THE BOOK OF QUEENS
Legendary Leaders, Fierce Females, and Wonder Women Who Ruled the World
By: Stephanie Warren Drimmer
Published: November 12, 2019
Publisher: National Geographic Children’s Books
Non-Fiction
When you think of a book about queens, you assume it’s going to be about queens who have ruled nations around the world for years and years. This book covers that, but so much more.
Queens of England, Jordan, Babylon, you name it, those queens are featured. But this book covers all those women who are queens in their own right. Whether they are fictional (think Snow White or Sleeping Beauty), or Dolly Parton, the queen of country music, their stories are shared here. I absolutely loved reading through this book and learning so much about women from the past and present who have stood tall and fought for rights of those less fortunate, ran companies, or led women to be inspired. Authors JK Rowling, Judy Blume, Agatha Christie, and Toni Morrison are featured and considered queens in their given genres.
There are photos or illustrations to go along with every woman covered in this book. I especially loved the fashion of women rulers from centuries earlier. One of my favorite sections featured the current crown of Queen Elizabeth II. It is stunning with a 3,107-carat diamond in the center along with 2,868 other diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 4 rubies, and 269 pearls. Unbelievably gorgeous.
From the women who are well-known like Madeleine Albright, Barbara Walters, Simone Biles, Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, and Diana, Princess of Wales their stories inspire us to serve and fight for our futures. More of the less well-known women like the World’s First All-Female Anti-Poaching Squad or Linda Cobb, the Queen of Clean or Jill Tarter, Alien Hunter or Joan Ganz Cooney, the women who created Sesame Street or finally Maya Lin who created the design of the Vietnam memorial while in college at Yale give us reasons to continue to pursue our interests and talents.
I thought this book was so well-done and would be an excellent addition to a classroom or home library. Male achievers are featured in the book as well so this is truly a book for everyone. I am quite certain kids will find someone in this book that inspires them to achieve great things. All the material is given in small but high-quality information targeted for upper-elementary to middle-school readers. But, adults will find this book fascinating as well.
Stephanie Warren Drimmer closes the book with 5 tips for being a queen in your own right:
~Lead with Integrity
~Command with Courage
~Respect the Role
~Be Passionate
~Empower their People
One of my favorite quotes from the book came from Grace Hopper, the Queen of Code, known for creating a universal computer programming language. She said, “You don’t manage people; you manage things. You lead people”.
Stephanie Warren Drimmer writes about science and nature for kids. She is a regular contributor to magazines like National Geographic Kids. Stephanie studied science journalism at New York University’s Science, Health, and Environmental Reporting Program. She lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband, dog, cat, and five chickens that she raised from teen baby chicks.
To purchase a copy of THE BOOK OF QUEENS, click the photo below:
Other books by Stephanie Warren Drimmer:
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