MIDDLE GRADE/YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION : Breaking Through by Sue Macy & Turn it Up! by Joel Levy


ABOUT THE BOOK

Macy offers a rare and fascinating glimpse into the journey of women's rights through the lens of women in sports during the pivotal decade of the 1920s. With elegant prose, poignant wit, and fascinating primary sources, Macy explores the many hurdles presented to female athletes as they stormed the field, stepped up to bat, and won the right to compete in sports. Featuring bold and talented heroines, this book documents how the social issues and morals of the decade--from politics to segregation to the media--helped shape the changing narratives around women and alter the course of history entirely. It is a fascinating window into a rich and seldom explored history, and also a topical reminder of the many discussions surrounding femininity and the role of women that continue today.

ABOUT THE BOOK

As with her past books about the history of women and bikes, and women and cars, Sue Macy does a superb job telling the story of female athletes in the 1920s.  Starting with the 1920 Olympics and Aileen Riggin's gold-winning diving performance, Macy takes the reader through the entire decade of the 1920s sharing stories about female athletes who stepped forward to advocate for the right to participate in sports.  She also highlights the opposition they faced, such as James Sullivan who worked to keep women out of the Amateur Athletic Union.  Despite such opposition women such as Ida Schnall continued to make a name for themselves in athletics while working to open up more opportunities for women to compete.  Using period photographs, newspaper articles, and female athlete spotlights, Macy shows how women refused to let sexist beliefs stop them from pursuing the activities they enjoyed.  In the process they began the process of opening up opportunities for women in sports that continues to this day.  The book is beautifully designed and well-written.  It's a great read for those who enjoy reading about women's history.



ABOUT THE BOOK

The high notes and biggest moments in music history are covered in this fun compendium. You'll learn about the world's most famous musicians through the eras, from Bach to the Beatles to Beyonce -- and beyond. Many major music genres are playfully explained, from tribal, classical, jazz, folk, rock ... all the way to today's modern forms, such as k-pop, hip-hop, and rap. Instruments and sounds are explored, along with places and events in history that inspired the evolution of music. Kids will also get a sense of music theory, instrumentation, and the artistry of distinctive musical styles. Song recommendations help readers open their ears to what they've learned. Add to that amazing images, a rockin' glossary of musical terms, and a timeline that plots each genre on its path from ancient history to today, and this book is bound to top the charts!

REVIEW

This ambitious book takes on a fascinating topic, the history of music.  Starting by explaining what music is the book then divides up human history into several generic eras.  The book highlights different styles of music, how they developed, and some of the key musicians who helped the various styles take off.  Using lots of sidebars, colorful photographs, and brief biographies, the book makes for an enjoyable browsing experience for those who want to learn more about music history.  The bright colors, references to specific pieces of music that represent the various styles, and lots and lots of information about everything from different types of instruments to orchestra arrangements.  While the focus is mainly on Western music, music & musicians from other geographical areas (India, China, Africa) are included.  An enjoyable, well-designed book perfect for music lovers.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

YA MYTHOLOGY GIVEAWAY HOP

Happily Ever After Giveaway Hop

My Favorite Reads Giveaway Hop