by Ella Schwartz (Author) Dow Phumiruk (Illustrator)
A rousing picture book biography of the only woman whose name is printed on the Declaration of Independence.
Born in 1738, Mary Katharine Goddard came of age in colonial Connecticut as the burgeoning nation prepared for the American Revolution. As a businesswoman and a newspaper publisher, Goddard paved the way for influential Revolutionary media. Her remarkable accomplishments as a woman defied societal norms and set the stage for a free and open press. When the Continental Congress decreed that the Declaration of Independence be widely distributed, one person rose to the occasion and printed the document--boldly inserting her name at the bottom with a printing credit: Mary Katharine Goddard.
Here is an important biography of a groundbreaking woman who had the courage to write herself into the history she helped create.
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This picture book spotlights a mostly unsung Revolutionary War figure, pioneering newspaperwoman, political activist, and the first woman postmaster in the 13 U.S. colonies, Mary Katherine Goddard (1738-1816), the only woman whose name is on official copies of the Declaration of Independence. Schwartz's straightforward narration positions the Connecticut-born woman as hardworking and loyal--the steady hand that keeps her fickle brother's printing and newspaper ventures afloat ("composing pages, setting type, and operating the press"). Vignettes of Goddard brim with newsprint motifs as backdrops or borders, while the titular refrain highlights her work, leading up to the design and printing of the historic document. Phumiruk skillfully employs design principles in colorful digital spreads, sustaining visual interest. A brief glossary and source list conclude. Ages 5-9. (Jan.)
Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Ella Schwartz is the award-winning author of Can You Crack the Code?: A Fascinating History of Ciphers and Cryptography, which won the AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books. In addition to writing books, Ella is a cybersecurity warrior interfacing with the US federal government on strategic technology initiatives. She lives in New York with her husband and three sons. She invites you to visit her at ellasbooks.com.
Dow Phumiruk is the award-winning illustrator of Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13, which won the Bank Street College of Education Cook Prize and was named an NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book as well as an NCTM Mathical Honor Book, among many other honors; An Equal Shot: How the Law Title IX Changed America; and Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines, which was an Amazon Best Book of the Year and an NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People. A general pediatrician with a passion for art, Dow lives in Colorado with her family. She invites you to visit her at artbydow.com.