Kirkus Reviews

An emphasis on major players in the global spread of women's suffrage distinguishes this volume from others of its ilk.This chronology outlining the development and eventual success of women's suffrage movements is subdivided by headings such as "The Trailblazers" and "Women at War." Each spread is dedicated to a country or region, and it features succinct paragraphs that establish historical context and describe the women who helped advance the franchise in their respective countries. Care has been taken to acknowledge instances in which women suffered violent retaliation for their activism or when intersectional conditions such as race and class resulted in the uneven distribution of voting rights. The highly stylized art in each spread employs a range of bright colors and textures that suggest either some natural landscape or culturally specific item(s) from each featured country. The text's recurring use of water metaphors ("waves of change," etc.) echoes the endpapers, which feature a wave pattern in shades of blue overlaid with red check marks. The book itself begins with a colorful, undulating timeline that also serves as a table of contents, and it ends with a more detailed timeline and an index, although, disappointingly, it lacks a bibliography or resources for further reading. Also disappointing is the implication that a Qatari activist's use of Twitter and Facebook led to a new constitution in 2003, before either existed.Overall, an engaging introduction for a broad audience to the movements and individuals who fought worldwide for women's right to vote. (Nonfiction. 8-adult)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

History-s suffragists were anything but timid, Knight and Stewart declare in this vividly written and powerfully illustrated volume. The collaborators chronologically present the slow progression of women-s suffrage worldwide, beginning with New Zealand in 1893 and ending with Saudi Arabia in 2015. Each spread focuses on a woman, group of women, or organization that was pivotal to the suffrage fight in a given nation. Stewart captures the grit and determination of the women through stormy backgrounds, stark design elements, and vehement facial expressions. Activist and actress Kimura Komako has red lips and eyes that reflect the Japanese flag-s red disc; another spread shows Marguerite Durand with a sweeping cape and a pink-tinged lioness (she strolled through Paris with the cat to promote suffrage). The portraits call to mind sorceresses or other fairy tale figures, but through clear, evocative descriptions and useful timelines, Knight emphasizes that these heroines were and are very real. Ages 9-up. (Nov.)

School Library Journal (Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

Gr 7 Up-Stewart explores the women and movements that paved the way for the right to vote in about 22 countries. From Australia to the UK to South Africa, the stories are grippingly told in a snapshot style coupled with gorgeous illustrations. Each vignette's artwork expands on the emotional content of each tale; here, Knight's Matilde Hidalgo de Procel is a young girl, when her fire for fairness was ignited; reflections in broken glass captures the riots and lengths women in the UK went to. Stewart makes note of when women of color were left out of the initial voting rights reforms. A time line of when countries granted women the right to vote caps off the end of the stories for handy reference for how change was inspired and enacted. VERDICT A good purchase for YA nonfiction collections. Molly Dettmann, Norman North High School, OK