She's on the Money

August 1, 2021

Gr 2-4-This illustrated nonfiction book looks at the women chosen to appear on coins or bills both past and present. Fifteen women from around the globe are highlighted. Each woman is featured in a spread, with illustrations and a few paragraphs that highlight the contributions that landed her on the money. This book may pique students' interest in a particular subject and make them want to go to other sources to learn more. In addition to women such as Cleopatra and Helen Keller, the book also includes the symbolic female figures of Britannia and Lady Liberty. This volume is great for learning tidbits about the topic, but a more substantial book would be needed for any type of research. The large amount of information does not make it ideal for reading aloud unless teachers choose to share only a few pages at a time. The colorful illustrations do a good job of showing the money the women were featured on as well as portraits of the women. A glossary is included. VERDICT This would be a good addition to Women's History Month displays or to include in the curriculum when students learn about money.-V. Lynn Christiansen, Wiley International Studies Magnet Elem. Sch., Raleigh, NC

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June 1, 2021
Grades K-3 he She Made History series (6 new titles) celebrates the lives of women around the world and the notable contributions they have made. She's on the Money offers 2-page spreads profiling 15 women throughout history who have appeared on currency, from Cleopatra's silver denarii to Ichiyo Higuchi's 5,000-yen note to Eva Peron's Argentine bank notes. Each title is engaging and features appealing illustrations, while providing ample context and additional resources (glossaries, bibliographies, time lines, etc.). Each book takes a positive, upbeat tone and encourages readers to learn more about these people. Furthermore, the publisher has taken care to match the books' racially and ethnically diverse subjects to female authors and illustrators from similar cultures. This attractive series shines spotlights on inspiring, deserving role models.

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September 15, 2021
Few women have appeared on currency; here are some who have. A brief history of money introduces short biographies paired to appealing illustrations of women and the bills or coins they've appeared on. Those discussed--Cleopatra, Maria Sibylla Merian, Sacagawea, Ichiyо̄ Higuchi, and Queen Sа̄lote Tupou III, for example--are politicians, scientists, activists, artists, educators, and writers from different continents and countries, racial and ethnic groups. Some faces will be familiar to U.S. readers, while others will offer new inspiration. However, even given a collection's spatial constraints, relevant facts are not always present (the Mirabal sisters of the Dominican Republic are listed as martyrs, but their assassinations go unmentioned; Eva Per�n declined a vice presidential nomination, but reasons why--cancer and purported police opposition--are unstated), which seems a lost opportunity to provide substantial content and context. Changes--Lady Liberty's new identity as a Black woman, Harriet Tubman's upcoming appearance as the first African American on a U.S. bill--are included, yet the text does not discuss racism. The connections between the roles and rights of women and the reasons why few women have appeared on money are implicit and may not always be apparent to younger readers. Still, what's striking and effective here are the range and wealth of strong women and their accomplishments from different corners of the world. An interesting cross-curricular concept with a feminist slant (and some gaps). (author's note, glossary) (Collective biography. 5-10)

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