Review Detail

“Women and girls have been sharing things up for a long time, resisting those who would box them in.”

Shaking Things Up, introduces us to 14 bright and bold young women whose lives impacted history forever. These stories, told by Susan Hood, and illustrated by 13 talented artists, took place all throughout history. From 1780 to 2014, these women have used their voices to save lives, fight segregation, and pave the way for all the women of the future.

Many exceptional young women are mentioned in this book, some you may recognize and others who stories may not be too familiar. This made for a great balance and diversity among all these women, and I think that will greatly resonate with all the young girls who read this book. From Pure Belpre, the first Latina librarian in New York City, to Ruby Bridges, a civil rights pioneer at only 6 years old, there is all types of women breaking down barriers.

The format for this book was also unique, with each story first being told in the form of a poem and then more information being provided at the end. Paired with bright, colorful and detailed illustrations, it made each story stand apart from the rest.

I think this book holds a wonderful compilation of stories that encourages readers to do further reading about all these extraordinary young women. Books like these that celebrate a diverse group of powerful women are a great source of inspiration for our younger generation. I highly encourage anyone to buy or check this book out for it’s uplifting stories.