The Girl Who Rode a Shark: And Other Stories of Daring Women - Hardcover

Ross, Ailsa

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1772780987 ISBN 13: 9781772780987

Publisher: Pajama Press, 2019

Synopsis

An inspiring biographical collection celebrating the adventurousness and ingenuity of girls and women around the world.

Now more than ever, the world is recognizing how strong women and girls are. How strong? In the early 1920s, Inuit expeditioner Ada Blackjack survived for two years as a castaway on an uninhabited island in the Arctic Ocean before she was finally rescued. And she’s just one example.

The Girl Who Rode a Shark: And Other Stories of Daring Women is a rousing collection of biographies focused on women and girls who have written, explored, or otherwise plunged headfirst into the pages of history. Undaunted by expectations, they made their mark by persevering in pursuit of their passions. The tales come from a huge variety of times and places, from a Canadian astronaut to an Indian secret agent to a Balkan pirate queen who stood up to Ancient Rome.

Author and activist Ailsa Ross gives readers a fun, informative piece of nonfiction that emphasizes the boundless potential of a new generation of women.

About this title

About the Author:

Ailsa Ross is an author, editor, and fact-checker. Born in Scotland, she studied law with a focus on women’s and human rights. Her work on the topic of inspirational women began on social media before expanding into the world of books. She lives in Alberta's Jasper National Park with her family.

Amy Blackwell is a freelance artist based in Nottingham, England. She works in several media including painting, printmaking, and clothing design. Her art has appeared in a variety of physical and digital settings, from magazines to Instagram. Her voracious passion for her craft is often fuelled by her fondness for pancakes.

Review:

Praise for The Girl Who Rode a Shark: And Other Stories of Daring Women

2019 CBC Books "12 books for kids and young adults to read this fall" selection

★ STARRED REVIEW "Brief biographies of 52 intrepid women, spanning the globe and all centuries, are flanked by large, full-color illustrations and by maps that show the women's adventuring sites....The artwork, reminiscent of art deco travel posters, is a gorgeous complement to the eclectic curation....An exciting labor of love―for kids of all gender identities."―Kirkus Starred Review

“The subjects are fascinating, and the women come from a variety of time periods, geographic regions, socioeconomic backgrounds, and ethnicities and include women with disabilities. Yet they all shared common characteristics: the need for adventure and a desire to learn. The book also contains portraits of the women, a glossary, and information about Indigenous peoples and the world’s ever-changing political boundaries. VERDICT This colorful, delightful book is highly recommended for all history and women’s history collections.”―School Library Journal

"Brightly colored digital-media portraits face each page of text, and double-page maps pinpoint each subject's country of origin. Truly international in scope and ranging across centuries...this attractive collection should spark inquiry for further research."―Booklist

“The title of this new nonfiction text is enough to catch any readers’ attention, but this is only one of many qualities of this book that will keep readers engaged....The diversity of the women featured allow readers of all backgrounds to find a little bit of themselves in these stories....The colors, cultural aspects, maps, and quotes in the illustrations amplify Ross’ exquisite writing. This would be a strong addition to any middle grade or middle school collection.”―School Library Connection

"Ailsa Ross' The Girl Who Rode a Shark & Other Stories of Daring Women is a comprehensive work of middle grade nonfiction....[A] useful resource for school-aged studies on topics such as women's rights, female historical figures or biographies. The book is diverse both culturally and geographically, and the easy to navigate layout and bright engaging illustrations will quickly draw readers in....Highly Recommended."―CM Magazine

"Rating: G...The biographies are short but give a good idea of what these women did to make them outstanding in their place and time. They could lead to further research by students who have a particular interest in some of the women highlighted."―Resource Links

"The Girl Who Rode a Shark, by Ailsa Ross (who lives in Alberta!) and Amy Blackwell, has managed to live up to my expectations. My favourite bit is the Canadian content...The women profiled in the book come from places all over the world, include many women of colour, and also women with disabilities....A few of these figures are familiar, but more are new to us, and their stories are made vivid and compelling through the book's beautiful artwork and smart and engaging prose."―Pickle Me This

"What an incredible compilation of fearless females who are sure to inspire anyone who reads of their bravery, strength, intelligence, and persistence....THE GIRL WHO RODE A SHARK will serve as inspiration to all readers, especially female, empowering them to be their best selves and follow their hearts no matter how daunting the road―or ocean―might be."―Christina Ammirati

“[A] must have for all kids to discover real examples of courage and perseverance....These extraordinary women will surely inspire the next generation of young readers, or readers of any age to be more brave and take action.”―Mighty Village

About this edition

• Publisher: Pajama Press
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1772780987
• ISBN 13: 9781772780987
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 128
• Illustrator: Blackwell Amy