Susan Hood, recipient of the 2017 E.B. White Honor Award, the 2017 Christopher Award, the 2017 Américas Award and the 2017 Bank Street Flora Stieglitz Straus Award, aims to empower young women with her 2018 stand-alone book Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World. The book tells tales of heroic young women who were known to, as the title implies, shake things up. Shaking Things Up explores how the interests, talents, and rights of fourteen unique individuals helped to pave the way for all of the dreamers and doers who came after them. From firefighters, to journalists, to astronauts, this book of poetry has it all.
As young readers, primarily elementary school aged children, delve into the stories of the great women who came before them, they are able to learn just what made these ladies so special through verses of poetry that Hood has crafted. Not only does she offer a more creative take on the lives of these “movers and shakers,” but she then goes into a bit more detail about each subject and her accomplishments. She also provides readers with an easy-to-follow timeline of the events that the poems discuss within the first few pages of the book. Any educator who is teaching their classes or students about the impact of groundbreaking women throughout history would easily be able to incorporate this anthology into their lessons.
One thing that stands out as readers learn more about these groundbreaking women is how Hood has chosen a selection of very diverse women. There are African American women, European women, Hispanic women, Middle Eastern women, and Southeast Asian women. Even beyond this apparent racial diversity, these women are said to come from a wide variety of socio-economic backgrounds. This vast assortment of individuals really allows readers to see themselves reflected in the subject of the poems. It sends a message that, “If you want to do it, you can do it!”
The types of poetry that can be found within the pages of Hood’s book are almost as diverse as the women they are about. Ranging from free verse, to acrostics, to poems that are shaped like their topic, each poem offers a new perspective into the life of its subject. One spectacular example of the writing that can be found in this book is one titled Buried Treasure. This poem is about young paleontologist Mary Anning. The poem itself explains how she was the youngest person to find a complete dinosaur skeleton. It brings to life the experience of her digging and the backstory behind why she was digging up dinosaur bones at thirteen-years-old, but the poem also takes the shape of the ichthyosaur right there on the page.
Accompanying the beautifully crafted poems that line the pages of Shaking Things Up are equally spectacular illustrations that have been created by thirteen different artists. Each artist uses their own medium to create a striking portrait of each fierce female in the book. The techniques range all the way from collages to watercolor paintings. This multitude of artwork helps to show how each individual subject is unique, and how their actions left an impact on the world.
As you read through each woman’s story, you learn about the courageous ways that they have fought for women during their time. Readers learn about Molly Williams, who was the first female firefighter in New York City. Then, they go on to learn about Pura Belpré, who helped incorporate works by Hispanic authors into the New York Public Library. As the tales continue from the 1800s, to the present, readers are exposed to so many women who they may never have heard of previously. By the end of the book, readers are able to see just how impactful their words and actions can be. They are able to understand that it does not matter your age, whether it is thirteen or thirty, you should not be limited by what other people think of you. If you believe in yourself, you can accomplish spectacular things.
Book review by: Annaliese Melvin
The Children's Literature Forum 