Citoyennes

by Caroline Stevan, Elīna Brasliņa (Illustrator)

Qu’est-ce que cela signifie « être citoyennes » ? Pourquoi les femmes ont-elles demandé le droit de vote ? Comment ont-elles conquis ce droit et pour celles qui ne l’ont pas encore, comment se battent-elles pour l’obtenir ? Ce documentaire richement illustré retrace l’histoire de cette lutte pour l’égalité hommes-femmes. Des pionnières du XVIIIe aux combattantes d’aujourd’hui, de la Chine aux États-Unis en passant par la France, vous apprendrez quels arguments ces femmes audacieuses et inspirantes ont dû contrer, quel fut le premier pays à leur accorder un droit de vote, et quelle est la place des femmes en politique de nos jours. Un livre écrit pour les citoyennes et citoyens de demain !

Genres: Feminism, Middle Grade, Politics, History, Childrens, Nonfiction

137 pages, Hardcover

First published September 3, 2021

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A history of women's quest for citizenship told through the women who worked for it, from all over the world and through history. I liked the recurring timeline/map showing which countries have added women to their voting rolls, although maybe it would be good to also show which countries don't have voting at all...

It's still disconcerting to see how many places in the West didn't let women vote when I was born. And I'm not that old!

I received a review copy from the publisher.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is a 3.5 for me. For those who think women have always had the right to vote or that the United States was the first country to grant them suffrage, this is an eye-opening book. Tracing the women's suffrage movement across the globe, including the use of a timeline indicating when they won that right, the book also profiles several women involved in early efforts for women's rights, including some that I'd never heard of, such as Olympe de Gouges of France, Huda Sharawi of Egypt, and Bertha Lutz of Brazil. It's clear that these early activists risked a great deal, including their lives, in supporting change. The author also points out that not all activists chose the same methods to get their points across with some choosing peaceful means and others more radical, violent means. She also emphasizes that the women's movement wasn't as equal or accepting as some might want to believe; for example, Ida B. Wells was asked to march at the back of a group of protesters, something she refused to do. In addition to these profiles and slices of history, the book identifies women currently in power today and highlights the arguments that some individuals made against women's suffrage or women holding elected office. Finally, the book opens with a shocking scenario in which a teacher separates the boys from the girls in a classroom and then marginalizes the girls during a lesson. This example helps readers understand why women's rights matter. Accessible, informative, and essential for today's modern feminists, the book features colorful, cartoonlike artwork in its pages. Many of them cover an entire page or even a double-page spread. Clearly, this well-written piece offers a solid introduction to the topic and might help cynical readers see the importance of feminism. Add this title to a collection focused on suffrage or women's rights or strong women.

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book about voting rights for women in particular because it takes a global view. It has several other merits. The artwork is very engaging and helps to bring in readers because it breaks up the text while also supporting the text.

I learned a great deal from reading this book!

It starts with a narrative about a classroom where the boys get to talk, vote, choose seats, and ask questions. The girls are ignored, pushed to the back, and asked to do menial tasks for the boys. At the end, the moral of the story is made overt: most women have experienced this treatment for centuries.

Next is a section that provides short biographical sketches for women who have been activists for women's rights to vote. I had only heard of Ida B. Wells among the group. I was eager to learn about several other activists, including women--such as Qui Jin from China--who were martyrs for the cause of women's rights.

Next comes profiles of various countries who finally granted voting rights to women: Sweden, Russia, United States, Turkey, France, Argentina, Switzerland, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia. This list is not comprehensive, but illustrations include maps and graphs that describe more countries.

Next is a section of women leaders.

The last section of the body of the book focuses on issues such as salaries, children, mensuration (which has political and economic impact on women because of prejudice in policies and attitudes), and roles.

The back matter includes the following:

Quiz, Games, Answers, Vocabulary (short list), Learn More, and Educator's Guide.

This is a book that would be appropriate for young readers--female and male--ages 8 to 13.

[Brooke - TheBrookeList · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feminist is a label with a bit of a cultural sting. Most of us who are women want equality for women - it just makes sense! But what is about our culture and history that have given us pause when it comes to feminist movements? Citizen She! is a fascinating GLOBAL look at women's rights. Who fought for them, how we've gotten them, and the progress of different countries throughout the world in advancing womanhood. While there is a large focus on voting, the book also touches on rights and privileges such as legal rights, property rights, salaries, childcare, menstruation, and even the right to drive.

I've always considered myself feminist, but feel a little twinge of holdback because I actually do enjoy and honor the importance of home and family. This book made me think about how scare tactics about women outside the home cause fear in our societies. Women can choose to do remarkable things in the world AND uphold their homes and families. Our rights should be inherent - regardless of the individual choices we make. Our divine nature gives us an honored place the world is not always ready to grant. Equality is still being pursued. The progress is encouraging. The illustration style of this book is bold and engaging. The stories are approachable and informative. Well-done!

Read as a nomination in the non-fiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).

[Margaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different from the Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales to Dream Big series because this book focuses on general trends in women's representation in government, as well as on specific women who made an impact on women's suffrage. The book starts with an interesting situation: a substitute teacher comes to the class and not only refuses to acknowledge the girls, he puts the boys in charge of the recess games, seating chart, school field trips, plays, etc... Author Caroline Stevan points out that even though as U.S. citizens we think this is outrageous, this is how school is for many girls around the world. And, it's a good illustration of what it's like when girls don't have a voice in government.

All the text was this relatable, and drove home the point that suffrage is essential for the success of women in general. The illustrations throughout are fun and dynamic, and compliment the text. A good pick for introducing your kids to the idea of women's suffrage.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always amazed at how recently women were considered people and allowed to vote. It's especially interesting to look at it on a global scale. There are still two places women can't vote: Brunei (it has an absolute monarchy and no one vote there) and the Vatican (the priests control everything there and women cannot be priests). The last country to finally allow women to vote was Saudi Arabia and that happened in 2011.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This kid-friendly read presents global female leaders over timid and geography through text, visual depictions in comic-style, with connections to the historic drive for the vote in various political and economic circumstances. Short references to men who supported their efforts are included, but women are the stars and the vanquishing heroes within this short but powerful title.m

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss.

[Rania T · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple history of the struggles women in different parts of the world have gone through to obtain the right to vote. The illustrations were colourful and information straight to the point.

[Graziella (AuxPetitsBonheurs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ce documentaire sur le droit des femmes à travers le monde fut très enrichissant. J'ai découvert des femmes très courageuses de tous les horizons grâce à qui nous avons aujourd'hui plus d'espoir, malgré certains problèmes qui n'ont jamais évolué, nous sommes bien loin de l'égalité femme-homme. C'était intéressant d'avoir cet aspect historique autour des dates où les femmes ont pu voter en fonction des pays. La diversité des portraits est également très appréciable, on a l'habitude de ne voir que des européennes en général.