A Closer Look
The Story Behind the Story
This book was the result of a series of events in 2016—a perfect storm. My first grandchild—a granddaughter—was born at a time when prominent women were being interrupted, mansplained, or silenced. All the advances women have made over the decades seemed in danger of backsliding. As author Frances Moore Lappé wrote, “Every choice we make can be a celebration of the world we want.” So I chose to write about young women who faced all sorts of adversity—poverty, illness, discrimination or war—to pursue their interests and talents.
Since the book was a picture book, I had to choose the women carefully. I looked into about 177 women in all fields—literature, science, sports, art, technology, politics, and more. I only had 14 spreads so choosing the 14 women was the hardest part of the book! After consulting with many teachers and librarians, I decided to write about girls and young women who were:
Under the age of 35 (to be closer in age to my readers)
Diverse
Not the “usual suspects.” (Many women I admire like Jane Goodall already have several books on the shelves. I wanted to write about women that kids may not have heard of.)
Triumphant in the face of adversity
Chasing kid-friendly pursuits. I chose a firefighter, a paleontologist, an astronaut, a secret agent.
Podcast with Matthew Winner on All the Wonders, click here.
See my Resources Page for more information, sources, websites, books, videos, and notes about the poetry forms used in this book.
