50 Unbelievable Women and Their Fascinating (and True!) Stories

Striking a witty and celebratory tone, Mitchell (Mistwalker) shares 50 brief stories about influential women past and present, including Joan Baez, Marie Curie, Frida Kahlo, Billie Jean King, Oprah Winfrey, and Minnie Spotted Wolf—the first Native American woman in the Marine Corps. Roughly three pages each, the entries are just rough sketches, but they still include intriguing details that might inspire readers to further research (Vera Wang turned to fashion after failing to become a professional ice-skater, and her future designs would include skating costumes). The arrangement of contemporary figures alongside those from the distant past should help give readers the sense that history is unfolding all around them. Available simultaneously: 50 Impressive Kids and Their Amazing (and True!) Stories. Ages 10–up. [em]Author’s agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. (Feb.) [/em]