Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way) by Sue Macy Published by National Geographic, 2011 Age Range: 11-15 (Middle School and up) Lexile Score: 1280L A Junior Library Guild Selection Starred review in School Library Journal This book follows the invention of the bicycle, and the impact it had on women's rights. Before reading this book, I had no idea that the bicycle had been liberating for women. However, it makes sense, because many of them were not allowed to drive carriages or travel anywhere unaccompanied. But once the bicycle came along, they were able to come and go as they pleased. The book details the rise of the bicycle in the late 1800's, from the high wheeler to the boneshaker to the safety, which is similar to today's bicycle. The bicycle was the favored form of transportation until the advent of the automobile in the early 1900's. Women learned to ride bicycles, and in doing so, improved their health and strength and gained confidence in their freedom of travel. In this time period, women were not given the same rights as men, so they often felt inferior. However, the ability to ride a bicycle gave them the freedom to travel without the aid or accompaniment of a man. This book could be described as a narrative nonfiction. It includes a table of contents, with five chapters. Each chapter also includes a "Feature", which is a sidebar about a special topic dealing with women and bicycles. Some examples are: Celebrity Cyclists, Cycling Slang, Cycling Songs, etc. Also included in the book are a timeline, index, and resources to find out more information about bicycling. This book is very visually appealing. Even though it involves relatively long chapters, the text is broken up by photographs and illustrations. There are several sidebars throughout the chapters as well that give more information about certain topics, like Inventive Women, bicycle racing, famous women cyclists, etc. The font is east to read, but makes the book look modern. Below is an example of a page: I think this book would appeal to middle school and up, especially to students who are interested in history and the women's rights movement. It was a fast and easy read, but it would also be a good resource for a student conducting research on the women's rights movement of the late 1800's or the history of the bicycle. Other books that might interest readers of Wheels of Change are:
Below are websites and resources that could accompany Wheels of Change:
As an extension to reading this book, teachers/librarians could have students choose one of the topics in the book - a certain type of bicycle, a famous woman cyclist, etc. - and conduct further research about it. Students could also pretend to be a women in the 1890's who just received her first bicycle. Write a diary entry about the experience. How does she feel to have her own mode of transportation? Below is a book trailer posted by the author promoting the book, Wheels of Change.
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AuthorMy name is Kayla Taylor. I am currently taking LIS-S672 Seminar in Youth Literature - Nonfiction. These are the books I have read this semester and my reviews. ArchivesCategories |