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Girls Who Changed the World
Going after you dream doesn’t have to wait – be empowered by these incredible women and start changing the world now. From the inspiring author of Girls Who Rocked the World comes another comprehensive collection of true, inspiring profiles of successful young women throughout history who made their mark on the world before turning twenty. Young women today crave strong, independent role models to look to for motivation. Girls Who Changed the World offers a fun and uplifting collection of influential stories with forty-five more movers and shakers who made a difference early on in life. From Cleopatra to Mindy Kaling, and Aretha Franklin to Emma Watson – each with her own incredible story of how she created life-changing opportunities for herself and the world – you’ll get to know these capable queens of empires and courageous icons of entertainment. Also included are profiles of gutsy teenagers who are out there rocking the world right now and personal aspirations from today’s young women.
- GenresNonfiction
310 pages, Paperback
Published February 22, 2018
8 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 11, 2019
A Great inspirational read for girls!
February 18, 2023
this would be a decent introduction to basic feminism for someone 10-13 but i found it not that critical of anyone it talks about and more hero worshipping. i think i would like it if i was five years younger and didn't know that mindy kaling is a terf
July 26, 2018
Girls Who Changed The World is a new addition to the current non-fiction publishing phenomenon of books on inspiring women. Like its predecessor Girls Who Rocked The World (2012), this new collection contains a series of short biographical pieces, each about different inspirational women from around the world, throughout history and across disciplines - there are politicians, musicians, sports women, writers, adventurers, activists, vloggers, scientists and even a pirate!
Each chapter focuses on a different woman. The stories are presented in chronological order, from Queen Esther and Cleopatra to Jazz Jennings and Ashima Shiraishi, via Eleanor Roosevelt, Björk and Malala. The stories all start with a dramatisation of a moment in the subject’s childhood, followed by biographical overview of her life and work. Interesting asides are placed throughout the stories to give extra context (although they are sometimes confusingly placed, referring to text that appears later in the chapter).
A concerted effort has been made to feature a diverse and inclusive range of women (there are plenty of women of colour and a handful of LGBT+ women, for example). However, the book has obviously been written for a US readership: over half the women in the book are American; the writer assumes a level of knowledge of American culture (conversely, there is an assumption of a lack of knowledge of non-American culture); and there is a very “American” attitude to the idea of success - the American Dream, struggling against adversity to become rich and successful. I’m not sure I would have noticed this tendency if I had just read a few of the portraits, but reading story after story with this kind of narrative made it more obvious, especially towards the end of the book. As such, this collection works best as something to dip into every now and then, rather than as a solid read-through.
Thanks to Toppsta for the review copy.
Each chapter focuses on a different woman. The stories are presented in chronological order, from Queen Esther and Cleopatra to Jazz Jennings and Ashima Shiraishi, via Eleanor Roosevelt, Björk and Malala. The stories all start with a dramatisation of a moment in the subject’s childhood, followed by biographical overview of her life and work. Interesting asides are placed throughout the stories to give extra context (although they are sometimes confusingly placed, referring to text that appears later in the chapter).
A concerted effort has been made to feature a diverse and inclusive range of women (there are plenty of women of colour and a handful of LGBT+ women, for example). However, the book has obviously been written for a US readership: over half the women in the book are American; the writer assumes a level of knowledge of American culture (conversely, there is an assumption of a lack of knowledge of non-American culture); and there is a very “American” attitude to the idea of success - the American Dream, struggling against adversity to become rich and successful. I’m not sure I would have noticed this tendency if I had just read a few of the portraits, but reading story after story with this kind of narrative made it more obvious, especially towards the end of the book. As such, this collection works best as something to dip into every now and then, rather than as a solid read-through.
Thanks to Toppsta for the review copy.
December 17, 2019
Mary Shelly... Taught to read in the cemetery, using her mother's gravestone. She learned her letters by tracing her mothers epitaph with her fingers...
Although mother and daughter, these two brilliant women never knew one another – Wollstonecraft died of an infection in 1797 at the age of thirty-eight, a week after giving birth. Nevertheless their lives were so closely intertwined, their choices, dreams and tragedies so eerily similar, it seems impossible to consider one without the other.
Both women became famous writers; fell in love with brilliant but impossible men; and were single mothers who had children out of wedlock; both lived in exile; fought for their position in society; and thought deeply about how we should live. And both women broke almost every rigid convention there was to break
Although mother and daughter, these two brilliant women never knew one another – Wollstonecraft died of an infection in 1797 at the age of thirty-eight, a week after giving birth. Nevertheless their lives were so closely intertwined, their choices, dreams and tragedies so eerily similar, it seems impossible to consider one without the other.
Both women became famous writers; fell in love with brilliant but impossible men; and were single mothers who had children out of wedlock; both lived in exile; fought for their position in society; and thought deeply about how we should live. And both women broke almost every rigid convention there was to break
March 31, 2018
This book was sent to my daughter to read and review by the wonderful Toppsta. I couldn't resist reading it also. This book is packed with details about some fantastic women from different eras that in some ways have made a difference to the world.
A very interesting read but it is presented quite plainly and would have been improved with illustrations or photos.
A very interesting read but it is presented quite plainly and would have been improved with illustrations or photos.
March 1, 2019
This is the second book in a duet with biographies about famous women throughout history. I found it really interesting to learn about the women, and it was also very inspiring! I think that girls and boys of all ages would enjoy this book. My favorite thing about this book is that it provides a short story from the person’s life, and then it provides the whole life story.
February 23, 2019
Todas las historias tienen algo de especial..enseñar que ser mujer y perseguir tus sueños lleva siendo difícil desde el inicio de los tiempos!! Todas las historias te enseñan, que si lo deseas y lo quieres..al cuerno con todo el mundo 😎😎
Lectura obligatoria 👩🎤
Lectura obligatoria 👩🎤
February 28, 2019
Such a fantastic read! I will definitely keep this for my daughter!
July 5, 2020
Truly inspirational!
January 5, 2022
gorgeously inspiring and gave me new inspirations and idols
April 12, 2024
A great introduction to some amazing women. This book does go into depth but a good introduction.
July 27, 2019
This is an amazing book to know more about strong women who changed the world through the story of humanity. I loved it and I learned so much. I have been so inspired by these amazing women and I really want to make my best everyday. I believe it’s a book that everyone should read, because unfortunately we think men have made the story, whereas you can totally see how this is not true!
I also understood that not only politicians or scientists could make the difference, but everyone can. For instance, the Williams sisters in tennis or Adele in music.
I strongly suggest this book to every girl. Remember: who run the world? Girls!
I also understood that not only politicians or scientists could make the difference, but everyone can. For instance, the Williams sisters in tennis or Adele in music.
I strongly suggest this book to every girl. Remember: who run the world? Girls!
July 20, 2018
This is a wonderful collection of the stories of 45 inspirational young women, who all made their mark on the world before the age of 20. It is a follow-up to the author’s previous book ‘Girls who Rocked the World.’ I loved the fact that the collection is so diverse, including women from long ago, and those who are still alive today. Some of the more historic figures include: Esther, Queen of Persia; Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt and Naya Nuki, just described as a ‘survivor.’ Naya, born in 1788, trod the same steps that Lewis and Clark did a few years later. However, they had the support of more than a dozen armed men. Can you imagine an 11 year old girl walking from North Dakota to Idaho on her own with no maps or road signs, no camping equipment or regular places to stop for food and drink? She escaped from a horrific capture with no food or supplies, and eventually made it back to her village.
There are modern heroines too, for example Emma Watson, Actress and Activist, Beverley Cleary, author and of course, Malala Youfsafzai, who needs no introduction. The refreshing angle that the author takes is to highlight women who one may not think of immediately as being inspirational. After all, there are many actors, dancers and politicians in the world, many of whom are women. Behind the façade of following a traditional career, these women have made their mark in other ways, whilst pursuing a professional dream. Misty Copeland is an American ballet dancer, born in 1982. Dancing and other artistic careers are often seen as only attainable by the rich and privileged. However, Misty’s family was poor. Her parents divorced, and at one stage she was living with her 5 siblings in one room in a motel. She took an interest in dance, her talent was recognised and after only 8 months of lessons, Misty won a national ballet contest. She has inspired other people from poor backgrounds to follow their dreams.
The book is also full of short, inspirational stories and anecdotes from young women who have ambitions but who are not yet famous.
I would recommend this book to read from cover to cover, or for project work in school. It will be a substantial addition to any biographical section in a school or home library. The language in places is quite colloquial rather than formal. This jumped out at me as a librarian, but would probably not be noticed by the average young person.
There are modern heroines too, for example Emma Watson, Actress and Activist, Beverley Cleary, author and of course, Malala Youfsafzai, who needs no introduction. The refreshing angle that the author takes is to highlight women who one may not think of immediately as being inspirational. After all, there are many actors, dancers and politicians in the world, many of whom are women. Behind the façade of following a traditional career, these women have made their mark in other ways, whilst pursuing a professional dream. Misty Copeland is an American ballet dancer, born in 1982. Dancing and other artistic careers are often seen as only attainable by the rich and privileged. However, Misty’s family was poor. Her parents divorced, and at one stage she was living with her 5 siblings in one room in a motel. She took an interest in dance, her talent was recognised and after only 8 months of lessons, Misty won a national ballet contest. She has inspired other people from poor backgrounds to follow their dreams.
The book is also full of short, inspirational stories and anecdotes from young women who have ambitions but who are not yet famous.
I would recommend this book to read from cover to cover, or for project work in school. It will be a substantial addition to any biographical section in a school or home library. The language in places is quite colloquial rather than formal. This jumped out at me as a librarian, but would probably not be noticed by the average young person.
July 23, 2018
Girls Who Changed The World is absolutely packed with thumbnail biographies of women through time. There are a lot of these books around at the moment; this is a US-centric version, which assumes a certain level of familiarity with US culture. However, UK readers will be introduced to a number of women who wouldn't normally feature in a UK-based round-up (from South America particularly), and for that alone it's worth a read. Each section begins with a fictional description of the woman's life, then a biography, often with fact boxes clarifying the historical context. Inclusion has definitely been considered here and there are women from all walks of life; a good proportion of women of colour, ability, sexuality and so on. Parents and teachers should certainly be prepared to answer questions and provide further reading. I think most readers will dip in and out of the book rather than reading it chronologically, which makes it a valuable addition to a class library as well as a personal bookshelf. Recommended for Y7 upwards.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews