"Isabella Bird was like a wild vine stuck in a too-small pot. She needed more room. She had to get out. She had to explore." Exploring was easier said than done in Victorian England. But Isabella persisted, and with each journey, she breathed in new ways to see and describe everything around her.
Question by question, word by word, Isabella bloomed. First, out in the English countryside. Then, off to America and Canada. And eventually, around the world, to Africa, Asia, Australia, and more.
This dashing picture book biography about the first female member of the Royal Geographic Society takes readers around the world with a daring nineteenth-century female explorer and author. Kristy Caldwell's detailed illustrations illuminate Bird's travels around the world, and Lori Mortensen's back matter, author's note, and bibliography will satisfy the curiosity of readers who want to learn more.
"Working in a crisp style, Caldwell depicts moments from Bird’s travels, whether riding a steamship on the Mississippi, dining with a friend’s pet apes in Malaysia, or nearly freezing while crossing a Persian desert. Mortensen writes in a precise, poetic manner, touching on Bird’s psychological complexity and her periods of darkness. This volume captures the spirit of a woman who embraced new experiences and played by her own rules." — Publishers Weekly
Recommended Age | 6 - 9 |
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Author | Lori Mortensen |
Illustrator | Kristy Caldwell |
ISBN | 1682630056 |
Publication Date | Mar 1, 2019 |
Publisher | Peachtree Publishing Company |
Language | English |