You probably don't need me to tell you that graphic novels are HUGE right now. Everything from To Kill A Mockingbird to Anne of Green Gables has been rereleased as a graphic novel, and six of Amazon's top fifty best-selling books of 2019 were of that genre (that's 12%!). So it should come as no surprise that graphic biographies are trending as well. Not only are these great for getting non-fiction books in the hands of resistant readers, graphic biographies can be an effective tool in getting boys to learn about historic women when they might otherwise be reluctant to do so. Below is a list of some speech-bubbletastic Awesome Women bios -- but be warned!! Not all of these are intended for children. Please review all books before passing them on to young readers. Clara Barton: Angel of the Battlefield Written by Allison Lassieur • Illustrated by Brian Bascle Recommended Age Group: 9-12 Angel of the Battlefield is the first of several on this list from the Graphic Library series, published by Capstone Press. With realistic paintings, this book closely traces Clara Barton's growth from nurturing child to courageous nurse to Red Cross royalty.
Looking ahead into 2020, there are lots of reasons to smile. For starters, we've got the hundredth anniversary of America getting its act together and granting women the right to vote by ratifying the Nineteenth Amendment. (At least on paper. Black women in the South had a longer fight ahead of them...) This centennial is being celebrated not only with parades and speeches, but with nearly 600 female candidates (and counting!) running for office in this year's election. Who knows -- we might even have our first female president! If it's empowered movie heroines you're looking for, 2020 is a banner year for you, too, with eight of the top ten most anticipated movies featuring female leads -- including a woman as 007 in the newest James Bond film. Oh, and that top ten movie list? Half of them are also directed by women. But for us library nerds, it's the slew of upcoming book releases that really makes us giddy, and 2020 is giving us a lot to be excited about. Here's a list of twenty books by and about Awesome Women that will be coming out this year: Patricia's Vision Written by Michelle Lord • Illustrated by Alleanna Harris Release Date: January 7, 2020 We at AWL were deeply saddened by Dr. Patricia Bath's passing last year, but we're glad to see that this new picture book biography is coming out to share her inspiring story. Judging from the excerpt available on Amazon, Patricia's Vision looks like a beautiful tribute, featuring her many accomplishments, such as her groundbreaking invention of laser surgery for cataracts.
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