Kate Hannigan

I’m fairly new to the graphic novel world, but so far, I’ve been impressed by what I’ve seen. Case in point: This book. Before I came across this book, I never really stopped to consider what it may have been like for Americans “holding down the fort”, so to speak, during World War II. Oh, yes, I’d thought about aspects of it, of course—but I never had a clear picture of how families coped with fathers and sons gone, or how people were forced to change their jobs because of shortages in the workplace. I found this book a fast, gripping read, and I greatly enjoyed the illustrations. This is a good overview of America’s involvement in the war, and I came away feeling like I learned a lot from it. I’m looking forward to sharing this with my siblings—I think they’d find it interesting and educational.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.… (més)

This comic book describes life on the home front of America during World War II. The colorful drawings are simple yet effective, providing an interesting and informative look at the lives of Americans at home during the war. I especially like the emphasis on what kids and families were doing to support the war effort. This is a much better way to learn history than reading it in textbooks. The book was a welcome addition to my reading list, since I have had trouble finding books about the home front during World War II and it is a special interest of mine. Highly recommended for kids and adults too.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.… (més)

In 1889, two women journalists set out to beat the elapsed time of Jules Verne’s (fictional) 80-day trip around the world. Nellie Bly, age 25, and Elizabeth Bisland, 28, working for the New York World and Cosmopolitan Magazine respectively, left New York in opposite directions to make the trip. Nellie Bly did not actually know another woman was racing her until she learned of it in Hong Kong.

The story recounts highlights from the trips of each woman, comparing and contrasting their experiences. The two women were dazzled by what they saw.

From Asia, Nellie Bly wrote, “If I loved and married, I would say to my mate: ‘Come, I know where Eden is’ . . . and desert the land of my birth for Japan.” In the Arabian desert, Elizabeth Bisland marveled, “I may never see this again, this world, where . . . the light of night and of day have a new meaning; where one is drenched and steeped in color and perfume . . .”

Nellie made it first, after “seventy-two days, six hours, and eleven minutes.” Elizabeth encountered weather problems on the ocean, “and finally drifted into New York’s harbor nearly one week later.” But she cheered for Nellie Bly.

The author contends that the true winner was “Everyone! Because Nellie and Elizabeth made the wide world suddenly feel smaller. And they showed that women - whether outgoing or introverted, rough-edged or refined - could be just as curious, capable, and courageous as any man.”

The book includes brief and enthusiastic quotations from periodicals at the time. It ends with an Author’s Note, Illustrator’s Note, photos, and timelines relating to other women investigative journalists.

Illustrations by Rebecca Gibbon reflect the historical research she put into the story.

Evaluation: Readers aged 7 and over will enjoy the breathless pace of the narration as the women race each other to set a record, and to show the world that women can do it all.… (més)