Rabble Rousers: 20 Women Who Made a Difference (bk 1) (64 pgs)

Harness, Cheryl (2003). Rabble rousers: 20 women who made a difference. Dutton Children’s Books. New York.

Summary:
This book chronicles the life of 20 very influential women in American history. Each of the women is given a two page spread on which the important aspects of her life. It is a brief description of each woman and the influence she had on America and the lives of women and African Americans.

Author: Cheryl Harness
Illustrator: Cheryl Harness
Illustrations: Are contained on both sides of two page spreads and are paintings of the women in settings they may have been found in. Pages are outlined in different colors.
Access Features: Introduction, Table of Contents, Civil Action Tips, Resources, Places to Visit, Glossary, Bibliography, Further Reading, Index
Grade Level: 3-5
Book Design: Cover is all of the women mentioned in this book marching into the book. End pages are red, perhaps to stand for the passion in these women’s lives and the passion they show for their cause. Pages are outlined in different colors and each two page spread about the woman has an illustration of her at the beginning of the first page.
Writing Style: This book is little more difficult and requires a little more background knowledge to fully understand the influence these women had on America. The author uses technical vocabulary to discuss the aspects of freedom these women fought for and the students must know what these terms mean before they can understand the full impact these women had.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: Each of these women could be used to discuss different times in American history. It would be a great resource to use as reinforcement for certain times and occurrences in history.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions; Standard 6: Power, Authority, and Governance
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Author Credibility: Harness has written many acclaimed historical picture books, and includes in her bibliography the resources she used to write this book. Those books include books about the individual women and the entire movements they were involved in.
Related Texts: Remember the Ladies: 100 Great American Women by: Cheryl Harness; Lives of Extraordinary Women: Rulers, Rebels, (and What the Neighbors Thought) by: Kathleen Krull; Amelia to Zora: 26 Women Who Changed the World by: Cynthia Chin-Lee; Sisters in Strength: American Women Who Made a Difference by: Yona Zeldis McDonough; Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women by: Catherine Thimmesh; 100 Women Who Shaped World History by: Gail Myer Rolka; A Woman for President: The Story of Victoria Woodhull by: Kathleen Krull; Girls Who Rocked the World: Heroines From Sacagawea to Sheryl Swoopes by Amelie Welden

Response:
This book was truly amazing. There were some women in this book that I had never heard of and I was very impressed by the things they fought to accomplish. I think it’s important for boys and girls alike to know how influential women have been in American history and I think this book would be a wonderful way to help reinforce that.