The Van Buren Sisters vs. the Pants Police (Head-to-Head History)

by J F Fox (Author) Anna Kwan (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

A true story about two sisters, four wheels and hordes of angry fashion police!

Addie and Gussie Van Buren were raised by their father to be confident, competitive and not much concerned with stuffy opinions about what women can and can't do. So, when World War I broke out in Europe, the sisters believed women should be able to join the fight. To prove that women would make excellent battlefield messengers, they decided to drive their motorbikes across the country, dressed sensibly in leather coats and pants. Only, this was 1916, and women didn't ride motorbikes. And women certainly did not wear pants! Despite being stopped repeatedly for wearing "men's" clothing, the Van Buren sisters showed that "woman can, if she will"!

Part of the Head-to-Head History series, this irreverently told, inspiring story by J. F. Fox showcases one of the many battles in the history of the women's movement. This thrilling story continues to delight people today, including the descendants of the Van Buren sisters who commemorate their accomplishments by re-creating the iconic ride with dozens of other women bikers. This highly readable book adds historical context with notes at the back of the book, and a glossary and bibliography expand the content and help promote inquiry-based learning. Historical details are incorporated into Anna Kwan's illustrations, which use comic-style speech bubbles and plenty of humor to keep the tone fun and lively.

Select format:
Hardcover
$17.99

Find books about:

More books in the series - See All

Kirkus

An occasionally simplistic but rousing tale that shines a light on a story that should be more widely known.

Review quotes

Historical drama with a comical twist.—Booklist (Praise for Napoleon Vs. the Bunnies)
J F Fox

J. F. (Jenny) Fox has worked as a children's book editor and freelance writer for two decades, and has adapted and ghostwritten more than seventy books for children. Jenny lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and two sons. She is the author of Friday Night Wrestlefest.

Micah Player is the picture book author-illustrator of Chloe, Instead and the Lately Lily series, and the creator of the bestselling Around the World Puzzle and its follow-up, Around the World Matching Game. Born in Alaska, Micah now lives in Utah with his wife, Stephanie, and their two kids.

Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781525302480
Lexile Measure
790
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Kids Can Press
Publication date
May 02, 2023
Series
Head-To-Head History
BISAC categories
JNF007120 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Women
JNF028000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Humor | General
JNF025000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | History | General
Library of Congress categories
History
Biographies
United States
20th century
Women
Clothing and dress
World War, 1914-1918
Juvenile works
Women's rights
Political activity
Social aspects
Motorcyclists
U.S. states
Political participation
Women motorcyclists
Van Buren Sisters

Subscribe to our delicious e-newsletter!