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Biography & Autobiography. Juvenile Nonfiction. HTML: "Not all governments have been run by men. Lives of Extraordinary Women turns the spotlight on women who have wielded power, revealing their feats�??and flaws�??for all the world to see. Here you'll find twenty of the most influential women in history: queens, warriors, prime ministers, first ladies, revolutionary leaders. Some are revered. Others are notorious. What were they really like? In this grand addition to their highly praised series, Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt celebrate some of the world's most noteworthy women, ranging from the famous to those whose stories have rarely been told. Features twenty extraordinary women, including: Cleopatra Joan of Arc Elizabeth I Harriet Tubman Eleanor Roosevelt Eva Perón… (more)
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I really liked this book. All the personal information kept me interested. And, sad to say but many of these women I had never even heard of and/or did not know anything about them. I now have enough facts to allow future knowledge of these women to build on. The illustrations were very beautifully done – after reading a few sentences, I would go back and look at the picture and could see almost clearly each woman in action. This is a great biography collection.
I would have the students write a biography about any woman they choose (if the lesson is about biographies, then man or woman would do, but if it is about women in power, well obviously only a woman would be allowed). They can present their research in any fashion they choose as long as a written paper is turned in also. Power points, music and/or song, illustrations, and props are welcomed. They can share their presentations with the class. A more fun extension would be to have the students get into small groups and act out the life of one of the women discussed in the book (each group chooses a different lady). They can do some research, use references from the book, bring props, dress for the part, and act out a skit that would appropriately portray that woman’s lifestyle and actions. Wouldn’t that be fun to watch the students get involved and “become” the women of the past?
I have four daughters so I
This book could be used in the classroom for a historical lesson, a biography literature lesson, or even an art lesson on caricatures.
Cleopatra: "She did know how to make an entrance. When Julius Caesar, Rome's brilliant military leader, visited Alexandria, he received one of
Thoughts and Feelings: This book did not sugar coat the more horrifying details of ages where death was much more common than it is today. People plotted and killed. Leaders, never-mind women leaders, were not safe.
The most interesting characters I thought were Tz'U-Hsi and Gertrude Bell because neither of them believed that women should be in leadership roles and both of them were. Bell thought herself an exception to the general rule about weak women. Tz'U-Hsi said "Never again allow women to hold the supreme power in the state."
Each short biography includes quirky, interesting details about the woman in question and keeps the reader interest and engaged. I appreciated the broad range of women described in this book, although it was still dominated by white wome of European ancestry. I think this book would appeal especially to female readers, because it really stresses empowerment and is obviously all about famous women throughout history. I think that male readers could also enjoy this book, but that it would be preferred by female readers.
I think this would be a great mentor text in a history project that asks students to research an influential historical figure. Students could read through the book, or even just selected excerpts, and then pick a leader to research more in-depth for their own projects. Reading Level: Grade 3 and up.