Title: Almost Astronauts 13 Women Who Dared to Dream

Author: Tanya Lee Stone

Illustrator: N/A
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Copyright Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3611-1
Description:

What does it take to be an astronaut? Excellence at flying, courage, intelligence, resistance to stress, top
physical shape any checklist would include these. But when America created NASA in 1958, there
was another unspoken rule: you had to be a man. Here is the tale of thirteen women who proved that
they were not only as tough as the toughest man but also brave enough to challenge the government.
They were blocked by prejudice, jealousy, and the scrawled note of one of the most powerful men in
Washington. But even though the Mercury 13 women did not make it into space, they did not lose, for
their example empowered young women to take their place in the sky, piloting jets and commanding
space capsules. ALMOST ASTRONAUTS is the story of thirteen true pioneers of the space age.
Questions

YES NO N/A

1. Is this book free from gender stereotypes?

- Male
- Female

2. Is this book free from racial stereotypes?

- ex. Native Americans teepees, moccasins, etc.

3. Does this book depict under-represented groups?

- Asian American, Hispanic, African American, Women,
LGBT, etc.

4. Is the setting of the book in another country other than

the U.S.?
- Does this information cause the book to be a credible
resource for multicultural literature?

Notes/Comments
Discusses gender stereotypes
within the space program and
that exist within society

Women, African American, etc.

Credible source of information

5. Is the book an accurate representation of how people

think today?
- Address recent issues, up-to-date, relevant, etc?

Discusses prejudices against

women within a particular
program and on a worldly level

6. Is the author a credible source for writing this book?

- Background, Place of Origin, Experiences, etc.

Research; Objective and

Subjective truths

7. Does the book use inclusive language?

- Modern terminology (ex. Indian vs. Native American;
Negro vs. African American/Black)

8. Does this book represent various cultures and

ethnicities?

9. Do the characters in the book reinforce positive

thoughts and feelings for my students?
- How can my students relate to the characters or events
that exist within this book?

10. Does the book provide a translation/glossary section

for cultural terminology or unknown words?

11. Are the characters portrayed in the illustrations

accurately based on the intended setting throughout the

Focuses on women in general;

not a particular racial group

Inspirational Role Models and

Leader for my students,
specially my female students

Women working on space craft

and exploration; Flying

book?
- Are the images free from stereotypes, prejudices, or
biases based on the text and context of the story?
12. Are the pronouns used throughout the story gender
neutral or gender sensitive?
- He/She/They vs. Policeman, Mailman, etc.

13. Is the author culturally connected to the story?

- Does the author try to make parallels with Europeanbased cultures that do not in fact exist?

Ex. Astronaut

Title: A is for Abigail An Almanac of Amazing American Women

Author: Lynne Cheney
Illustrator: Robin Preiss Glasser
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Copyright Date: 2003
ISBN: 0-689-85819-1
Description:
Lynne Cheney and Robin Preiss Glasser collaborated on America: A Patriotic Primer, which captured the
imagination of American children and became a national best-seller. Now they turn their hands to A is for
Abigail: An Almanac of Amazing American Women and bring the great women of American history to life. Filled
to the brim with words and pictures that celebrate the remarkable (although often unmarked) achievements of
American women, this is a book to relish and to read again and again.
Mothers, daughters, schoolchildren, generations of families -- everyone -- will take Abigail Adams's words to
heart and "remember the ladies" once they read the stories of these astonishing, astounding, amazing American
women.
Questions

YES NO N/A

1. Is this book free from gender stereotypes?

- Male
- Female

2. Is this book free from racial stereotypes?

- ex. Native Americans teepees, moccasins, etc.

3. Does this book depict under-represented groups?

- Asian American, Hispanic, African American, Women,
LGBT, etc.

Notes/Comments

European American, African

American, Latino/Latina, etc.

4. Is the setting of the book in another country other than

the U.S.?
- Does this information cause the book to be a credible
resource for multicultural literature?

Considered a credible source

5. Is the book an accurate representation of how people

think today?
- Address recent issues, up-to-date, relevant, etc?

Focuses on historical
accomplishments of women

6. Is the author a credible source for writing this book?

- Background, Place of Origin, Experiences, etc.

7. Does the book use inclusive language?

- Modern terminology (ex. Indian vs. Native American;
Negro vs. African American/Black)

Lynne Cheney Ph.D. University of WI (see #13)

8. Does this book represent various cultures and

ethnicities?

9. Do the characters in the book reinforce positive

thoughts and feelings for my students?
- How can my students relate to the characters or events
that exist within this book?

Inspirational Role Models and

Leader for my students,
specially my female students

10. Does the book provide a translation/glossary section

for cultural terminology or unknown words?

Glossary of Characters

11. Are the characters portrayed in the illustrations

accurately based on the intended setting throughout the
book?
- Are the images free from stereotypes, prejudices, or
biases based on the text and context of the story?

Culturally appropriate/portrayed
based on time, setting,
accomplishments, etc.

12. Are the pronouns used throughout the story gender

neutral or gender sensitive?
- He/She/They vs. Policeman, Mailman, etc.

13. Is the author culturally connected to the story?

- Does the author try to make parallels with Europeanbased cultures that do not in fact exist?

Lynne Cheney A longtime

advocate of teaching our
country's history to children;
believes the story of America's
women is particularly important
for children and young people to
know

Title: Uncommon Traveler Mary Kingsley in Africa

Author: Don Brown
Illustrator: Don Brown
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company
Copyright Date: 2000
ISBN: 0-618-00273-1
Description:
Mary Kingsley spent her childhood in a small house on a lonely lane outside London, England. Her mother was
bedridden, her father rarely home, and Mary served as housekeeper, handyman, nursemaid, and servant. Not
until she was thirty years old did Mary get her chance to explore the world shed read about in her fathers
library. In 1893, she arrived in West Africa, where she encountered giant Xying insects, crocodiles, hippos, and
brutal heat. Mary endured the hardships of the equatorial countryand thrived.
Questions

YES NO N/A

1. Is this book free from gender stereotypes?

- Male
- Female

2. Is this book free from racial stereotypes?

- ex. Native Americans teepees, moccasins, etc.

Notes/Comments
Father traveled for work
Mother bedridden for illness
Brother away at school
Mary stayed at home taught
herself to read
(appropriate for time period)
West African culture
(appropriate for time period)

3. Does this book depict under-represented groups?

- Asian American, Hispanic, African American, Women,
LGBT, etc.

Women

4. Is the setting of the book in another country other than

the U.S.?
- Does this information cause the book to be a credible
resource for multicultural literature?

America and West Africa

5. Is the book an accurate representation of how people

think today?
- Address recent issues, up-to-date, relevant, etc?

Set in the time period (accurate)

6. Is the author a credible source for writing this book?

- Background, Place of Origin, Experiences, etc.

7. Does the book use inclusive language?

- Modern terminology (ex. Indian vs. Native American;
Negro vs. African American/Black)

8. Does this book represent various cultures and

ethnicities?

European American, West

African cultures

9. Do the characters in the book reinforce positive

thoughts and feelings for my students?
- How can my students relate to the characters or events
that exist within this book?

Inspirational Role Models and

Leader for my students,
specially my female students

10. Does the book provide a translation/glossary section

for cultural terminology or unknown words?

Note section about main

character

11. Are the characters portrayed in the illustrations

accurately based on the intended setting throughout the
book?
- Are the images free from stereotypes, prejudices, or
biases based on the text and context of the story?

Culturally appropriate/portrayed
based on time, setting,
accomplishments, etc.

12. Are the pronouns used throughout the story gender

neutral or gender sensitive?
- He/She/They vs. Policeman, Mailman, etc.

13. Is the author culturally connected to the story?

- Does the author try to make parallels with Europeanbased cultures that do not in fact exist?

Title: The Flag Maker

Author: Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Illustrator: Claire A. Nivola
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books
Copyright Date: 2004
ISBN: 0-618-26757-3
Description:
Here in lyrical prose is the story of the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the words that became the
national anthem of the United States. This flag, which came to be known as the Star-Spangled Banner, also
inspired author Susan Campbell Bartoletti, who, upon seeing it at the Smithsonian Institution, became curious
about the hands that had sewn it.

Here is her story of the early days of this flag as seen through the eyes of young Caroline Pickersgill, the
daughter of an important flag maker, Mary Pickersgill, and the granddaughter of a flag maker for General
George Washingtons Continental Army. It is also a story about how a symbol motivates action and emotion,
brings people together, and inspires courage and hope.
Questions

YES NO N/A

1. Is this book free from gender stereotypes?

- Male
- Female

2. Is this book free from racial stereotypes?

- ex. Native Americans teepees, moccasins, etc.

3. Does this book depict under-represented groups?

- Asian American, Hispanic, African American, Women,
LGBT, etc.

4. Is the setting of the book in another country other than

the U.S.?
- Does this information cause the book to be a credible
resource for multicultural literature?

Notes/Comments
Men fighting in the war
Women at home
(appropriate for time period)

European American, African

American, etc.
X

5. Is the book an accurate representation of how people

think today?
- Address recent issues, up-to-date, relevant, etc?

6. Is the author a credible source for writing this book?

- Background, Place of Origin, Experiences, etc.

7. Does the book use inclusive language?

- Modern terminology (ex. Indian vs. Native American;
Negro vs. African American/Black)

8. Does this book represent various cultures and

ethnicities?

9. Do the characters in the book reinforce positive

thoughts and feelings for my students?
- How can my students relate to the characters or events
that exist within this book?

Inspirational Role Models and

Leader for my students,
specially my female students

10. Does the book provide a translation/glossary section

for cultural terminology or unknown words?

Author's Note; Flag Facts

11. Are the characters portrayed in the illustrations

accurately based on the intended setting throughout the
book?
- Are the images free from stereotypes, prejudices, or
biases based on the text and context of the story?

Yes (see #13)

Culturally appropriate/portrayed
based on time, setting,
accomplishments, etc.

12. Are the pronouns used throughout the story gender

neutral or gender sensitive?
- He/She/They vs. Policeman, Mailman, etc.

13. Is the author culturally connected to the story?

- Does the author try to make parallels with Europeanbased cultures that do not in fact exist?

Great-great-great-great
grandfather fought in the War of
1812; former eighth-grade
teacher

Title: Amazing Civil War Nurse Clara Barton

Author: Mary Dodson Wade
Illustrator: N/A
Publisher: Enslow Publishers, Inc.
Copyright Date: 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7660-3281-1
Description:
Known as "the Angel of the Battlefield" during the American Civil War, author Mary Dodson Wade explores the
life of Clara Barton in this biography for beginning readers. Read about Barton's early jobs as a teacher and in a
government office, and how she created the American Red Cross. Clara Barton was truly an amazing American!
Questions

YES NO N/A

1. Is this book free from gender stereotypes?

- Male
- Female

2. Is this book free from racial stereotypes?

- ex. Native Americans teepees, moccasins, etc.

3. Does this book depict under-represented groups?

- Asian American, Hispanic, African American, Women,
LGBT, etc.

4. Is the setting of the book in another country other than

the U.S.?
- Does this information cause the book to be a credible
resource for multicultural literature?

5. Is the book an accurate representation of how people

think today?
- Address recent issues, up-to-date, relevant, etc?
6. Is the author a credible source for writing this book?
- Background, Place of Origin, Experiences, etc.

Notes/Comments

Not addressing particular groups

just a specific woman in
history and her
accomplishments
Considered a credible source

Yes (see #13)

7. Does the book use inclusive language?

- Modern terminology (ex. Indian vs. Native American;
Negro vs. African American/Black)

8. Does this book represent various cultures and

ethnicities?

Does not include various groups

Focus on Clara Barton

9. Do the characters in the book reinforce positive

thoughts and feelings for my students?
- How can my students relate to the characters or events
that exist within this book?

Inspirational Role Models and

Leader for my students,
specially my female students

10. Does the book provide a translation/glossary section

for cultural terminology or unknown words?

Timeline, Something to Think

About, Words to Know, Learn
More sections provided

11. Are the characters portrayed in the illustrations

accurately based on the intended setting throughout the
book?
- Are the images free from stereotypes, prejudices, or
biases based on the text and context of the story?

Appropriate for time period

12. Are the pronouns used throughout the story gender

neutral or gender sensitive?
- He/She/They vs. Policeman, Mailman, etc.

13. Is the author culturally connected to the story?

- Does the author try to make parallels with Europeanbased cultures that do not in fact exist?

Mary Dodson Wade is a book

lover, people watcher, and a
compulsive writer. She spent 25
years as an elementary librarian.

BAD SELECTION
Title: Little Read Riding Hood
Author: Rebecca Heller
Illustrator: Marsha Winborn
Publisher: Western Publishing Company, Inc.
Copyright Date: 1985
ISBN: 0-307-11633-6
Description:
Generations of children have loved hearing about the adventures of Little Red Riding Hood, the wicked wolf,
Grandmother, and the kind woodcutter. More than a favorite folk tale, Little Red Riding Hood is also a popular
and powerful way to teach children never to stop for or talk to strangers. This fresh, lively retelling is faithful to
the Grimm Brothers' version, and Marsha Winborn's spirited pictures add dimension to the familiar characters
and their story.
Questions

YES NO N/A

1. Is this book free from gender stereotypes?

- Male
- Female

2. Is this book free from racial stereotypes?

- ex. Native Americans teepees, moccasins, etc.
3. Does this book depict under-represented groups?
- Asian American, Hispanic, African American, Women,
LGBT, etc.

Notes/Comments
Women in the kitchen
Grandmother at home
Women need saving
Man working outdoors
Man must come to women's aid

X
X

No racial diversity
Not accurately however

4. Is the setting of the book in another country other than

the U.S.?
- Does this information cause the book to be a credible
resource for multicultural literature?

N/A

5. Is the book an accurate representation of how people

think today?
- Address recent issues, up-to-date, relevant, etc?

Folk Tale

6. Is the author a credible source for writing this book?

- Background, Place of Origin, Experiences, etc.

7. Does the book use inclusive language?

- Modern terminology (ex. Indian vs. Native American;
Negro vs. African American/Black)
8. Does this book represent various cultures and

Does not address various

ethnicities/cultures

ethnicities?
9. Do the characters in the book reinforce positive
thoughts and feelings for my students?
- How can my students relate to the characters or events
that exist within this book?

10. Does the book provide a translation/glossary section

for cultural terminology or unknown words?

11. Are the characters portrayed in the illustrations

accurately based on the intended setting throughout the
book?
- Are the images free from stereotypes, prejudices, or
biases based on the text and context of the story?

12. Are the pronouns used throughout the story gender

neutral or gender sensitive?
- He/She/They vs. Policeman, Mailman, etc.
13. Is the author culturally connected to the story?
- Does the author try to make parallels with Europeanbased cultures that do not in fact exist?

Confirms common stereotypes

about male and female gender
roles and characteristics