Juvenile herstory
"Unrest spreads.
Conflict strains.
Staying focused,
Yusra trains."
Yusra Martini, protagonist of Julie Abery's Yusra Swims, was training for the Olympics when her country, Syria, was torn apart by civil war. Her family could only afford to give her and her older sister a chance of reaching a safe place. The engine fails on the crowded rubber raft they're crammed into. Yusra is one of the adults who jump into the ocean to keep the raft moving.
After an experience like that you'd think that the last thing she'd want to do is swim.
And you'd be wrong.
Sally Deng's illustrations really help to bring the carefully chosen words to life. You can't read the book and not respect an amazing woman athlete.
While courage sometimes involves battling the elements, often it's all about pushing back against customs and prejudice. That was the battle described in Teresa Robeson's Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom.
Wu was born in China in 1912. Back then for many parents the birth of a girl child was not exactly cause for celebration. Most wouldn't bother sending girls to school. But Wu's parents bucked the trend. They gave her a name which translates to courageous hero. Even before she was born they had opened a school for girls.
When Wu had learned all she could learn from her parents she had to go further and further to continue her education. During those politically turbulent years she became a student protest leader in addition to excelling academically.
Her study of physics took her all the way to the United States where she specialized in beta decay. Three times she helped famous male scientists overcome snags and go on to win Nobel Prizes while she never did. But she stayed with her beloved physics.
Her narrative can be quite inspiring for STEM loving girls.
On a purrrsonal note, I was not a happy camper when Eugene woke me up at the butt crack of predawn to go to the in-laws for Thanksgiving. I just had time to change and put coffee in my travel mug. Forget breakfast. Luckily I'd packed the night before so I had books to read before the kids arrived. I had fun reading. Then when the kids came the party really started. We shared a great meal and hung out and talked. It was lots of fun. I was especially happy to spend time with Adam, Katie, and Jacob. We all missed Amber and Brian. Maybe next year. (Jules)
And then they came home to me. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the family.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
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