Rad Women Worldwide: Artists and Athletes, Pirates and Punks, and Other Revolutionaries Who Shaped History

In this companion to the picture book Rad American Women A-Z, Schatz writes short biographies of 40 noteworthy female figures past and present; though the book is technically published for adults, the brief profiles are readily accessible to children and teens. The subjects include artists, writers, revolutionaries, musicians, scientists, and politicians: Kalpana Chawla was the first Indian woman in space; Kasha Jacqueline Nagabasera is a Ugandan LGBTQ-rights activist; Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz was a self-taught 17th-century scholar credited with writing "the first feminist text of the New World"; and Junko Tabei was a Japanese "housewife and mother" who became the first woman to climb the South Summit of Mt. Everest. Josephine Baker, Venus and Serena Williams, and Malala Yousafzai are among the better-known figures. As in the previous book, Stahl's cut-paper portraits provide handsome visual tributes to the women. Author's agent: Charlotte Sheedy, Charlotte Sheedy Literary. Illustrator's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Sept.)

Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 6 Up--Schatz and Stahl present profiles of 40 extraordinary women from around the globe. The short biographies cover each woman's life and accomplishments and the great odds they faced. Coming from many continents and different time periods, all the women are portrayed as bold and heroic. There are subjects who lived thousands of years ago, such as the ancient Mesopotamian writer Enheduanna and Hatshepsut, the first and only female king of ancient Egypt. Included also are Grace "Granuaile" O'Malley, a 16th-century Irish sea captain; Berta and Nicolasa Quintreman, sisters belonging to the Mapuche people who inspired resistance against corporate destruction of land in 1980s Chile; and Sophie Scholl, who spoke out against the Nazis. A broad array of athletes, musicians, scientists, environmentalists, political activists, artists, and more create a vast tapestry of women's achievements and contributions to their individual societies and the world as a whole. Each profile includes a striking cut-paper portrait. The ending chapter, "The Stateless," is a call-and-response investigation of how the state of displaced peoples, refugees, and asylum seekers is a feminist issue. The call-and-response format oscillates between abstract thoughts ("What does it mean to be from a place? Or to be foreign? To belong, to not belong") and more formal, statistics-based answers ("Of the 60 million forcibly displaced people...almost 80 percent are women and children."). The volume concludes with a list, ordered alphabetically by country, of 250 additional women deemed exceptional. VERDICT This collection of energetic profiles is sure to spark discussion and encourage readers passionate about women's history and rights to do further research.--Patricia Ann Owens, formerly at Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, Mt. Carmel

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

New York Times Bestseller

As seen in Shelf Awareness, Elle, Upworthy, Bust, Fusion, The Advocate, 7x7

"An international array of badass women through the ages and up to the present...[and] a happy contrast to so many Eurocentric "world" surveys."
—Kirkus Reviews

"[R]eadily accessible to children and teens...Stahl's cut-paper portraits provide handsome visual tributes to the women."
—Publishers Weekly

"This collection of energetic profiles is sure to spark discussion and encourage readers passionate about women's history and rights to do further research."
—School Library Journal

"[F]resh, engaging, and inspiring tales of perseverance and radical success...pairing well researched and riveting biographies with powerful and expressive cut-paper portraits."
—BookRiot

"Fascinating stories of women doing bold, pioneering, and meaningful things in times ranging from ancient Mesopotamia to the present day. Lots to learn about in fields of science, medicine, mountain climbing, the arts, literature, and much more. Every story is eye-opening, whether the woman profiled is widely known or previously unknown outside her home country."
—Common Sense Media

"For an excellent new book about 40 pioneering women who challenged their societies' limitations on women, we highly recommend Rad Women Worldwide for ages 10 and up."
—A Mighty Girl

"Imagine learning history right the first time, without ever having to unlearn all the lies and omissions. RAD WOMEN WORLDWIDE lifts the doom—maybe this is, in fact, a wonderful time to grow up."
—Miranda July, artist, writer, and filmmaker

"This book needs to be in every school, library, and home."
—Margaret Cho, comedian

"A work of astounding beauty and urgent importance. The enthralling stories of these brave, amazing women—and the stunning illustrations that accompany them—are sure to move and inspire kids and adults alike. We all need this book: girls, boys, mothers, fathers, educators, engaged citizens—really, all of us who care about a more just and balanced world. Thank goodness I don't have to raise my daughter and son without it!"
—Novelist Carolina de Robertis, author of THE GODS OF TANGO

"How do you help young girls change the universe? Show them the women who have already done it! This beautiful book shows girls (and boys) the power and importance of each person who decides to make a difference. A celebration of smart, brave, tough, creative, kind, beautiful, hopeful, and wise women!"
-Andrea Beaty, author of Rosie Revere Engineer and Iggy Peck Architect

"Our history books are filled with incredible stories of heroes and rebels, villains and visionaries, but too often it's men who occupy all the starring roles. RAD WOMEN WORLDWIDE boldly challenges the male-dominated version of history we've been sold, offering us a new vision of the past that brings women out of the historical shadows. In these pages, women are made visible at every step of humanity's journey, across continents and generations, revealing that often we, too, have dared to change the world."
—Anita Sarkeesian, Feminist Frequency founder and feminist media critic

"In past generations, a globe was an essential gift for any child, a way for her/him/them to sense the wide, round scope of the world without even having to travel. RAD WOMEN WORLDWIDE is this moment's equivalent of the globe—a gift that will help every child understand the world they share with powerful women everywhere."
—Sarah Jones, Tony-Award winning performer, poet, and UNICEF ambassador

"Schatz and Stahl are a pair of 21st century Howard Zinns, making the Western canon bawl with this mindblowing, history-expanding, beautifully executed roll call of badass women past and present. Our daughters and son need this book, and so do their parents."
—Adam Mansbach, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Go the F**k to Sleep

"Wow! Like it's predecessor, Rad American Women A to Z, this wonderful book is a browser's delight. Dipping into every story, examining the blunt, bright woodcuts, brings singular pleasures. There are woman to discover and woman to rediscover. And the best part? A long list of more woman to learn about winding it up. Daring to hope there will be more Rad Women books."
—Karen Cruze, Santa Clarita Public Library

"Their second well-researched collection of gorgeously detailed paper-cut illustrations is accessible to young readers but fascinating for grown-ups, too. Rad women in this collection are humble, brilliant and theatrical. They pursue human rights as well as women's rights."
—Cheryl Krocker McKeon, manager, Book Passage, San Francisco, in Shelf Awareness