premiere arts institutions and one of the finest museums in the country. Art is highly revered in Hawaii, and role models like Louise Bourgeois prove that it is possible for a woman to be a successful artist.

Book 20

Sacagawea by Liselotte Erdrich and illustrated by Julie Buffalohead. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner/Carolrhoda, 2003. 40pp: ill. $16.95. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-87614-646-9

Reviews

The Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Books: November 2003, Vol. 57 No. 3 (Janice M. Del Negro)

Booklist: September 1, 2003, Vol. 100 Issue 1,p118 (Hazel Rochman)

Library Media Connection: February 2004, Vol. 22 Issue 5, p76  (Janet Luch, Educational Reviewer & Adjunct Professor, SUNY New Paltz and Sulivan County Community College, New York)

School Library Journal: October 2003, Vol. 49 Issue 10. p149 (Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston)

Publishers Weekly: August 25, 2003, Vol. 250, Issue 4 (Forecasts)

Comments and Overview

Written and illustrated by Native Americans, Erdrich (Ojibway) and Buffalohead(Ponca), this book tells the story of Sacagawea, the Shoshone teenager who helped the 1804 Lewis & Clark’s Corps of Discovery expedition succeed. Kidnapped by the Hidatsa tribe at twelve, Sacagawea was sold into marriage to a French Canadian fur trapper at fifteen. Sacagawea gave birth to her son before the expedition began, caring for her infant as well as acting as interpreter and guide. Erdrich clearly explains what little is known about the historical Sacagawea rather than relying on her legend. Interesting details about everyday life in the early 1800’s are interspersed throughout the narrative and help put Sacagawea’s life into historical context. Buffalohead’s textured oil paintings are large and earth-toned; they focus the reader on Sacagawea. A timeline, historical maps, and bibliography are included. Most girls of Kapolei know Sacagawea as the woman on the gold dollar coin, but do not know much about her life. This biography of an indigenous Native American woman will inform intermediate readers about her life and numerous contributions to the Lewis & Clark expedition. We also reviewed Pocahontas (2003) and Sacagawea (2002) by award-winning author Joseph Bruchac for middle/high school readers.

Book 21

Searching for Anne Frank: Letters from Amsterdam to Iowa by Susan Goldman Rubin. New York: Harry N.Abrams, 2003. 144pp: photos. $19.95. Hardcover.

ISBN: 0-8109-4514-2

Reviews

Booklist: November 1, 2003, Vol. 100 Issue 5, p489 (Hazel Rochman)

Horn Book Magazine: November/December 2003, Vol. 79 Issue 6, p767 (Roger Sutton)

School Library Journal: November 2003, Vol. 49 Issue 11 (Laura Reed, Kitchener Public Library, Ontario, Canada)

Publishers Weekly: October 27, 2003, Vol. 250 Issue 43, p71 (Forecasts)

Comments and Overview

In 1939, two sisters on an Iowa farm corresponded with their pen pals, two sisters from Amsterdam. Juanita and Betty Ann Wagner received only a few letters from Anne and Margot Frank in the early days of World War II. Although they wondered what happened to the Franks during the war, the Wagner sisters did not discover their fate until The Diary of Anne Frank was produced on Broadway in 1955. Through extensive research and interviews, Rubin tells the stories of the Frank and Wagner sisters in alternating chapters, comparing and contrasting their wartime experiences. While the Franks go into hiding and are eventually imprisoned, the Wagners go to school and find employment. Although some reviewers think Rubin attempts to infuse more meaning into the short correspondence than there actually was, they agree that this moving, poignant book is an excellent introduction for middle school readers to The Diary of Anne Frank: The Definitive Edition. We also reviewed Hana’s Suitcase (2003) by Karen Levine, based upon the true story of Hana Brady, a girl killed at Auschwitz, and how her suitcase came to be a part of the Tokyo Holocaust Education Resource Center. We consideredLuba: Angel of Bergen-Belsen (2003) by Luba Tryszynska-Frederick for younger Intermediate readers.

Book 22

Shout, Sister, Shout! Ten Girl Singers Who Shaped a Century by Roxanne Orgill. New York: Simon & Schuster/Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2001. 148pp: photographs. $18.00. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-689-81991-9

Reviews

Book Report: November/December 2001, Vol. 20 Issue 3, p72 (Judith M. Garner, Media Specialist, Rock Hill High School, South Carolina)

Booklist (Starred Review): January 1, 2001, Vol. 98 Issue 1, p952 (Carolyn Phelan)

Biography: Fall 2001, Vol. 24 Issue 4 p1013

School Library Journal: May 2001, Vol. 47 Issue 5, p170 (Carol Durusau, Newton County Public Library, Covington, GA)

Publisher’s Weekly: January 29, 2001, Vol. 248 Issue 5, p91

Comments and Overview

In this book, music critic Orgill chooses one female singer from every decade of the twentieth century to represent the music of their times. The featured singers include Sophie Tucker, Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Ethel Merman, Judy Garland, Anita O’Day, Joan Baez, Bette Midler, Madonna, and Lucinda Williams. A typical entry tells of Sophie Tucker, the Last of the Red-hot Mamas, who was born to Russian parents in Poland while the family was en route to America. She became a headliner on the vaudeville circuit performing her most famous song, “Some of These Days.” Period photographs and sidebars containing information about vaudeville, Tin Pan Alley (West Twenty-eighth street in New York), and what Sophie wore add fascinating detail to the story. In Booklist’s starred review, Carolyn Phelan writes that young people will find this “lively collective biography” both “entertaining and enlightening.” Music is incredibly important in Hawaii, and the middle school girls of Kapolei who watch “American Idol” will discover new idols in this book.

Book 23

Ten Queens: Portraits of Women of Power by Milton Meltzer and illustrated by Bethanne Andersen. New York: Penguin/Dutton, 1998. 134pp: ill. $14.99. Paperback. ISBN: 0-525-47158-8

Reviews

Booklist (Starred Review): April 15, 1998, Vol. 94 Issue 16, p1439 (Ilene Cooper)

Book Report: January/February 1999, Vol. 17 Issue 4, p82 (Mary Oran)

Childhood Education: August 15, 1999, Vol. 75 Issue 6, p366 (Jeanie Burnett)

Publishers Weekly: April 6, 1998, Vol. 245 Issue 14, p80 (Forecasts)

School Library Journal: June 1998, Vol. 44 Issue 6, p164 (Shirley Wilton)

VOYA: December 2003, Vol. 26 No. 5 (Barbara McKee, Librarian, Media Director of Streetsboro High School, Stow OH)

Comments and Overview

In this book, Meltzer, winner of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, chooses ten women “who held power in their own hands and used it.” They range from the biblical Queen Esther in the fifth century BCE to Queen Catherine the Great of Russia in the eighteenth century CE. The brief biographies average approximately ten to twelve pages per queen and concentrate on how the women came to power and their reigns as queens. One reviewer describes Meltzer’s “storytelling flair” and “eye for small details and anecdotes” that bring these queens to life in the context of their times (Shirley Wilton, School Library Journal). Andersen’s vibrantly colorful portraits capture the queens’ power and celebrate their femininity. This book for middle/high school readers includes a note on sources, bibliography, and index. Before the monarchy was overthrown, several strong queens ruled Hawaii. The stories of these other powerful queens will supplement the stories that the young women of Kapolei already know.

Book 24

33 Things Every Girl Should Know about Women’s History: From Suffragettes to Skirt Lengths to the E.R.A edited by Tonya Bolden. New York: Random House, 2002. 240pp: photographs. $12.95. Paperback. ISBN: 0-375-81122-2

Reviews

Book Report: September/October 2002, Vol. 21 Issue 2, p80 (Carol A. Burbridge, Library Media Specialist, Jardine Middle School, Topeka, Kansas)

Booklist: March 1, 2002, Vol. 98 Issue 3 p1146 (Ilene Cooper)

Booklist (Feminist Books for Youth: Amelia Bloomer Project): March 1, 2003 Vol 99 Issue 13, p1209

Publisher’s Weekly: February 18, 2002, Vol. 249 Issue 7, p98 (Diane Roback)

School Library Journal: April 2002, Vol. 48 Issue 4, p164 (Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski WI)

Comments and Overview

Edited by Bolden, this overview of American women’s history is a collection of thirty-three women’s writings, beginning with Abigail Adams’s famous 1775 letter exhorting her husband to “remember the ladies.” The women speak in different literary forms, including narrative, biography, fiction, essay, and diary entries. Brief biographical profiles of each contributor preface the chapter. Period photographs, quotes, poetry, timelines, and varied typography add to the book’s appeal. Bibliographies, a glossary, and an index are also included. School Library Journal reviewer Lee Bock writes that the “tone throughout is positive and informative, empowering teens with neglected facts about and contributions of women to the history of the United States.” This Amelia Bloomer Project book will be an excellent resource on feminism in the United States and empower the young women of Kapolei. We also reviewed two other Amelia Bloomer Project books: No Turning Back: The History of Feminism and the Future of Women by Estelle B. Freedman (2002) for high school readers and Rabble Rousers: Twenty Women Who Made a Difference by Charyl Harness(2003) for intermediate readers.

Book 25

Talkin’ about Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by E.B. Lewis. New York: Scholastic/Orchard Books, 2002. 48pp: ill. $16.95. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-439-35243-6

Reviews

Black Issues Book Review: January/February 2003, Vol. 5 Issue 1, p65 (Lynda Jones)

Booklist (*Starred Review): November 15, 2002, Vol. 99 Issue 6, p602 (Carolyn Phelan)

Horn Book Magazine: January/February 2003, Vol. 79 Issue 1, p96 (Betty Carter)

Teacher Magazine: February 2003, Vol. 14 Issue 5, p37 (Blake Hume Rodman)

School Library Journal: October 2003, Vol. 48 issue 10, p183 (Harriet Fargnoli, Great Neck Library, NY)

Comments and Overview

Bessie Coleman was the first licensed black female aviator in the world. In a series of twenty-one vignettes, Grimes invites mourners to Bessie’s wake and allows them to speak about her in first-person poetic verse. Her family, flight instructors, and fans share their memories of Bessie and her determination to become a pilot despite poverty, racial Jim Crow laws, and gender discrimination. One young girl fan imagines her future, brimming with possibility: “I haven’t made up my mind about being a pilot, / but Bessie made me believe that I could be anything.” Small photo-like portraits of the speakers appear on the same page of their reminiscence. Full-page impressionistic-style watercolors on the facing page evoke every stage of Bessie’s life, from laundress to student-pilot in France. In starred reviews, Phelan (Booklist) praises the “fine, original portrayal” of Bessie and Carter (Horn Book Magazine) comments, “Like Bessie, this tribute to her life soars.” This book for intermediate readers is included in the Collection because it demonstrates that girls of all colors can do anything. We also reviewed  two other books that we would like to add to the Collection: A Voice ofHer Own: The Story ofPhyllis Wheatley, Slave Poet (2003) by Kathryn Lasky (intermediate) and Fight On! Mary Church Terrell’s Battle for Integration (2003) by Dennis Brindell Fradin and Judith Bloom Fradin (middle/high school).

Book 26

Where the Action Was: Women War Correspondents in Word War II  by Penny Colman. New York: Crown. 118pp: photographs. $17.95. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-517-80075-6

Reviews

Booklist (Feminist Books for Youth: Amelia Bloomer Project): March 1, 2003, Vol 99 Issue 13, p1209

Booklist: March 1, 2002 Vol. 98 Issue 13, p1145 (Ilene Cooper)

Book Report: September/October 2002, Vol. 21 Issue 2, p67 (Carol A. Burbridge)

Horn Book Magazine: March/April 2002, Vol. 78 issue 2, p228 (Margaret A. Bush)

Publishers Weekly: February 18, 2002, Vol. 249 Issue 7, p98 (Diane Roback)

School Library Journal: January 2002, Vol. 48 Issue 1, p150 (Vikci Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY)

Comments and Overview

Colman, an award-winning author, uses primary and secondary sources to describe the experiences of women war correspondents during World War II. Talented journalists and photographers, these 127 women managed to obtain credentials from the Department of War despite military policy that prohibited them from covering combat. They reported on the war from the front lines---where the action was---and blazed the trail for future generations of women. Colman tells the fascinating stories of eighteen woman war correspondents, including Martha Gelhorn, Margaret Bourke-White, and Lee Miller. They reported on D-Day, the Battle of Iwo Jima, and the liberation of the concentration camps. Maps, newspaper headlines, and more than seventy photographs depict the work of women war correspondents. A bibliography and index are included. This book for middle/high school readers showcases the bravery and ingenuity of these women, who followed the action despite gender discrimination. The young women of Kapolei will learn that women made a significant contribution to the war effort, both on the front lines and on the home front. We also reviewed Rosie the Riveter (1998) by the same author, which reveals the female-dominated work force on the home front.

Book 27

The Wright Sister: Katherine Wright and her Famous Brothers by Richard Maurer. Brookfield, CT: Roaring Brook, 2003. 128pp: photos. $18.95. Hardcover.

ISBN: 0-7613-2564-6

Reviews

Booklist (Starred Review): April 15, 2003, Vol. 99 Issue 6, p1469 (Carolyn Phelan)

Horn Book Magazine: July/August 2003, Vol. 79 Issue 4, p483 (Betty Carter)

School Library Journal: June 2003, Vol. 49 Issue 6 p164 (Harriett Fargnoli, Great Neck Library, NY)

Publishers Weekly: March 24, 2003, Vol. 250 Issue 12, p77 (Forecasts)

VOYA: August 2003, Vol. 26 No. 3 (Jenny Ingram)

Comments and Overview

Most people recognize Orville and Wilbur Wright as the inventors of the airplane, but they are unaware of the third member of the team. Their younger sister, Katharine, facilitated the development of the famous Flyer---she did not build it with her brothers, but she supported their endeavors in many ways. After her mother died, Katharine was the caregiver of the family, running the house for her father and four brothers. But she was also an intelligent, educated woman who became a respected educator. Katharine thrived in both spheres, as homemaker and educator. Like many women of history, Katharine remained in the background during her lifetime. One reviewer (Jenny Ingram, VOYA) claims that Katharine’s story is defined by her brothers’ achievements, but I disagree as do the majority of the other reviewers. Maurer utilizes her papers, correspondence, and the Wright family archives to bring her to the forefront of the story and shows middle/high school readers that she was a person in her “wright.” Archival photographs, a list of sources, and an index are included. We reviewed My Brothers’ Flying Machine by Jane Yolen (2003) for younger, intermediate readers. We also considered Wings and Rockets: The Story of Women in Air and Space by Jeannine Atkins (2003), the history of female pioneers in the field of aviation. The book begins with Katharine Wright.

Book 28

Zoya’s Story: An Afghan Woman’s Struggle for Freedom by Zoya with John Follain and Rita Cristofari. New York: HarperCollins/Morrow, 2002. 239pp. $24.95. Hardcover.

ISBN: 0-06-009782-5

Reviews

Booklist: March 15, 2002, Vol 98 Issue 14 p1027 (Kristine Huntley)

Booklist (Feminist Books for Youth: Amelia Bloomer Project): March 1, 2003 Vol 99 Issue 13, p1209

School Library Journal: August 2002, Vol. 48 Issue 8, p224 (Joyce Fay Fltecher, Rippon Middle School, Prince William County, VA)

Publishers Weekly: March 25, 2002, Vol. 249 Issue 2, p55 (Forecasts)

Comments and Overview

Co-authors Follain and Cristofari help Zoya tell her story. She was born in 1978, just before the Russian invasion of Afghanistan.  For several years, the Soviet Red Army battled the Muslim fundamentalist Mujahideen and sought to Sovietize Afghanistan. Zoya’s politically active parents home-schooled her for two reasons: the Mujahideen often bombed the schools and the teachers taught more about Russia than Afghanistan. In the late 1980’s, the Pro-Soviet communist regime crumbled and the Mujahideen took control of the country. After Zoya’s parents were assassinated by the Mujahideen, a teenaged Zoya fled to Pakistan with her grandmother. In Pakistan, she was educated at a school run by the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA), the group that her mother worked for. Zoya returned to Afghanistan several years later to continue her mother’s work for RAWA and witnessed first-hand the atrocities committed by the Taliban. But she also describes the courage of women who defied the Taliban by holding secret classes and shopping in the marketplace. Zoya’s compelling memoir of growing up in violence-ridden Afghanistan and working for RAWA will help the young women of Kapolei understand women’s struggles for freedom around the world. We also considered My Forbidden Face: Growing Up under the Taliban by Latifa (2003) for high school readers and Thura’s Diary: My Life in War-Time Iraq by Thura al-Windawi for intermediate readers.

Section III: Poetry/Writing

Book 29

Blue Jean: What Young Women are Thinking, Saying and Doing compiled by Sherry S. Handel. Rochester, New York: Blue Jean Press, 2001. 246pp: ill. $14.95. Paperback. ISBN: 0-9706609-1-X

Reviews

Booklist: June 1, 2001, Vol. 97 Issue 19/20 p1858 (Gillian Engberg)

Publishers Weekly: October 29, 2001, Vol. 248 issue 44, p53 (Charlotte Abbott)

School Library Journal: August 2001, Vol. 47 Issue 8, p197 (Elaine Baran Black, Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville, GA)

Comments and Overview

Handel is the founder of blue jean, an alternative to the teen magazines that currently saturate the market. Blue jean is the only magazine written and produced by young women from around the world. This anthology of articles from blue jean contains selections on a wide variety of subjects, including feminism, body image, ethnicity/race, sexual harassment, sexual abuse/violence, attention-deficit disorder, homelessness, and creating zines. Booklist reviewer Gillian Engberg writes that the girls express their viewpoints in “fresh, direct, passionate voices” and teens “will find these peer-authored stories inspiring and empowering.” High-school aged young women in Kapolei can identify with their peers when they read their stories and perhaps they will decide to write for blue jean, which was recently resurrected in 2002. They can also log onto the accompanying website, http://www.bluejeanonline.com.

Book 30

On Her Way: Stories and Poems about Growing Up Girl edited by Sandy Asher. New York: Penguin/Dutton, 2004. 209pp. $17.99. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-525-47170-7

Reviews

The Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Books: April 2004, Vol. 57, No. 8 (Karen Coats)

Booklist: February 15, 2004 Vol. 100 Issue 2, p1057 (Gillian Engberg)

School Library Journal: March 2004, Vol. 50 Issue 3, p224 (Janet Hilburn, formerly at Sam Houston Middle School, Garland, TX)

Publishers Weekly: January 26, 2004, Vol. 251 Issue 4, p255

Comments and Overview

In this collection of twenty-one stories and poems, contemporary women authors write about “growing up girl.” Readers will be familiar with children’s authors such as Patricia Calvert, Donna Jo Napoli, and Linda Sue Park. The stories and poems encompass a wide variety of girls’ experiences in different settings and time periods. They focus on strong girls who struggle to maintain their spirit despite the pressures of growing up. In a historical piece, author Sheila Solomon Klass tells the story of a young Annie Oakley who persuades her mother to let her learn how to use a gun even though it’s unladylike. One reviewer found most of the stories hackneyed despite the vast array of experiences and preferred the poetry (Karen Coats, The Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Books), but the other reviewers wrote positively about both: “The stories and poems are entertaining and engrossing, presenting likeable characters who learn valuable lessons on their journeys to womanhood (Janet Hilburn, School Library Journal). The poems are an important part of this anthology. One of our favorite poems is Angela Johnson’s “Girl Like Me”: “flying in/ Supergirl/ underwear.” Brief biographies of the authors appear at the end of the book, with pictures of them as girls. Intermediate/middle school girls will enjoy reading about all the different experiences of “growing up girl.”

Book 31

Ophelia Speaks: Adolescent Girls Write About Their Search for Self edited by Sara Shandler. New York: HarperPerennial, 1999. 258pp. $12.95. Paperback.

ISBN: 0-06-095297-0

Reviews

Chronicle of Higher Education: November 24, 2000, Vol. 47 Issue 13, pB7 (Joan Jacobs Brumberg, author of The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls)

Library Journal: July 1, 1999, Vol. 124 Issue 12, p116 (Sheila Devaney, Peace College Library, Raleigh NC)

Publishers Weekly: May 10, 1999, Vol. 246 Issue 19, p46 (Forecasts)

Women’s Review of Books: November 1999, Vol. 17 Issue 2, p10 (Lisa Miya-Jervis)

Comments and Overview

At sixteen, editor Sara Shandler read Reviving Ophelia and decided to respond by giving the Ophelias of her generation---including herself---a voice. Still a teenager when she started the project, Shandler contacted hundreds of educators, counselors, pastors, and administrators to find other girls who wanted to contribute short essays, poems, and journal entries about issues that were important to them. The issues they write about are arranged by subject matter and divided into five parts: “The Body under Assault,” “Family Matters,” “The Best and Worst of Friends,” “Touched by Desire,” and “Overcoming Obstacles and Coming into Our Own.” Many of the girls write in an intensely personal way about their struggles “within the whirlwind” of adolescence, as Shandler calls it. But, ultimately, this book for high-school readers is uplifting. The girls’ writings prove that they are thinking about difficult issues and attempting to work through them. This image of adolescent girls is far from the one that the media seems to project and promote. One of the young women, Emily Carmichael, writes about the commercial forces behind Girl Power in a scathing essay entitled, “Fight Girl Power.” Many young women of Kapolei experience the same issues as these girls from around the country. When they read this book, they will realize that they are not alone.

Book 32

Poem of Her Own: Voices of American Women Yesterday and Today edited by CatherineClinton and illustrated by Stephen Alcorn. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2003. 80pp. $17.95. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-8109-4240-2

Reviews

Booklist (Starred Review): April 1, 2003, Vol. 99 Issue 5, p1405 (Ilene Cooper)

School Library Journal: May 2003, Vol. 49, Issue 5 (Nina Lindsay, Oakland Public Library)

VOYA: August 2003 Vol. 26 No. 3 (Cyndi Gueswel)

Comments and Overview

This survey of twenty-five female American poets spans almost four hundred years and tells the story of America through their voices. Historian Clinton and award-winning artist Alcorn teamed up to produce this illustrated collection that includes such diverse poets as Ann Bradstreet, Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath, Leslie Marmon Silko, Marge Piercy, Adrienne Rich, and Sandra Cisneros. The poems are arranged chronologically, to highlight the historical context of the poems. Alcorn’s luminous illustrations demonstrate his uncanny ability to interpret the poem’s meaning. He uses light-fast casein paint to create a dappled effect in his boldly layered illustrations. Brief biographies of the poets, along with notes from both Clinton and Alcorn, follow the poems. In Booklist’s starred review, Ilene Cooper calls this book “inspiring on several levels.” Because it is an excellent introduction to American women poets, we have decided to include it in the Collection for middle/high school readers.

Book 33

Things I Have to Tell You: Poems and Writings by Teenage Girls edited by Betsy Franco and photographs by Nina Nickles. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2001. 63pp: photos. $15.99. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-7636-0905-6

Reviews

Book Report (Highly Recommended): November/December 2001, Vol. 20 Issue 3, p69 (Julie Radtke, Librarian, Loyola Sacred Heart High School, Missoula, MT)

Booklist: March 15, 2001, Vol. 97 Issue 4, p1392 (Hazel Rochman)

Horn Book Magazine: May/June 2001, Vol. 77 Issue 3, p343 (Lauren Adams)

School Library Journal: May 2001, Vol. 47 Issue 5 p164 (Sharon Korbeck, Waupaca Area Public Library, WI)

VOYA: December 2001

Comments and Overview

Thirty-four teenage girls contribute to this collection of prose and poetry. In her preface, compiler Franco relates her own angst and isolation while she was in high school and explains that she wanted give adolescent girls a forum to communicate about their experiences openly and honestly. This diverse group of girls write about the overwhelming emotions and complex issues they confront as young women in today’s world. They address weighty issues such as family, love, sexuality, body image, and drugs; their voices alternatively hopeful, disillusioned, angry, joyous, and sad. Their voices are unrestrained and unedited, with their colloquial language and mischievous humor intact. For example, Dayna Goodman explores her sexuality in the poem, “Hallway Between Lunch and English”: “Freud can kiss my sexually ambiguous arse.” The black-and-white photographs are not portraits of the poets nor do they illustrate the poems. They are representative of all girls, the writers as well as the readers. In this powerful collection, readers will discover the strength and resilience of young women today.

Book 34

Yell-OH Girls: Emerging Voices Explore Culture, Identity, and Growing Up Asian-American by Vicky Nam. New York: HarperCollins/Quill, 2001. 297pp: ill. $13.00 Paperback. ISBN: 0-06-095944-4

Reviews

Booklist: July 2001, Vol. 97 Issue 21, p1958 (Stephanie Zvirin)

KLIATT: July 2003, Vol. 37 Issue 4 p5

Publishers Weekly: June 11, 2001, Vol. 248 Issue 24 p71 (Charlotte Abbott)

School Library Journal: October 2001, Vol. 47 Issue 10, p189 (DeAnn Tabuchi, San Anselmo Public Library, CA)

Comments and Overview

Vicky Nam, former editor in chief of blue jean magazine, felt isolated and disaffected from the Eurocentric culture while she was growing up. To find out if other Asian-American girls shared her feelings, she used e-mail and websites to ask for submissions from Asian-American girls, ages 15-22. Nam compiled e-mails, essays, letters, poems, and other assorted pieces written by over 80 young writers. These young Asian-American women come from different cultural backgrounds, class backgrounds, and areas of the country. Caught between two cultures, they share the common need to be connected to their roots, to other Asian-Americans, and to the American culture as a whole. According to Nam, the book explores universal themes: “struggling with body image and eating disorders, mourning the loss of a loved one, family relationships and the desire for validation, sexuality, cross-cultural adoption, interethnic and interracial dating, and activism.” Arranged by topics such as “Finding the Way Home,” “Dolly Rage,” and “Family Ties,” each piece begins with information about the author and the work. At the end of each of the five chapters, prominent Asian-American women write “Mentor Pieces.” Two of these notable Asian-American women are from Hawaii: late Congresswoman Patsy Mink and controversial writer Lois-Ann Yamanka. The large percentage of Asian-American girls in Kapolei will make this book one of the most popular ones in the Collection. We hope to find more books like this one.

Section IV: Health & Well-Being

Book 35

Deal with It! A Whole Approach to Your Body, Brain, and Life as a Teenage gURL by Esther Drill, Heather McDonald, Rebecca Odes. Simon & Schuster/Pocket, 1999. 297pp: ill. $15. Paperback. ISBN: 0-671-04157-6

Reviews

Booklist: October 1, 1999, Vol. 149 Issue 3, p349 (Debbie Carton)

Library Journal: September 1, 1999, Vol. 124 Issue 14, p218 (Martha Cornog, author of Libraries, Erotica, and Pornography)

Publishers Weekly: July 26, 1999, Vol. 246 Issue 30, p72 (Forecasts)

Comments and Overview

Esther Drill, Heather McDonald, and Rebecca Odes are the founders of the award-winning URL website, http://www.gurl.com. The response to their website inspired the women to write this comprehensive puberty guide for girls, which includes information about the physical development of bodies, sexuality, the brain, and life in general. The frank, non-judgmental tone of the book sends a message of accepting the diversity of bodies and lifestyles, taking responsibility, and finding help when necessary. To aid young women in finding resources, the book also includes referrals to other books, organizations, and websites. The hypercolorful illustrations and graphically provocative format will attract the attention of teenage girls. We also reviewed the trio’s latest book, Where Do I go From Here? (2004) about life after high school.

Book 36

Girlsource: A Book by and for Young Women about Relationships, Rights, Futures, Bodies, Minds, and Souls by Girlsource. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed, 2003. 96pp: ill.

$12.95. Paperback. ISBN: 1-58008-555-5

Reviews

School Library Journal: February 2004, Vol. 50 Issue 2, p162 (Elaine Baran Black, Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville, GA)

VOYA: April 2004, Vol. 27 No. 1

Comments and Overview

Ten women from the Girlsource team surveyed over 500 young women in the Bay Area about what issues were important to them. According to VOYA’s reviewer, Lori Matthews, the “result of all the surveys and research is a must-have book that will be the new number-one information source for young women.” The book covers a wide range of topics, including mental health, sexual health, relationships, women’s rights, and preparing for college. Checklists, quizzes, tips, and quotes are interspersed throughout the text along with candid black-and-white photographs. The resource section of the book provides websites and contact information for numerous organizations. Other helpful titles are also recommended. We debated about including Deal With It! and Girlsource in the Collection, especially because reviewers of the books compared both of them with the classic Boston Women’s Health Book Collective’s Our Bodies, Ourselves. But we decided that both are unique in their own ways and will appeal to different kinds of young women.

Book 37

What’s Happening to My Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents and Daughters 3/e by Lynda and Area Madaras. New York: Newmarket, 2000. 304pp. $12.95. Paperback. ISBN: 1-55704-444-9

Reviews

Booklist: September 1, 2001, Vol. 98 Issue 1 p99 (Gillian Engberg)

Publishers Weekly: September 29, 2003, Vol. 250, Issue 39 (Forecasts)

School Library Journal: July 2003, Vol. 49 Issue 7, p78 (Joyce Adams Burner)

Journal of Sex Education & Therapy: 2001, Vol. 26 Issue 4, p374 (Dianne Berger)

Comments and Overview

Madaras, a sex and health educator for twenty years, decided to write the third edition of this book when research proved that girls are beginning puberty earlier than previously believed. In this revised edition, Madaras simplifies the text so that it is easier for younger girls to read. Despite the simplification, Madaras does not skip details or sacrifice accuracy. The book covers the reproductive organs, menstruation, breast development, body hair and other related topics. Humorous cartoon-like sketches complement the comforting, matter-of-fact tone of the book. According to Booklist’s reviewer, Gillian Engberg, this book is a “friendly, accessible introduction to puberty that young girls can read alone, not just with parents.” This book will provide an introduction to puberty for the intermediate-level girls of Kapolei. We also reviewed Ready, Set Grow! (2003) by the same author. It is a book for even younger primary girls.

Book 38

See Jane Win for Girls: A Smart Girl’s Guide to Success by Sylvia Rimm. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, 2003. 131pp: ill. $13.95. Paperback. ISBN: 1-57542-122-4

Reviews

School Library Journal: June 2003, Vol. 49 Issue 6, p169 (Laura Reed, Pickering Public Library, Ontario, Canada)

VOYA: August 2003 Vol. 26 No. 3

Comments and Overview

Child psychologist Sylvia Rimm has adapted her best-selling guide to success for women, See Jane Win (2001), for girls and young women. She offers advice and strategies on how to become an “I Can” girl---a smart, motivated, and confident person. Rimm also addresses sensitive issues such as self-esteem, failure, and change. Each chapter offers basic tips and tools on how to improve skills as well as fun quizzes and activities. Quotes from famous and successful women are interspersed throughout the text to provide inspiration for “I Can” girls. According to reviewer Laura Reed (School Library Journal), this is a “useful self-help book and practical guide to life.” The “I Can” message of this book will support the Collection’s goal of instilling confidence in the girls and young women of Kapolei.

Section V: Sports/Recreation

Book 39

Atta Girl! A Celebration of Women in Sports by Alexandra Powe Allred. Terre Haute: IN:Wish Publishing, 2003. 248pp: photos. $16.95. Paperback. ISBN: 1-930546-61-0

Reviews

Booklist (Feminist Books for Youth: Amelia Bloomer Project): March 1, 2004. Vol. 100 Issue 3, p1205

KLIATT: September 2003, Vol. 37 Issue 5 p46 (Barbara Jo McKee, Librarian, Media Director, Streetsboro High School, Stow, OH)

Library Journal: February 15, 2003, Vol. 128 Issue 3, p144 (Kathy ruffle, College of new Caledonia Library, Prince George B.C.)

VOYA: June 2003, Vol. 26 No. 2 (Elaine McGuire)

Comments and Overview

This book is a revised and updated version of the author’s previous book, The Quiet Storm (1997). Allred, a former member of the U.S. women’s bobsled team, is now a defensive end on the Austin Rage, a team in the Women’s Professional Football League. She tells her own story as well as the stories of many female athletes who fought and continue to fight for the right to train and compete. These anecdotes and quotations range from contemporary sports stars such as Serena Williams to historical sports stars such as Babe Didrikson Zaharias. Allred also relates stories of their relationships with other athletes and with their families while they pursue their goals. A mother of two young children, she includes a chapter on being an athlete and a mother. Although reviewer Elaine McGuire (VOYA) criticizes the uneven writing and lack of an index, she writes that “anyone who reads even a chapter will be enlightened about the importance and vitality of girls’ and women’s involvement in sports.” This book will encourage the young women of Kapolei to become involved in confidence boosting sports activities.

While reviewing this book, we found out that Wish Publishing is the first book publishing company devoted exclusively to women's sports topics. We also reviewed On the Field With…Mia Hamm (1998) by Matt Christopher. The “On the Field With” series is the number one sports series for kids and profiles soccer stars such as Mia Ham for intermediate readers. Mia Hamm also authored a book herself entitled Go for the Goal: A Champion’s Guide to Winning in Soccer and in Life (2000).

Book 40

Game Face: What does a Female Athlete Look Like? by Jane Gottesman. New York: Random House, 2001. 223pp: photos. $35. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-375-50602-0

Reviews

KLIATT: July 1, 2003, Vol. 37 Issue 4, p52 (Tom Adamich, INFOhio Specialist, Cuyahoga Falls, OH)

Library Journal (Highly Recommended): October 15, 2001, Vol. 126 Issue 17, p82 (Kathy Ruffle)

School Library Journal: October 2001, Vol. 47 Issue 10, p197 (Frances Reiher, Fairfax County Public Library, VA)

Comments and Overview

When former sportswriter Gottesman noticed the lack of photographs of female in newspapers and magazines, she decided to begin collecting them. This book features 182 color and black-and-white photographs of female athletes---both famous and nameless---playing many different sports. The photographs are divided into five sections that cleverly follow the usual sports routine: “Getting Ready,” “Start,” “Action,” “Finish,” “Aftermath.” The book closes with “Snapshots from Women’s Sports History.” Every photo is dated and the sport identified. The book also contains fifteen first-person essays by influential sports women such as the inventor of the Jogbra. Kathy Ruffle (Library Journal) raves that the “photos are the stars, showing the intense joys and sorrows of winning, losing, and just plain participating.”  The visual impact of these photos will make an impression on the young women of Kapolei and may interest them in participating in sports themselves. We also reviewed Amazing Woman Athletes (2002), a book by Jill Bryant for intermediate readers. It is part of the Women’s Hall of Fame series.

Book 41

Take It To the Hoop: 100 Years of Women’s Basketball by Sandra Steen and Susan Steen. Brookfield, CT: Twenty-First Century Books, 2003. 144pp: photos. $25.90. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-7613-2470-4

Reviews

Booklist: May 1, 2003, Vol. 99 Issue 17, p1588 (John Peters)

Library School Journal: September 2003, Vol. 49 Issue 9 p237 (Kate Kohlbeck, Randall School, Waukesha, WI)

VOYA: December 2003, Vol. 26 No. 5 (Jane Van Wiemokly)

Comments and Overview

Only eleven months after James Naismith invented basketball in December 1891, Smith College physical education director Senda Berenson adapted the rules for female players. They have been playing ever since despite numerous obstacles. The Steens discuss the history and development of women’s basketball in great detail. For example, they explain the women’s uniforms, equipment, and the rules they played by. Many teams are featured, including college and high school teams, company teams, professional teams, and Olympic teams. Black-and-white photographs and sidebars are interspersed throughout the text. Five appendixes listing women’s professional teams, Hall of Famers, championships, awards, and historic rules are included. This comprehensive and current book on women’s basketball will show middle/high school readers that women and basketball have both come a long way since 1892. We also reviewed Hoop Queens (2003), poems about female basketball players, by Charles Smith, Jr.

Section VI: Science/Discovery

Book 42

Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women by Catherine Thimmesh and illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 2000.

64pp: ill. $16. Hardcover. ISBN: 0-395-93744-2

Reviews
Booklist: March 15, 2000, Vol. 96 Issue 14, p1373 (Ilene Cooper)
Horn Book Magazine: May 2000, Vol. 76 Issue 3, p339 (Betty Carter)

Reading Teacher: November 2001, Vol. 55 Issue 3, p248

Reading Today (International Reading Association Children’s Book Award winner; Nonfiction for older readers): June/July 2001, Vol. 18 Issue 6

School Library Journal: April 2000, Vol. 46 Issue 4, p155 (Carol Fazioli)

School Library Media Activities Monthly: March 2003, Vol. 19 Issue 7, p46

Publishers Weekly: April 3, 2000, Vol. 247 Issue 14, p82 (Children’s Notes)

Comments and Overview

 This International Reading Association’s award-winning book spans five thousand years of women’s inventions. Beginning with His-ling-shi of China, who developed a method of gathering and weaving silk in 3000 BCE, the authors highlight a dozen women’s inventions through Suzi Havens’s portable exercise equipment in 1995. The women inventors are profiled in brief biographies that demonstrate the truism necessity is the mother of all invention. Thimmesh concentrates on the process of the women’s inventions: the circumstances that led to them, the development of the product, and the effect of the invention on both the creator and the consumer. She also encourages young readers who have ideas of their own to invent. To energize them, she profiles Becky Schroeder, a ten-year-old who invented Glo-Paper in 1972. Sweet’s small watercolor portraits of the women inventors personalize the portraits and her full-page collages celebrate the inventions. We think that this book will inspire the intermediate/middle-school girls of Kapolei to start thinking about what they could invent.We also reviewed American Women Inventers (February 2004) by Carole Ann Camp from the Collective Biographies series.

Book 43

Nobody Particular: One Woman’s Fight to Save the Bays written and illustrated by Molly Bang. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2000. 46pp: ill. $18. Hardcover.

ISBN: 0-8050-5396-4

Reviews

Book Report (Recommended Review): March/April 2001, Vol. 19 Issue 5, p77 (Susan Raben)

Booklist (Starred Review): February1, 2001, Vol. 97 Issue 11, p1050 (Michael Cart)

Horn Book Magazine: January/February 2001, Vol. 77 Issue 1, p106 (Betty Carter)

School Library Journal: January 2001, Vol. 47, Issue 1 p138 (Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato)

Science Activities: Spring 2003, Vol. 40 Issue 1 (Leonard P. Rivard)

Publishers Weekly: December 11, 2000, Vol. 247 Issue 50, p86 (Forecasts)

Comments and Overview

 Bang, author of Giverny Prize-winning Common Ground: The Water, Earth, and Air We Share (1997), returns to the environment in this book. She tells the true story of environmental activist, Diane Wilson---the “nobody particular” of the title. Wilson, a poor, uneducated shrimper and mother from Texas, started a one-woman campaign to stop petrochemical companies from polluting San Antonio Bay and the other bays of Calhoun County. At tremendous personal cost, she staged public demonstrations, town-hall meetings, an Earth Day rally, a hunger strike, and planned to sink her boat in protest of Formosa Plastic’s plans to build a new plant near her hometown. She eventually achieved her goal when Formosa Plastics agreed to zero discharge of waste chemical pollutants. Bang utilizes format to tell two stories simultaneously: the ecology of the bay area and Wilson’s fight to stop the pollution of the bays. She depicts the ecology of the bay area on the outer portions of the pages and then inserts black-and-white comic strip panels in the center to tell Wilson’s story. Although the visual impact is stunning, some reviewers feel that the busy pages and miniscule type detracts from the book’s message. But we decided that the powerful story of how one person can make a difference outweighs the design flaws. Like Wilson, the girls and young women of Kapolei live near the ocean and many are concerned about the environment. Intermediate/middle school readers may take inspiration from Wilson’s story and begin environmental projects on their own. We also reviewed Marjory Stoneman Douglas: Guardian of the Glades (2002) by Kiernan Doherty for high school readers.

Book 44

Super Women in Science by Kelly Di Domenico. Toronto, Canada: Second Story Press, 2003. 102pp: photos. $7.95. Paperback. ISBN: 1-896764-66-5

Reviews

Booklist: March 1, 2002, Vol. 99 Issue 13, p1206 (Carolyn Phelan)

Booklist (Feminist Books for Youth: Amelia Bloomer Project) March 1, 2004

Comments and Overview

This book is part of the Women’s Hall of Fame Series published by Second Story Press, a Canadian feminist press. Kelly Di Domenico is a former bookseller with a degree in journalism. In her first book, she provides brief biographies of women scientists ranging from Hypatia to and Mary Anning to Chien-Shiung Wu, Rosalind Franklin and Mae Jemison. Di Domenico also discusses the gender discrimination that many of the women scientists faced. In her introduction, Di Domenico writes, “Most women throughout history have had to practice science as a hobby because universities would not accept them as students and the scientific community refused to accept them as professionals.

Through hard work and determination, these talented women scientists made important contributions to the field of science. This book, selected for the Amelia Bloomer Project in 2004, will introduce intermediate readers to famous women scientists who prove that women can be scientists, too. We also reviewed Fabulous Female Physicans (2002) from the Women’s Hall of Fame Series.

Book 45

Women at the Edge of Discovery: 40 True Science Adventures by Kendall Haven. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2003. 273pp. $30. Hardcover.
ISBN: 1-59158-015-3

Reviews

KLIATT: March 1, 2004, Vol. 38 Issue 2, p40 (Nola Theiss, Sanibel, FL)

Comments and Overview

Kendall Haven, a former research scientist, is a professional writer and storyteller with an ALA award-winning national audience. The stories of forty women scientists, ranging from Madame Curie in 1902 to Cindy Lee Van Dover in 2001, are included in the book. Haven focuses on the scientific process of each of the forty women scientists. Following every story, relevant topics and other readings are suggested. A section called “After Words” provides further detail about the story. For example, in 1967, Jocelyn Bell discovered the first pulsar, but her advisor, Anthony Hewish, was given a share of the 1974 Nobel Prize instead of her. The author also includes interesting lists and an easy-to-use index. When middle/high school readers in Kapolei find out how many remarkable women have made contributions to science, they may become more interested in pursuing a career in science, where women are still underrepresented. We also reviewed Hidden from History: The Lives of Eight American Women Scientists (2002) by Kim Zach.

Diane Todd

CMP Budget

Proposal

Create Princess Kaiulani Collection

Kapolei Public Library

Proposed Budget

Books (estimated at $15.80 per bk)

$790.00

Total

$790.00

Actual Budget

Books

$785.05

20% Discount

$157.01

Total

$628.04

Summary

Proposed Budget

$790.00

Actual Budget

$785.05

20% Discount

$628.04

Remainder

$157.01

Budget Narrative

In the proposal, we failed to mention the 20% discount that Hawaii schools and libraries receive at Borders Books & Music, which has a contract with Department of Education.  Due to the 20% discount, the significant remainder can be spent on some of the other books we reviewed. Prices are based upon retail prices at Borders Books & Music. Amazon, the online retailer, is now affiliated with Borders, so we primarily utilized their website, www.amazon.com, to verify prices. We did not add in a processing fee because the Library Technicians and Assistants at Kapolei Public Library will handle the processing. Tax was not added in either.

Summary

            Now that we have selected all of our books, we realize that there are some limitations to the Princess Kaiulani Collection. Although the foundation of the Collection is in place, more materials are still need to provide the girls and young women of Kapolei with the tools they will need to succeed in life. Currently, the Collection is limited to books. We would like to expand the Collection to include other media such as CD’s and DVD’s. Another limitation to our Collection is the fact that many books for children and young adults become worn or out-dated and need to be replaced. In our effort to ensure multicultural diversity, we found several titles that celebrate girls and women on a global-scale. But our Collection contains only a limited number of  Asian and Pacific/Hawaiian-themed books, an important consideration because these ethnic groups constitute a large percentage of the population in Kapolei. Our goal is to increase the amount of these materials by becoming more familiar with local presses such as Bess Press, Island Heritage, the University of Hawaii Press, and the Kamehameha Schools Press.

            Further growth areas in our Collection would be to fill in the gaps of the subjects and age ranges that were not covered at all, or were not covered sufficiently. With the wide age range of 9-18, we often had to choose between two well-reviewed books on the same subject but geared toward different reading/age levels. Many times the reading/age levels overlap. Also, some subjects we found an overabundance of books whereas other subjects were more difficult to find. We divided the core of our collection in six subject areas and three different reading/age levels:

1)      Folk Tales/Mythology

Intermediate (9-12/Grades 3-6)

Middle School (12-15/Grades 6-9)

High School (15-18/Grades 9-12)

2)      History/Biography

Intermediate(9-12/Grades 3-6)

Middle School (12-15/Grades 6-9)

High School (15-18/Grades 9-12

3)      Poetry/Writing

      Intermediate(9-12/Grades 3-6)

Middle School (12-15/Grades 6-9)

High School (15-18/Grades 9-12)

4)      Health/Well-Being

Intermediate(9-12/Grades 3-6)

Middle School (12-15/Grades 6-9)

High School (15-18/Grades 9-12)

5)      Sports/Recreation

Intermediate(9-12/Grades 3-6)

Middle School (12-15/Grades 6-9)

High School (15-18/Grades 9-12)

Intermediate(9-12/Grades 3-6)

Middle School (12-15/Grades 6-9)

High School (15-18/Grades 9-12)

We, at Kapolei Public Library, thank you for taking the time to consider our presentation and read through our Collection Management Proposal. We anticipate your generous support of the Princess Kaiulani Collection, which is designed to raise the self-esteem and motivate the ambitions of girls and young women. We assure you that the Kashu Foundation will be proud to support the girls and young women of Kapolei. They are the future leaders of Hawaii.

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