Chatting About Books:
Recommendations for Young Readers

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Episode 12—Celebrating Women Brave and Strong

Book Chat

• Mighty Jackie: The Strike-Out Queen written by Marissa Moss; illustrated by C.F. Payne (Simon & Schuster, 2004)

Mighty Jackie is the biography of Jackie Mitchell, better known as “The Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth.” At the age of 17, Jackie Mitchell struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in an exhibition game between the Chattanooga Lookouts and the New York Yankees. This biography by Marissa Moss uncovers a fascinating piece of baseball history and brings to life an almost forgotten woman. Mighty Jackie has been featured on many booklists, including the 2005 IRA Teachers’ Choices Booklist and ALA’s 2005 List of Notable Children’s Books. It has also won many state book awards across the country.

• Brave Harriet written by Marissa Moss; illustrated by C.F. Payne (Harcourt, 2001)

This is the biography of Harriet Quimby, an ambitious newspaper reporter who accomplished many firsts for women in aviation history. Harriet was the first woman to earn her pilot’s license and the first woman to fly solo across the English Channel. Told as a first person narrative, Marissa Moss lets Harriet recount her own tale in this interesting biography that is sure to inspire many future daredevils.

• Sky High: The True Story of Maggie Gee written by Marissa Moss; illustrated by Carl Angel (Tricycle Press, 2009)

Sky High is Marissa Moss’s newest biography, which is set to be released in September 2009. This biography tells the true story of Maggie Gee, a Chinese American, who served with the WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots) during World War II.

Cookies and Milk Emily enjoys cookies and milk with Samantha (right) and her mom Robyn while they chat about Brave Harriet by Marissa Moss. Samantha summarizes what she learned about Harriet Quimby by using ReadWriteThink’s online Bio-Cube tool. Samantha’s mom, Robyn, discusses how she and Samantha worked together on the Bio-Cube and offers advice to parents who want to try this tool at home. Expert Chat Talented children’s author Marissa Moss explains her inspiration for Mighty Jackie and Brave Harriet and describes the in-depth research process she goes through before writing a book. Published February 24, 2009

About the Host

Emily Manning started teaching first grade in 1999 and is now a reading intervention teacher for third- through fifth-graders. Emily’s passion is reading; she enjoys the challenge each year of finding books that will spark the love of reading in her students. Emily’s favorite books are the ones kids ask to read over and over — the ones that are worn out from so many readings, complete with wrinkled pages and loose bindings.

These include

• Bubba the Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman (Scholastic, 1997)
• Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (Yearling, 2001)
• The Jazz Fly by Matthew Gollub (Tortuga, 2000)
• The Magical, Marvelous, Mystical Coat by Catherine Ann Cullen (Little, Brown, 2001)
• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (Puffin, 2004)