Stand Up!: 10 Mighty Women Who Made a Change

by Brittney Cooper, Cathy Ann Johnson (Illustrations)

From the New York Times bestselling author of Eloquent Rage comes a powerful, groundbreaking picture book debut introducing young readers to ten revolutionary Black women -- both historical and contemporary -- who changed the world for the better, inspiring readers today to know their strength, to be brave, and to STAND UP! “A breakthrough... this force of nature is becoming one of our fiercest voices in the new generation of African-American thinkers.” -- Essence Bestselling author Brittney Cooper is a leading Black feminist voice of our times. From her New York Times bestseller Eloquent Rage , selected by Emma Watson as an "Our Shared Shelf Book," to her frequent guest appearances on MSNBC, to her regular features on Cosmopolitan.com and Salon.com, and her TED Talk with over 800K views, there's no question Brittney Cooper is one of the most preeminent Black influencers of today. Now, this author, professor, activist, and cultural critic brings her immense talents to the children's space with a seven-title publishing deal at Scholastic, spanning from picture books to middle grade, and launching with this momentous picture book Stand Up! Stand Up! tells the story of ten historic female figures who changed the world by standing up for what's right, including legendary Civil Rights activists like Ruby Bridges and Rosa Parks and spanning to contemporary role models like Bree Newsome, who removed the confederate flag from the South Carolina state house grounds, and Mari Copeny, a youth activist who fought for clean water in Flint, Michigan. This inspirational biographical collection will live side by side with bestselling classics like Little Leaders and She Persisted yet offers a wholly original, powerful new voice and approach that make this story so singular, personal, and groundbreaking. Cooper's enlightening text depicts both famous and unsung Black women who took a stand and made the world a better place for future generations. Each heroic figure is interconnected by a united quest for equity, and offers young readers a stirring, inspirational call to action, reminding them that they are mighty too, and can be forces for change when they stand up!

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, History, Biography, Childrens, Activism, African American

40 pages, Hardcover

First published August 2, 2022

About the author

Brittney Cooper is a writer, teacher, and public speaker. She thinks Black feminism can change the world for the better.

Brittney is Associate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies and Africana Studies at Rutgers University. She is co-founder of the popular Crunk Feminist Collective blog. And she is a contributing writer for Cosmopolitan.com and a former contributor to Salon.com. Her cultural commentary has been featured on MSNBC’s All In With Chris Hayes, Melissa Harris-Perry, Al Jazeera’s Third Rail, the New York Times, the Washington Post, NPR, PBS, Ebony.com, Essence.com, TheRoot.com, and TED.com.

Dr. Cooper is co-editor of The Crunk Feminist Collection (The Feminist Press 2017). She is author of Beyond Respectability: The Intellectual Thought of Race Women (University of Illinois Press, May 2017) and Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower (St. Martin’s, February 2018).

Reviews

[Aneesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

6yo sang us a multi-verse song about the brave women from this book she read in class. "I stand up, I stand up, by sitting down..." 🎶 Unfortunately we did not know who they all were so we obviously had to get it from the library.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

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The publisher Scholastic Inc has provided a ARC in exchange for a review. Thoughts and opinions my own.

In Stand Up! author Brittney Cooper helpfully defines what it means to stand up whether it be for yourself, someone else or for a cause. The author has selected 10 classic and modern Black women who have changed the world, including Rosa Parks, Prathia Hall and Mum Bett. Some children may recognize familiar names like Rosa Parks and they will be introduced to modern names like Bree Newsome who climbed a flag pole in South Carolina to take down a Confederate flag. She was arrested for the act but South Carolina eventually was shamed into removing it permanently.

I like how the book breaks down the history of the ten women in an easy to digest way that makes the stories easy to understand for children. Each story introduces the reader to the specific person and gives a date which is helpful to understanding just what each person was dealing with in their communities. At the end of each biography the author clearly defines how that particular women stood up for what they thought was right. Children reading will see themselves in these iconic women for example, Mari Copeny, Claudette Copeland and Ruby Bridges are three women identified who were children when they decided to stand up for what they believed in.

Sketches by Cathy Ann Johnson illustrate each woman and they aren’t modernized for example, Ida B. Wells is shown with her late 1800’s dress wear. Stand Up! is very colorful with shades of yellow and orange for the background and the specific themes that the author wants the readers to take in are bolded and in a different color than the majority of the text.

Stand Up! will encourage children (especially young children of color) to think about the causes and people they want to stand up for and most importantly, shows little Black girls that they are following in the footsteps of greatness.

Rating: 5/5

[April Grob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is a great mentor text for 3rd grade to maybe 7th or 8th grade. It's a great picture book that gives amazing summaries for kids of amazing women who have changed the course of history, black history. This book is not only great for Black History month but also for Women's History month and any time of the year that you teach civil rights. I think this book does well for subject content areas especially knowing how hard it was and still can be for women to become parts of this community, especially black women. Great text, very informative. I appreciate also, that the Author's opinion is not in the text itself but in the note to the reader. Very inspiring text, even to me at a 6th grade teacher.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes standing up is an abstract concept that's difficult to explain. This book talks about how 10 different women stood up (by going to school, by sitting down, by picking up a pen). I also love the progression from being a young child struggling to stand up on your own, but now, you don't even think about standing up. We do it without thinking. An inspiring collection of Black women including some that are well know like Rosa Parks and Ruby Bridges and lesser known like Bree Newsome taking down the Confederate flag in South Carolina.

[Margaret Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

6/7/2023 ~ A really cool format: "book ends" in which the author talks directly to the reader about the topic of the book. I also like the summary after each mini-bio which says "this person stood up by..." Finally, I appreciate the women included in this volume - not just historic women that most of our readers have heard of, but also lesser known and contemporary women.

A definite addition to my elementary library.

I found this book on the new book shelves at the Harbaugh Thomas Public Library in Biglerville, PA, part of the Adams County Public Library system.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a picture book about 10 Black women who changed the world. It talks about people who made historical change and contemporary changes. It does say women in the title but when reading it highlights a young girl who wrote a letter to former President Obama about the Flint, Michigan water crisis. This shows our young future students that they can make change and it doesn't matter how old or young you are. The author is a Black woman which makes the book more culturally responsive and from someone who has first-hand knowledge. This would be a great book to have in my future classroom.

[Raven Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several women who did not just physically stand up (in fact two sat down), but who stood up for their rights. Many you might not have heard of, but others, like Rosa Parks, you know very well. And each one has a unique story of not staying quiet, but doing something about the injustices around them.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stand Up!: 10 Mighty Women Who Made a Change
by Brittney Cooper
a look at the remarkable women some not well know that elevated their race, their culture and the world. Their personal struggles from deprivation, slavery, an civil rights. They elevated women, blacks and human beings in all their struggles. Its a remarkable self esteem building book that shows the nature of human resilience.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. It is easy to understand without being too simplistic, gave me some more amazing people to research (I read a lot, and diversely, and I had only heard of six out of the ten women featured) and gives a fantastic explanation of the many different ways someone can stand up. The art is lively and colorful and I will make sure this gets a featured spot in my school library.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book about courageous women fighting against our country’s racist past and present. 3 stars because i wont read again. Unsure if it needed concrete examples for what a young girl could do now to follow suit.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dually appreciative that this highlights notable Black women that I've never heard of, and simultaneously disappointed that it will take more and more of these lists for them to be rightfully recognized. It definitely simplifies things (like Flint's water crisis) but is a good place to start.

[L M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the mini biographies of 10 Black women and girls who stood up and made a change for the better. Really like the time span of centuries of American history including Mari Copeny who today’s kids can relate to

[Darlena Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is written in a way to encourage, to challenge, and to support young learners to STAND UP! We all have to be brave to speak truth to power and to stand up for our beliefs because like the author says in this book, it is not easy.

[Paige Cullotta]

I really enjoyed this book. I think it is a good book to incorporate into my classroom because it empowers you to stand up and is an encouraging book. I found this book to be motivational and I think it would be good to have in the classroom.

[Meghan]

This book is about 10 black women who have made a change in the world because they have stood up for what they believe in. This is a great book to have in the classroom to show and inspire children to stand up for what they believe in and to honor those that have in the past.

[Beththena Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect children's book with motivation, black girl magic, historical context that is appropriate for children.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful, poetic writing. Important subject and gorgeous art. This is Brittney's first kid's book and if you're a fan of her this one does not disappoint! big recommend for the kid in your life.

[Karla Strand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strong messaging and gorgeous illustrations that will resonate with so many kids! Love this.

[Paula Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book. 10 ordinary Black women who stood up for what they believed. Not only valuable for my students of color but for all of my kids at school.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book about how we learn, as children to sit and walk - but before we walk we have to learn to stand up. And then we have to stand up for what we believe in.

[Kris Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book and I love Brittney Cooper but now I can’t get Ludacris’s Stand Up song out of my head

[Miss Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

An early elementary picture book about 10 African American women who stood up and made great changes. easy to follow.

[Joleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A class like this should be taught every year from kindergarten through college! Well done!

[Zahro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black people & perjuangan mereka.

[GlitterWater79 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are gorgeous. The figures it covers are also quite extraordinary and I learned a lot as someone who knows a lot about most of these figures and/or the eras all of them cover. One thing I wished was for some Black trans women to be included, and more Black girl youth activists — love the part about Mari Copeny- but I know that will probably be featured in a sequel (and I very much hope there is a sequel).