Book Review: Created Equal
Created Equal is another in the National Geographic series Crossroads America. This time, the topic is the struggle for women's suffrage—the right to vote. The great thing about this book, as in the others in the series, is that it looks great. It is very cleanly defined. The reader's eye knows where to go first and what to read when. Illustrations of the period (some famous, some not) accompany the readable text, emphasizing the main points of the story. Pertinent quotes from the famous people profiled are included yet set aside, so they get their own attention. Even cartoons are included, to show just what the American women who fought for the right to vote were up against. (American children, especially girls, would do well to study this period in history, since they probably take being able to vote for granted.) The story carefully introduces the main characters and then expands their roles in the process, until the reader is left with a well-rounded picture of who helped do what when. The book also includes a Points of View two-page spread, examining both sides of the issue. And like any good History Day project, the book also includes analysis, a what-happened-after section called Legacy. No, the story doesn't stop with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. We the readers learn about Jeannette Rankin, the first woman to serve in Congress, and about Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. These additions bring the story into the 21st Century for young readers. This is a good introduction to the topic. Young readers will come away with a basic understanding, as they should, and will likely want to learn more (which is the idea). For instance check out With Courage and Cloth.
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Social Studies for Kids
copyright 2002–2024
David White