She Persisted: Nellie Bly by Michelle Knudsen, Florence Griffith Joyner by Rita Williams-Garcia, Sonia Sotomayor by Meg Medina, illustrated by Gillian Flint

  While the Who Was series continues to be popular, I am always interested in more diverse alternatives and She Persisted, which debuted in 2021, continues to be an excellent choice. Based on the popular picture book series created by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger, these beginning chapter books are written by different, usually well-known authors, with interior black and white sketches by Gillian Flint.

I looked at three of the most recent titles and noticed that so far the series continues to solicit biographies from #ownvoices authors, so stories of Black women are being told by Black female authors, for example.

Most of the featured women are reasonably well-known, although they are starting to include some lesser-known names, like Virginia Apgar and Margaret Chase Smith. This trio features a contemporary Justice of the Supreme Court, Latina Sonia Sotomayor, popular athlete from the 80s and 90s, Black Florence Griffith Joyner, or "Flo-Jo" and reporter from the turn of the century, Nellie Bly. Each story starts with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, encouraging girls to look up to heroines throughout history and copy their determination and persistence.

The stories talk about the women's childhoods, the difficulties they faced, and include quotes from them on how they chose to work through them. While they are geared towards younger readers, and so generally skim over more controversial or darker subjects, they do mention them briefly. Authors talk about how reporting has changed since the days of Nellie Bly, address the prejudice faced by Florence Griffith Joyner, and talk in a child-appropriate way about Sonia Sotomayor's father's alcoholism.

Verdict: Even if your budget is limited, I recommend varying purchase of the Who Was series with this new series. It is well-written and addresses serious subjects in a way that younger elementary readers can understand and absorb. It also includes interesting bits of history and inspirational women presented in a relatable, human way that will inspire readers to persist through their own difficulties and strive to reach their goals.

Sonia Sotomayor by Meg Medina
ISBN: 9780593116029

Florence Griffith Joyner by Rita Williams-Garcia
ISBN: 9780593115961

Nellie Bly by Michelle Knudsen
ISBN: 9780593115756

Published 2021 by Philomel; Purchased for the library; Review copies provided by the publisher