Fantastically Great Women by Kate Pankhurst

Adventures With One of Each recently tagged me in a photo of ‘Fantastically Great Women who made History’ because she thought it would be a book I would enjoy. She was not wrong! (And, of course, I could not read just one of the titles in the series.)

I felt that there was no better day to share my thoughts on both of the ‘Fantastically Great Women’ books, than International Women’s Day. These two titles for children are two books that between them keep 26 fabulous women in the limelight. One of the best things about these books is that they do not focus on the ‘obvious’ candidates. There have, of course, been so many women throughout history who have achieved so much, but some who made history are often still in the thoughts of the public. However, there are others who have not quite been as instilled in our history and they may be slipping the mind of the public as ‘Great Women’.

I wanted to pick 5 women from the pages who I find an inspiration.

  1. Mary Seacole – I did a little squeal of joy when I found her in amongst the pages. A contemporary of Florence Nightingale, Mother Seacole does not always have the same airtime as a heroine of the Crimea.
  2. Sacagawea – This was a great woman that I did not know about until these books. Sacagawea worked as a guide and a translator for the Lewis and Clark (European Settlers) as they attempted to travel the Rocky Mountains. Her work resulted in her being seen as an equal to Lewis and Clark.
  3. Ada Lovelace – The amazing, inventive mind of Ada Lovelace dreamed up a whole collection of wonderful machines. She was really quite ahead of her time.
  4. Mary Shelley – As a big fan of the story of Frankenstein, I have an admiration for Shelley and her imagination. The tale has an important message about the fears of science and how we treat each other. It takes quite a lot of talent to write a tale that is still so highly regarded today.
  5. Agent Fifi – This lady and her work really made me smile. Who does not dream about being an undercover agent? Agent Fifi really does prove that women can be exactly what they want to be (and so much more).

So, if you want to be inspired, these beautifully written and illustrated stories of ‘Great Women’ are the books for you – and all the other strong girls you know!

Happy International Women’s Day!

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