Review: A World of Her Own by Michael Elsohn Ross

Title: A World of Her Own
Author: Michael Elsohn Ross
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Publish Date: March 1, 2014
Source: I received a copy from the publisher; however, this did not affect my review.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "An inspiration for any young person who loves the outdoors, wildlife, or science, A World of Her Own tells the stories of 24 brave women from different cultures, epochs, and economic backgrounds who have shared similar missions: to meet the physical and mental challenges of exploring the natural world, to protect the environment and native cultures, and to leave a mark in the name of discovery. Among the many bold women profiled are Rosaly Lopes, who worked for NASA and discovered 71 volcanoes on one of Jupiter’s moons; Helen Thayer, the first woman to walk and ski the Magnetic North Pole accompanied by only her dog; Kay Cottee, the first woman to successfully sail nonstop around the world completely unassisted; and Anna Smith Peck, who set the record for the highest climb in the Western Hemisphere at the age of 58. These and other engaging profiles, based on both historical research and firsthand interviews, stress how childhood passions and interests, perseverance, and courage led these women to overcome challenges and break barriers to achieve great success in their adventurous pursuits and careers. A bibliography and annotated list of exploration resources and organizations make this an invaluable resource for young explorers, parents, and teachers alike."

My Two Cents:

"A World of Her Own" is yet another fabulous book in the Women in Action series. This is a great YA non-fiction series that is meant to teach readers a little something while they are reading (there is so much right about that). I've really been enjoying this series and this book was no exception. "A World of Her Own" is yet another great book in this series that is a little bit off the beaten path. Unlike the other books that I've read so far, all of these women were brand new to me.

"A World of Her Own" covers both present day and historical women explorers. It was really interesting to me to read about how much they had in common with each other and how many differences that they had as well. The historical figures had a lot going against them. Exploring was often seen as being a man's job and something that women were not cut out for. From reading the mini-biographies of these women, you can see that they were just as capable of making big discoveries and seeing new places as the men were. That goes for the present day women as well!

This book was compulsively readable and while the biographies found here are pretty short, they whetted my appetite to read more about these wonderful women! This would be a great book to introduce younger readers to some really amazing personalities!