Amelia to Zora: Twenty-six Women Who Changed the World

by: Cynthia Lee-Chin; Illustrated by Megan Halsey and Sean Addy

Published by: Charlesbridge Publishing

Reviewed by Beth Cummings

Cynthia Chin-Lee says in her Author’s Notes that she loved reading biographies as a child. She has take that love and created a wonderful book of short biographical pieces about women who have made real accomplishments. She chose 26 women whose first names begin with each letter of the alphabet – thus A is for Amelia, pilot Amelia Earhart and Z is for Zora, writer Zora Neale Hurston.

Some of the women in the book are well known and readily identifiable by either first or last name. Others are a little less known outside of their own field or perhaps their own country. Astronomer Cecelia Payne-Gaposchkin (C is for Cecelia) is likely to be one of the latter. Yet she was the first woman professor at Harvard University.

Each page of the book is devoted to one woman – with a picture of her as well as other artwork depicting her area of expertise. Along with the biographical essay the is a quote, such as this one by Eleanor Roosevelt:

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every
experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.”

I love this book. The choices of subjects make it a perfect introduction into women’s study and cultural diversity. The artwork is great – colorful, tasteful and appropriate.

This book has won several awards including the National Parenting Publications Gold Award and the NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People. It would make a wonderful addition to any elementary or middle school classroom or library. It would also be an interesting choice to read aloud at home.

Armchair Interviews agrees.