HEROINES: Great Women Through the Ages

Abbeville Kids, 1996. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. New/New. Rebecca Hazell color illustrations. CONDITION: NEW 1996 Abbeville Press hardcover (pictorial boards) & dust jacket, first edition, first printing. Color illustrations by the Author. CONTENT: -A wonderful introduction to a diverse group of 12 women, from ancient Greece to modern times. Each heroine receives a three-to-four page discussion, along with Hazell's period-style illustrations and a loosely drawn map. Facts, including cultural and historical background, are mixed with the author's informed suppositions. This is especially apparent in the entries describing subjects about whom little is known, such as Lady Murasaki Shikibu (author of The Tale of Genji) and Sacagawea. The chapter about Agnodice, an ancient Greek healer, is based on stories and legends and rounded out with a discussion of early medicine and a description of ancient Athens. Three modern women are also depicted: Anna Akhmatova, Madame Sun Yat-Sen (Soong Ching-ling), and Frida Kahlo. The other six heroines are well-known figures who have received a good amount of biographical attention: Eleanor of Aquitaine, Joan of Arc, Queen Elizabeth I, Harriet Tubman, Marie Curie, and Amelia Earhart. A helpful list for further reading, with adult and juvenile sources, is appended. Though limited as a research tool, this book uses well-chosen details and anecdotes to bring each subject to life. Grades 5 - 8.