Goldie Takes a Stand: Golda Meir's First Crusade

Gr 1-3--A biographical picture book that showcases a pivotal episode in the early life of Golda Meir, Israel's first female prime minister. Fourth-grade immigrant Goldie, president of the American Young Sisters Society, felt compelled to assist schoolmates who couldn't afford new textbooks and convinced her friends to help raise money for them. Goldie contributed by working at her family's store (and charging customers more for their purchases) and also by making personal sacrifices, such as donating her candy allowance to the cause. Ultimately, she became aware of the need for large-scale fund-raising and organizes a community-wide event. Told in the first person from young Goldie's perspective, this book is rich with possibilities. A solid choice for read-alouds, it could spark discussions about service learning, immigration, leadership, and inspiring female role models. Goldie's strong voice comes through, and the conversational tone makes it accessible for readers. The softly colored gouache illustrations, with heavy use of beiges and browns, subtle hints of collage, and clever use of graph and loose-leaf paper prints on character's dresses, create an inviting, nostalgic aesthetic that complements the setting. A solid addition to elementary school libraries.--Whitney LeBlanc, Staten Island Academy, NY

"Picture-book biographies are gaining more and more popularity as publishers are embracing the Common Core curriculum goals of learning through reading nonfiction. When searching for a children's biography of a well-known Jewish person, parents can generally find a bevy of Einsteins and a shelf of Houdinis, but nothing on Israeli political figures - not even Ben-Gurion or Herzl. So it is a pleasure to find this new release for very young children relating a specific incident in the life of young Golda Meir. Many little girls will find a kindred spirit in the story of Golda Mabowehz, a take-charge kind of kid (read: bossy; but that's OK, considering her later career) who sees a need in her community and decides to fix it.

In this case, author Barbara Krasner embellishes the true story of the American Young Sisters Society, a group of Jewish immigrant girls formed by 9-year-old Goldie, who naturally appoints herself president. She explains to the group that they are there to do something about the problem of kids in their school who do not have enough money to buy textbooks. They each need to raise 3 cents a week - a nearly impossible sum - the same price as a loaf of bread or a quart of milk. Goldie ingeniously comes up with a plan to add a 2-cent surcharge on groceries purchased by the patrons of her mother's grocery store while mother is gone; but this backfires when customers object. Goldie masterminds another plan, this time more ambitious: She will secure a large hall and invite important people to a public meeting where she, a 9-year-old fourth-grader, will give a speech persuasive enough to secure funding for the cause.

'Education is the only way to lift ourselves out of poverty . . . I ask each of you to look into your hearts and wallets and give what you can.'

Krasner states in her afterword that this incident in Meir's life is true and was written about in The Milwaukee Journal of Sept. 2, 1909. It may have also been related in Meir's autobiography, which is listed in the useful bibliography, but this is not stated. The brown and gray palette chosen by illustrator Kelsey Garritty-Riley is historically appropriate, and the added touches of early 20th-century wallpaper patterns enhance the period feel. Black-and-white photos of a young Meir, age 6, alongside a much later picture of her as prime minister of Israel with the caption, 'She never stopped taking a stand on important issues, ' brings her life full circle." — Jewish Journal