Margaret Chase Smith

Gr 2--6--The stories of two more fearless women have been added to the "She Persisted" series. Clara Lemlich and Margaret Chase Smith both demonstrated fierce independence from an early age. Lemlich grew up in the late 1800s in Ukraine where, because she was Jewish and female, she was denied schooling. She bartered with neighborhood peers to teach her to read Russian and smuggle books to her. At age 12, Smith realized the importance of getting a job to earn income so that she could have her own purchasing power. Both women dedicated their lives to advocating for others. Smith became the first female U.S. Senator in 1949, elected into office because of her strong record of listening to and acting on the needs of her constituents. Lemlich, who immigrated to the United States in her teens, rallied women to stand up for basic, humane working conditions in the American factories where they worked. The books feature six easy-to-read chapters that chronicle each woman's life and accomplishments, followed by a chapter that makes suggestions for how readers can persist in a vein similar to the subject. The authors' absorbing accounts, along with Boiger and Flint's abundant illustrations in black and gray vividly bring the successes and struggles of each woman to life. VERDICT These titles are an important addition to the biography section of any library.--Maggie Chase, Boise State Univ., ID

One of the least-known members of the original She Persisted pantheon gets her due. Margaret Chase was born in the mostly White mill town of Skowhegan, Maine, in 1897. From girlhood, she was a hard worker, first in the home (she was the oldest of six) and then in the community. A job as a telephone operator cultivated what would much later be called networking skills, and thanks to her work ethic and confident independence, she became a leader among professional women both local and statewide and won election to the town council twice. In 1930, she married local politician Clyde Smith, masterfully running his successful campaign for Congress. When he died, she ran for--and won--his seat, serving in Congress for several terms before winning election to the Senate. It was there, as a freshman Republican senator, that she faced down Joseph McCarthy and his enablers with her "Declaration of Conscience" speech. Though Shamir neglects to name the speech, she provides a cogent, age-appropriate summary of McCarthyism as well as giving her young readers an excellent overview of U.S. electoral politics and the structure of the federal government. She also makes clear the unique challenges that Smith faced as a woman in mostly male spaces throughout her career, up to her 1964 run for the Republican nomination for president. Gives readers excellent reasons to remember this pioneering woman politician. (suggested activities, bibliography) (Biography. 6-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Dear Reader, As Sally Ride and Marian Wright Edelman both powerfully said, "You can't be what you can't see." When Sally Ride said that, she meant that it was hard to dream of being an astronaut, like she was, or a doctor or an athlete or anything at all if you didn't see someone like you who already had lived that dream. She especially was talking about seeing women in jobs that historically were held by men. I wrote the first She Persisted and the books that came after it because I wanted young girls--and children of all genders--to see women who worked hard to live their dreams. And I wanted all of us to see examples of persistence in the face of different challenges to help inspire us in our own lives. I'm so thrilled now to partner with a sisterhood of writers to bring longer, more in-depth versions of these stories of women's persistence and achievement to readers. I hope you enjoy these chapter books as much as I do and find them inspiring and empowering. And remember: If anyone ever tells you no, if anyone ever says your voice isn't important or your dreams are too big, remember these women. They persisted and so should you. Warmly, Chelsea Clinton TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1: Reaching High on Tippy-Toes Chapter 2: Leaping into the Future Chapter 3: Running on Her Own Chapter 4: Speaking Up Courageously Chapter 5: Working Extra Hard Chapter 6: The First, Not the Last How You Can Persist References Chapter 1 Reaching High on Tippy-Toes When Margaret Chase was a little girl, no one would have thought to ask what she wanted to be when she grew up. In those days, it didn't much matter what a girl wanted to be, because there were very real limits on what she could be. She was supposed to get married to a man and be a mother. And if she had to work outside the home to make money, there were very few jobs for which she would be hired--maybe a maid or a teacher or a waitress or a store clerk. Women weren't expected to be much else, and more than that, they weren't supposed to want much else. Women weren't expected to have ambition--goals or dreams that they could work hard to make happen. But from the start, Margaret had ambition: she wanted to build her own future in her own way. Excerpted from She Persisted: Margaret Chase Smith by Ruby Shamir, Chelsea Clinton All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.