Little Leaders: Visionary Women Around the World by Vashti Harrison (Picture Book Review)

Little Leaders: Visionary Women Around the World

by Vashti Harrison

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

on November 6, 2018

Genre: Non-fiction, History, Feminism

Length: 96 pages

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Synopsis:

From the author of Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History comes the highly anticipated follow-up, a beautifully illustrated collectible detailing the lives of women creators around the world. 

Featuring the true stories of 35 women creators, ranging from writers to inventors, artists to scientists, Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World inspires as it educates. Readers will meet trailblazing women like Mary Blair, an American modernist painter who had a major influence on how color was used in early animated films, actor/inventor Hedy Lamarr, environmental activist Wangari Maathai, architect Zaha Hadid, filmmaker Maya Deren, and physicist Chien-Shiung Wu. Some names are known, some are not, but all of the women had a lasting effect on the fields they worked in. 

The charming, information-filled full-color spreads show the Dreamers as both accessible and aspirational so readers know they, too, can grow up to do something amazing.

My Thoughts:

This was a wonderful and thoroughly enjoyable educational read! This children's nonfiction picture book focuses on sharing 50 visionary women who excelled in their careers. Some are well known, some not so much, but each has explored, discovered, or created something that has changed the history of the world. 

There are up to 50 women featured in this book, each with plenty of information about their lives, careers, and how they persevered and overcame. 

Each woman is beautifully illustrated with little hints of what their lives revolved around, whether it be an artist with her palette and brushes or an inventor standing proudly with their creation. Each illustration shows bits of these women's culture, career, or environment in either their clothing or background and it's quite spectacular how much is covered on each page. 

I especially enjoyed that there are resources for further reading, watching, and listening at the back of the book. They invite you to see the work of the creators, hear the music, read the books, or watch the movies. There are lots of websites listed for further research and even a glossary to help out with those difficult concepts and creations; anything from aesthetics to atoms to radioactivity to surrealism. 

Both adults and children alike are sure to learn something from or be inspired by this wonderful collection of incredible women! 

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Happy reading!