A Lady Has the Floor: Belva Lockwood Speaks Out for Women's Rights by Kate Hannigan, Alison Jay
Published by Calkins Creek on February 20th 2018
ISBN: 1629794538
Pages: 32
Goodreads

This picture book biography is very well written and beautifully illustrated. Belva Lockwood believed in equality, not just for women, but for all people. As a young school teacher she saw that she was not paid the same as male teachers. When she taught in schools around New York she saw that girls were not allowed to speak in front of the school or participate in physical activity like the boys. She worked with Susan B. Anthony to push for teaching public speaking to boys and girls. She eventually moved to Washington D.C. to apply to law school. She faced obstacles along the way, but through determination became a lawyer and was able to argue cases in front of the Supreme Court. She was the first woman to appear on the ballot as a candidate for president of the United States, though women did not have the right to vote at that time. The layout of the book is excellent. The artwork is done with a type of oil paint and a crackle varnish making the full page illustrations appear as old paintings. The author’s note offers more information about Lockwood’s achievements such as her work with the Cherokee Nation concerning The Trail of Tears. There is an extensive timeline, bibliography, and source notes. I highly recommend this fascinating biography to young readers. Reviewed by Kris Zuidema, retired school librarian, Standish