“Who taught my mom and her mom and her mom to be bold and brave so they could teach me and you? I can tell you who. The women who came before them—women who faced unimaginable challenges.” Thus writes author Kirsten Gillibrand as she begins recounting the contributions ten women made to the fight for women’s right to vote over the centuries. Some names are familiar, such as Susan B. Anthony and Harriet Tubman; other suffragists may be unfamiliar to readers, such as Mary Church Terrell and Inez Milholland. Gillibrand notes the changes that brave women have wrought over many years, citing a personal example: her grandmother was born at a time when women could not vote, and today Gillibrand is a United States senator, helping to make the laws that govern our nation. Each biographical profile is succinct yet captures the essence of each person’s pursuit; the common thread is the drive to bring into law women’s right to vote. The path to suffrage was winding, and very possibly readers will want to explore the journeys of other activists who kept working, into the 20th century, to ensure all citizens could cast their votes. While the 19th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution certifying women’s right to vote was ratified in 1920, it wasn’t until 1965 that the Voting Rights Act secured African American citizens—men and women—their right to vote in all states across the nation. The vital importance of the forward energy demonstrated by so many people in history is brought to the present by Gillibrand when she notes that the Women’s March in Washington DC in January 2017 was a clear expression that women and men will continue to advocate for what they believe in. She encourages readers to “Be bold and be brave. The future is yours to make.” A summary of additional women who helped shape our nation comes at the end, providing a wonderful sendoff to readers as they envision their own future roles. The colorful, passionate artwork of Maira Kalman appears on every page, including the endpapers of the book, capturing not only memorable cameos of ten women but also a unique scene from each of their lives. The picture book Bold & Brave: Ten Heroes Who Won Women the Right to Vote is an excellent introduction to women’s suffrage and the importance of ongoing advocacy for a strong democracy. Ages 6 up. Alfred A. Knopf / Random House Children’s Books, 2018.
