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Young and Restless: The Girls Who Sparked America's Revolutions
NPR's Books We Love 2023
Glamour's "The 15 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023, So Far"
Vogue's "Best Books of 2023 (So Far)"
Town & Country's "The Best Books of 2023"
A "heartening inspiration"(The New York Times), the untold story of the people who have helped spark America’s most transformative social movements throughout teenage girls
Nine months before Rosa Parks kicked off the bus boycotts, Claudette Colvin was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. She was fifteen. In 1912, women’s rights activists organized a massive march in support of women’s suffrage. Leading them up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan was not one of the mothers of the movement, but a teenage Chinese immigrant named Mabel Ping-Hua Lee. Half a century before the better-known movements for workers’ rights began, over 1,500 girls—some as young as ten—walked out of factories in Lowell, Massachusetts, demanding safer working conditions and higher wages in one of the nation’s first-ever labor strikes.
Young women have been disenfranchised and discounted, but the true retelling of major social movements in America reveals their they have ignited almost every single one.
Young and Restless recounts one of the most foundational and underappreciated forces in moments of American teenage girls. From the American Revolution itself to the Civil Rights Movement to nuclear disarmament protests and the women’s liberation movement, through Black Lives Matter and school strikes for climate, Mattie Kahn uncovers how girls have leveraged their unique strengths, from fandom to intimate friendships, to organize and lay serious political groundwork for movements that often sidelined them. Their stories illuminate how much we owe to girls throughout the generations, what skills young women use to mobilize and find their voices, and, crucially, what we can all stand to learn from them.
Glamour's "The 15 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023, So Far"
Vogue's "Best Books of 2023 (So Far)"
Town & Country's "The Best Books of 2023"
A "heartening inspiration"(The New York Times), the untold story of the people who have helped spark America’s most transformative social movements throughout teenage girls
Nine months before Rosa Parks kicked off the bus boycotts, Claudette Colvin was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. She was fifteen. In 1912, women’s rights activists organized a massive march in support of women’s suffrage. Leading them up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan was not one of the mothers of the movement, but a teenage Chinese immigrant named Mabel Ping-Hua Lee. Half a century before the better-known movements for workers’ rights began, over 1,500 girls—some as young as ten—walked out of factories in Lowell, Massachusetts, demanding safer working conditions and higher wages in one of the nation’s first-ever labor strikes.
Young women have been disenfranchised and discounted, but the true retelling of major social movements in America reveals their they have ignited almost every single one.
Young and Restless recounts one of the most foundational and underappreciated forces in moments of American teenage girls. From the American Revolution itself to the Civil Rights Movement to nuclear disarmament protests and the women’s liberation movement, through Black Lives Matter and school strikes for climate, Mattie Kahn uncovers how girls have leveraged their unique strengths, from fandom to intimate friendships, to organize and lay serious political groundwork for movements that often sidelined them. Their stories illuminate how much we owe to girls throughout the generations, what skills young women use to mobilize and find their voices, and, crucially, what we can all stand to learn from them.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 13, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
April 17, 2024
After reading this book, I found it difficult to write a review. I read some of the posted reviews and have included them here. All in all I think the book is interesting and informative, but at the same time I found it to be sad and disheartening as well.
“Mattie Kahn's Young and Restless feels born of the current moment….a look at why and how girls have been sidelined by history in the past—turned into objects cultural fascination while simultaneously being denied agency and power, especially in the historical record.”—Vogue's "Best Books of 2023 (So Far)"
"In Young and Restless, Mattie Kahn challenges the dismissive societal attitudes consistently pointed at the concerns and contributions of teenage girls, and proves that we are and always have been, at the heart of revolution. Everybody should read this book and understand that who we are taught to look to for leadership has been upside down for a long long time. Luckily, books like this move us closer to that world with every reader."
—Ashley Ford, New York Times bestselling author
"Young and Restless...[looks] at American history and progress through the lens of teen girls — an often overlooked or dismissed demographic that's had a huge impact on our world, in the civil rights movement, early labor strikes, women's suffrage, and more."—Powell's 2023 Book Preview, Vol. 2
“Mattie Kahn's Young and Restless feels born of the current moment….a look at why and how girls have been sidelined by history in the past—turned into objects cultural fascination while simultaneously being denied agency and power, especially in the historical record.”—Vogue's "Best Books of 2023 (So Far)"
"In Young and Restless, Mattie Kahn challenges the dismissive societal attitudes consistently pointed at the concerns and contributions of teenage girls, and proves that we are and always have been, at the heart of revolution. Everybody should read this book and understand that who we are taught to look to for leadership has been upside down for a long long time. Luckily, books like this move us closer to that world with every reader."
—Ashley Ford, New York Times bestselling author
"Young and Restless...[looks] at American history and progress through the lens of teen girls — an often overlooked or dismissed demographic that's had a huge impact on our world, in the civil rights movement, early labor strikes, women's suffrage, and more."—Powell's 2023 Book Preview, Vol. 2
January 14, 2024
the case studies in this book were interesting but unfortunately the analysis felt like america ferrera’s speech in barbie
August 27, 2023
I only gave this 3 stars because it read a lot like a textbook and left me feeling worse about society after with no new solutions. But WOW, the fact that history has always and continues to forget girls at the heart of all change is truly baffling. Also the Mississippi girls??? As someone from Mississippi, I had never heard of any of these girls or their courage and action. This should be taught in all schools.
May 15, 2023
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
There are many quotes—and even more misquote—about the fact that history repeats itself when people don’t learn from it. Regarding history that young women have made in America, it is often determined not important enough to document. This book recognizes how important these contributions have been and takes the time to research and document these instances in history so they can be remembered. Reading this book I learned so much about the history important history that was determined to not be important enough to be taught in school. It was difficult to read about the many challenges women still have to fight for today. This book however gave me hope. Despite the challenges women will not give up and will keep in fighting.
There are many quotes—and even more misquote—about the fact that history repeats itself when people don’t learn from it. Regarding history that young women have made in America, it is often determined not important enough to document. This book recognizes how important these contributions have been and takes the time to research and document these instances in history so they can be remembered. Reading this book I learned so much about the history important history that was determined to not be important enough to be taught in school. It was difficult to read about the many challenges women still have to fight for today. This book however gave me hope. Despite the challenges women will not give up and will keep in fighting.
January 18, 2025
Two of my favorite social protest/movement leaders of the early 2020s are Greta Thunberg and David Hogg, both young people who have been unabashedly committed to the issues of climate change and gun control, respectively. In a world where power seems to stagnate in the hands of wealthy, mostly white males, it's refreshing to listen to articulate, impassioned, invested, optimistic grass roots leaders.
Why do these fresh voices hold sway among many of us? Mattie Kahn takes this question one step further by asking why "girls" (she uses this term to refer to young women, as well as a sort of reclamation of the word in the name of unity) in particular are such captivating and often times effective advocates for change.
I enjoyed learning the stories of American girls who have contributed to social change over the past 200 years. From the mill workers in Lowell, MA to the civil rights movement to climate advocates, Kahn tells the story of girls who have contributed to the conversation, examining what contributes to our tendency to lionize and mythologize some girls while others get lost in the pages of history.
Social protest couldn't be a more timely topic, so this book felt on point in the moment. Kahn's research was interesting, though at some points she skimmed the surface and at other points I felt bogged down in tangential details.
Why do these fresh voices hold sway among many of us? Mattie Kahn takes this question one step further by asking why "girls" (she uses this term to refer to young women, as well as a sort of reclamation of the word in the name of unity) in particular are such captivating and often times effective advocates for change.
I enjoyed learning the stories of American girls who have contributed to social change over the past 200 years. From the mill workers in Lowell, MA to the civil rights movement to climate advocates, Kahn tells the story of girls who have contributed to the conversation, examining what contributes to our tendency to lionize and mythologize some girls while others get lost in the pages of history.
Social protest couldn't be a more timely topic, so this book felt on point in the moment. Kahn's research was interesting, though at some points she skimmed the surface and at other points I felt bogged down in tangential details.
October 10, 2023
This was really a 4.5 star. It was a good book with LOTS packed in. I truly enjoyed reading about some of the lesser known girls in these movements from so many sides of life and history. The benefits are also a curse for this one. It became hard to hold all of their stories in my head during each chapter. Some of the descriptions were flowery which made the writing both enjoyable to read and hard to follow. It could have benefited from one more pass through by an editor. But an interesting topic with good material.
April 3, 2024
Audio version - super interesting girls chosen to be spotlighted, which I enjoyed learning more about. I did feel that this book jumped around and became rambling at times. In short: cool premise, execution was “mid”
Read
January 14, 2024Great listen—a celebration (and a critique) of “girl power” in the modern era
January 4, 2025
I read this for my book group and really appreciated the very completely and carefully researched it was and well documented in the appendixes. One quote in the front says it all. "I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass." Maya Angelou. That says it all about the book. Stories of young girls and women who made a difference for all girls and young women's rights.
February 4, 2025
While I enjoyed the fact that this book is one of the few in existence which genuinely appreciates and bolsters the contribution women have made throughout history it really fell short in more ways than one. To begin with I felt that Kahn could've used better organization and structure in her chapters. Each chapter included a group or groups of different women relating to the theme of the chapter but Kahn had a habit of talking about one girl for a few paragraphs or pages at a time before jumping into another girl or revisiting a girl mentioned pages or even chapters before. To me this was just a bit confusing and I had to pause to think about who she was talking about. She had a lot of cute quotable moments or times when she brought up other girls to show the continuum of girlhood and activism but it felt a little forced and rushed especially when in conjunction with the issues I outline below.
The actual stories that she chose and brought to life in her writing were great and so interesting, I only wish she would've gone more in depth with them. It felt like most of the stories were over as soon as they began and had I not had prior knowledge as someone with a BA in Hist and particular interest in women's studies, these stories just wouldn't have had the same impact. I would've really liked to have seen her dedicate more space to each of the topics on which her chapters were based on. I think the book would’ve been much more enjoyable and had she taken the time to elaborate on these stories instead of simply glossing over them. Still, I might've accepted this glossing over of the details if she did a better job explaining the complexities of the sexism and misogyny that surrounds the young women which she writes about.
Continuing on that note, I would've also liked to have seen her dedicate more time to actually unpacking some of the things that she mentions girls go through. She made a lot of blanket statements about girlhood and how we as a society perceive girlhood, how we determine what it is and who is allowed to have it, etc. These are excellent things to consider, especially in a book such as this so let's explore them!! Why do we as a society use girlhood this way? What are the roots of this? How have we determined who is afforded girlhood and who isn't and how has that affected those who aren't given that "shield," as Kahn would put it. These are all questions which along with the stories I was dying for her to analyze and she never did.
Overall it is clear that Kahn has a knack for research and a passion for this subject but her book reflects the work of someone with only a surface knowledge level of understanding of these issues. While I didn’t love the way it was written I would be intrigued to read more if Kahn ever does come out with another book. I see the potential in her as a captivating author and I think her colloquial voice as an author makes a book with such heavy topics more approachable to the masses which is exactly what we need more of.
The actual stories that she chose and brought to life in her writing were great and so interesting, I only wish she would've gone more in depth with them. It felt like most of the stories were over as soon as they began and had I not had prior knowledge as someone with a BA in Hist and particular interest in women's studies, these stories just wouldn't have had the same impact. I would've really liked to have seen her dedicate more space to each of the topics on which her chapters were based on. I think the book would’ve been much more enjoyable and had she taken the time to elaborate on these stories instead of simply glossing over them. Still, I might've accepted this glossing over of the details if she did a better job explaining the complexities of the sexism and misogyny that surrounds the young women which she writes about.
Continuing on that note, I would've also liked to have seen her dedicate more time to actually unpacking some of the things that she mentions girls go through. She made a lot of blanket statements about girlhood and how we as a society perceive girlhood, how we determine what it is and who is allowed to have it, etc. These are excellent things to consider, especially in a book such as this so let's explore them!! Why do we as a society use girlhood this way? What are the roots of this? How have we determined who is afforded girlhood and who isn't and how has that affected those who aren't given that "shield," as Kahn would put it. These are all questions which along with the stories I was dying for her to analyze and she never did.
Overall it is clear that Kahn has a knack for research and a passion for this subject but her book reflects the work of someone with only a surface knowledge level of understanding of these issues. While I didn’t love the way it was written I would be intrigued to read more if Kahn ever does come out with another book. I see the potential in her as a captivating author and I think her colloquial voice as an author makes a book with such heavy topics more approachable to the masses which is exactly what we need more of.
January 11, 2024
I was supposed to read this book alongside the first years I mentored in the fall semester. I didn't end up keeping up with them and my workload for other classes, but instead finished it a few weeks after them. That's the power of girls I suppose.
This book is a wonderful compilation of the histories of so many girls that have made change in so many "sectors" of life. Making their successes more known is admirable, but what I perhaps admire more about Mattie Kahn's book is her choice to include more of the sore points of these girls and women. Because activists are not just activists- they've never been only activists. They've always been people first- people who get pregnant, who get frustrasted, who lose motivation, who get scared of things like the law and court, who find more satisfaction in small lives, etc. etc. The human- and frankly the child- within the activists is not a bad thing in this book. Activism doesn't happen in spite of personhood.
I especially resonated with the story of Jamie Margolin, a teenage climate activist who struggled to find her identity later has a college student. Her story reaffirmed the things I'm learning now, as we are in a similar season of our lives. Being a person shouldn't be sacrificed for change. The point of any activism- climate, health, or otherwise- is so that more people can live more well. We do ourselves injustice by denying ourselves friendships, relationships, sleep, good music, and good food, for the sake of a movement. And how can any of us advocate against the injustices of others when we don't denounce the injustices against ourselves?
Anyway. This is a good book and everyone should read it.
This book is a wonderful compilation of the histories of so many girls that have made change in so many "sectors" of life. Making their successes more known is admirable, but what I perhaps admire more about Mattie Kahn's book is her choice to include more of the sore points of these girls and women. Because activists are not just activists- they've never been only activists. They've always been people first- people who get pregnant, who get frustrasted, who lose motivation, who get scared of things like the law and court, who find more satisfaction in small lives, etc. etc. The human- and frankly the child- within the activists is not a bad thing in this book. Activism doesn't happen in spite of personhood.
I especially resonated with the story of Jamie Margolin, a teenage climate activist who struggled to find her identity later has a college student. Her story reaffirmed the things I'm learning now, as we are in a similar season of our lives. Being a person shouldn't be sacrificed for change. The point of any activism- climate, health, or otherwise- is so that more people can live more well. We do ourselves injustice by denying ourselves friendships, relationships, sleep, good music, and good food, for the sake of a movement. And how can any of us advocate against the injustices of others when we don't denounce the injustices against ourselves?
Anyway. This is a good book and everyone should read it.
September 4, 2023
I have not read the entire book, but only the introduction and the first two chapters, but since I won the book, I wanted to review it asap! I won it thru Elizabeth Holmes' spotlighted giveaway.
I wanted to say that the book is well-written, scholarly, well researched, very intelligent, but still accessible! Kahn makes very interesting points and tells me much I did not know. The first chapter was about the Mill Girls, especially of Lowell, Mass, who were a revolution unto themselves at first, none of which I realized---girls didn't usually group up like that in the 1800s, except maybe at church suppers! They lived at home with family, they married, they were busy with their own family. These women got to leave home, be well cared for in the dormitories, be independent, EARN MONEY of their own (some sent it home, but some kept it to BUY things for THEMSELVES!---first instance of women having disposable income to spend) and be a big girl-group. Almost all the factory workers were women, an heretofore untapped source. But then the factories went bad and the women protested, walked out, and made waves. It didn't get them anywhere, but they were willing.
The second chapter was about Anna Elizabeth Dickinson, an abolitionist. She started VERY young, like 11, crusading; they compared her to Joan of Arc! She did well until she "aged out" and people no longer wanted to hear her.
So if this topic is up your alley, I highly recommend it! I will keep reading!
I wanted to say that the book is well-written, scholarly, well researched, very intelligent, but still accessible! Kahn makes very interesting points and tells me much I did not know. The first chapter was about the Mill Girls, especially of Lowell, Mass, who were a revolution unto themselves at first, none of which I realized---girls didn't usually group up like that in the 1800s, except maybe at church suppers! They lived at home with family, they married, they were busy with their own family. These women got to leave home, be well cared for in the dormitories, be independent, EARN MONEY of their own (some sent it home, but some kept it to BUY things for THEMSELVES!---first instance of women having disposable income to spend) and be a big girl-group. Almost all the factory workers were women, an heretofore untapped source. But then the factories went bad and the women protested, walked out, and made waves. It didn't get them anywhere, but they were willing.
The second chapter was about Anna Elizabeth Dickinson, an abolitionist. She started VERY young, like 11, crusading; they compared her to Joan of Arc! She did well until she "aged out" and people no longer wanted to hear her.
So if this topic is up your alley, I highly recommend it! I will keep reading!
June 7, 2024
4.5
The youth are the future. They know this. So why are they punished when protesting for the future of the world they live in? This book hit really hard for me in the wake of the recent college protests against the genocide in Palestine. It is so inspiring to see the youth of the world be the ones fighting, to better the world they are living in. I am proud as a young person, to know how often the kids are the ones who are at the beginning of social change. This book does an overview of many social movements in American history where young women are often the center of the change.
I was a little worried this would be a bit “girlboss feminism” but I don’t think the end result was that case. Instead of just using these young women to say “look what girls can do!” The author analyzes why young female activists stick in society’s conscious, as well as why young women are drawn towards activism. It is interesting to view the contrasting ways society will portray a female activist, from patronizing her, to vilifying her, to making her a symbol and disconnecting her from her cause, fascinated with the girl instead. I like the wide variety of case studies used. There’s a wide variety of era, movements, etc. It is very much an overview, many girls were quickly mentioned and the book did not go into depth about it.
-.5 for the Harry Style quote in the intro.
The youth are the future. They know this. So why are they punished when protesting for the future of the world they live in? This book hit really hard for me in the wake of the recent college protests against the genocide in Palestine. It is so inspiring to see the youth of the world be the ones fighting, to better the world they are living in. I am proud as a young person, to know how often the kids are the ones who are at the beginning of social change. This book does an overview of many social movements in American history where young women are often the center of the change.
I was a little worried this would be a bit “girlboss feminism” but I don’t think the end result was that case. Instead of just using these young women to say “look what girls can do!” The author analyzes why young female activists stick in society’s conscious, as well as why young women are drawn towards activism. It is interesting to view the contrasting ways society will portray a female activist, from patronizing her, to vilifying her, to making her a symbol and disconnecting her from her cause, fascinated with the girl instead. I like the wide variety of case studies used. There’s a wide variety of era, movements, etc. It is very much an overview, many girls were quickly mentioned and the book did not go into depth about it.
-.5 for the Harry Style quote in the intro.
December 7, 2023
I won a copy of Young and Restless by Mattie Kahn, but honestly it was @eholmes stories about it that convinced me to pick it up. It was up being such an intriguing and enjoyable choice.
The book is about young women, but especially girls and teenagers, and their impact throughout history taking a stand. Each chapter has a specific focus from working conditions of mill girls to civil rights and riding buses to women’s rights to coed education to safety with school shootings.
There are those historic moments you’ve heard of and the the girls behind the decisions of cases like Brown v Board of Education and Tinker v Des Moines. But also so many you haven’t of girls that took a stand by have been forgotten in our textbooks.
There is so much information in her it’s hard to keep some of the details straight. It is an inspiring read and I especially think college girls or older teens would identify and appreciate it the most.
4.5/5
Thanks to the publisher for providing this book through a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway. All opinions expressed are my own.
The book is about young women, but especially girls and teenagers, and their impact throughout history taking a stand. Each chapter has a specific focus from working conditions of mill girls to civil rights and riding buses to women’s rights to coed education to safety with school shootings.
There are those historic moments you’ve heard of and the the girls behind the decisions of cases like Brown v Board of Education and Tinker v Des Moines. But also so many you haven’t of girls that took a stand by have been forgotten in our textbooks.
There is so much information in her it’s hard to keep some of the details straight. It is an inspiring read and I especially think college girls or older teens would identify and appreciate it the most.
4.5/5
Thanks to the publisher for providing this book through a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 5, 2023
This is a fantastic history, written in an equal parts engaging and accessible voice, that underscores the contributions of girls throughout US history. Mattie Kahn articulates the combination of innocence and passion we expect—and accept—from girls that gives them the unique ability to capture audiences and make headlines for their cause. From the Lowell Mill girls to suffragist Mabel Ping-Hua Lee to civil rights activists and environmentalists, this book covers a capacious swath of history to highlight the young girl activists at the centers of many of our country’s most effective protests. Read this over time, enjoying each distinctive chapter on its own, or read it like I did, in a few engrossing sittings. The point is: read it. You’ll be inspired, troubled, and galvanized all at once. Thank you @vikingbooks for the #gifted copy!
December 31, 2024
Book about girls and young women throughout American history who've fought for change, particularly the lesser-known ones. I did already know a good deal about the Lowell mill girls, but only because I grew up in a town that borders Lowell (I'm pretty sure every kid in Greater Lowell has been to Boott Cotton Mills Museum on a field trip). But I'd never heard of Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, a young suffragist who was born in China, or abolitionist Anna Elizabeth Dickinson, or many civil rights activists mentioned in the book. And I learned more about some women who've only recently gotten renewed attention, like Claudette Colvin- I knew the basic facts about her but now know a lot more. Overall a very interesting read, and one that was good to read now, when we really need some new revolutions to get going.
July 15, 2023
Girls, young women, activism and the results of their various involvements in such movements as civil rights, labor, environmental and climate change was unfamiliar territory to me. In this carefully written and meticulously researched book on girls and the actions that they took at a young age reveal how much of an impact those very actions had, both then and now. I was unaware of these young movers and shakers and found it intriguing to learn more about them and how they chose not to remain on the sidelines as good and obedient girls but instead stood up, took a stand and made a difference. Would recommend sharing this book to anyone with girls and young women in their lives.
September 9, 2023
Interesting recounting of rights movements and the role teenage girls have played in its implementation. Before Rosa Parks, teenage girl riders were arrested for refusing to give up their seats on several occasions. Teenage factory workers in Lowell, Massachusetts walked out, demanding safer conditions and higher wages. In 1912, Suffrage protests were led by Chinese immigrant girls, as Chinese women had the right to vote in their country. Equal opportunity in education has always been an issue. Girls, with the support of their parents, and the economic clout they hold over many industries that market to them, have used their power to make the world better.
September 19, 2023
I’ll confess I picked my way through this in bits and pieces rather than reading from start to finish. I adore the premise that young women are equally, if not better, positioned to ignite change as anyone. I learned about some significant historical figures who are unsurprisingly silenced in dominant historical narratives. The author is a journalist by trade which for me as a style didn’t translate as well to a non-fiction book. I wanted more than snippets of historical moments. However, if you’re looking for accessible bits and pieces of history (and some great girl power), then this book is a good place to start.
March 23, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ I ended up listening to the majority of this book on audio and while I enjoyed the content, I found myself zoning out a lot and needing to start the chapter over again. It was very informative but sometimes seemed long winded. Plus it was a bit disheartening to learn how so many girls have advocated for a better future, and to this day most of the futures they had imagined are still just a distant dream. Overall, I do think it has an important message and it was a good reminder for me that there are other like-minded girls out in the world that continue to fight for the good of all humanity, not just the people that look or talk like them.
November 27, 2025
I enjoyed this book that told the stories of the young girls who have been significant in America’s history. None of the stories were super new to me - I’ve heard Claudette Colvin’s story before, but I liked hearing about the girl who was the first to try to get into Stuyvesant high school. I could not believe girls were allowed until 1969 - my mother in law growing up in NYC in the 60s (who attended what is now LaGuardia) wouldn’t have been allowed to attend. I do agree with other reviews that it was a bit boring and read like a women’s studies textbook or senior thesis at times, but at least it was a textbook with a topic I enjoyed!
June 4, 2023
Reads like a lecture more than a book. I didn’t care for her style. She’s all over the place all the time in my opinion. I was going to give it to my daughter in law when done but I can’t say I liked it enough. She didn’t even seem interested when I showed it to her. So, the book is off to my cousin in Florida to pass along to someone else. I received a free copy of this book from Goodreads to read and review and I thank them as always.
July 3, 2023
About girls who have led protests and been driving forces in a variety of subjects - Civil rights, Climate change, mental health. How girls are perceived and treated in the media - does being girls instead of adults work for or against them? Many questions raised here. Also are their narratives reduced to a "look how brave" this girl is portrait in the media and less focused on the work these girls are actually accomplishing? Interesting book.
September 17, 2024
“We like our images of girls on the vanguard and alone. But their histories are better told—and their legacies better secured—when we contextualize them. Who helped them? Who fed them and calmed them and printed their flyers? Who abandoned them? And who learned from their example?”
“Young people should be considered ‘political agents in their own right,’… rather than ‘citizens-in-the-making.’”
“‘Friends, we do not have a dream… we have a plan.’”
“Young people should be considered ‘political agents in their own right,’… rather than ‘citizens-in-the-making.’”
“‘Friends, we do not have a dream… we have a plan.’”
September 25, 2023
To see the place that very young women have in the history of protest in this country was amazing. The role of optics in the civil rights movement was surprising and disappointing. The stories of individual and group protest by young girls was inspiring. The information on the early years of the textile mills was completely new to me. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
October 20, 2023
This book was an exceptional story of passionate, brave girls who were overlooked in the numerous social movements of the U.S. I learned so much and would recommend this book to any person wanting to learn more about the girls that didn’t always get the credit they deserved. Great for history geeks (like me).
November 27, 2023
Really 3.5. The first chapters were less interesting. The book grabbed my attention with the more recent chapters, particularly the ones on young women in the civil rights movement. The courage of girls as young as 12 or 13 who were willing to risk violence to change the Jim Crow conditions in their communities is inspiring and humbling.
April 28, 2024
Got a little repetitive after a point, and too many details to remember. But, the higher level point that I came away with -- women coming together and taking the initiative for change, often without public awareness or recognition, makes a huge difference and sparked some of the largest movements in this country -- was quite inspirational!
January 2, 2025
Excellent history of how very young women, mostly while still in their teens took a leadership role in working of change of things they did not like, and often succeeded in changing major aspects of cultural norms for women. A quick easy read that is encouraging about what a few determined young women can accomplish.
June 22, 2023
Sort of comes apart at the end, but still an essential read. Both Agent Carter and Mika Brzezinski talk about [women] knowing their own value; this book suggests that this self-awareness should start with girls.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews