Ages 6 to 9, Grades 1 to 4
Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger comes a chapter book series about women who stood up, spoke up and rose up against the odds—including Helen Keller!
Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing after a childhood illness, but she didn’t let that stop her from learning to read, speak, and make a difference. She was the first person who was both deaf and blind to go to and graduate from college, and she continued to write books and articles, speak in public, and stand up for the rights she believed everyone should have, inspiring others to do the same.
In this chapter book biography by acclaimed author Courtney Sheinmel, readers learn about the amazing life of Helen Keller—and how she persisted. Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton!
Series Overview: January 2021: Harriet Tubman || February 2021: Claudette Colvin || March 2021: Sally Ride || April 2021: Virginia Apgar || May 2021: Nellie Bly || June 2021: Sonia Sotomayor || July 2021: Florence Griffith Joyner || August 2021: Ruby Bridges || September 2021: Clara Lemlich || October 2021: Margaret Chase Smith || November 2021: Maria Tallchief || December 2021: Helen Keller & Oprah Winfrey
About the Author
Courtney Sheinmel (courtneysheinmel.com) is a chocolate-lover, mac & cheese expert, mom to Archer, and the author of nearly thirty books for kids and teens, including several series for young readers—Stella Batts, My Pet Slime, Magic on the Map (co-written with Bianca Turetsky), and Agnes & Clarabelle (co-written with Adele Griffin). She received a National Scholastic Outstanding Educator Award for her work as a writing instructor at the nonprofit Writopia Lab. Follow her on Twitter @courtneywrites.
Chelsea Clinton is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World; She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History; She Persisted in Sports: American Olympians Who Changed the Game; Don’t Let Them Disappear: 12 Endangered Species Across the Globe; It’s Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going!; Start Now!: You Can Make a Difference; with Hillary Clinton, Grandma’s Gardens and Gutsy Women; and, with Devi Sridhar, Governing Global Health: Who Runs the World and Why? She is also the Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation, where she works on many initiatives, including those that help empower the next generation of leaders. She lives in New York City with her husband, Marc, their children and their dog, Soren. You can follow Chelsea Clinton on Twitter @ChelseaClinton or on Facebook at facebook.com/chelseaclinton.
Author Residence: New York, NY
Author Hometown: California
Gillian Flint (gillianflint.com) is an illustrator who has a passion for painting in watercolors. She has been drawing and creating characters for as long as she can remember. Her work has been published in the USA, the UK and Australia. In her spare time she enjoys reading and gardening at her home in the UK. You can follow her on Instagram @gillianflint_illustration. Alexandra Boiger (alexandraboiger.com) has illustrated nearly twenty picture books, including the She Persisted series by by Chelsea Clinton; the popular Tallulah series by Marilyn Singer; and the Max and Marla books, which she also wrote. Originally from Munich, Germany, she now lives outside of San Francisco, California, with her husband, Andrea; daughter, Vanessa; and two cats, Luiso and Winter. You can follow Alexandra on Instagram @alexandra_boiger.
Illustrator Residence: UK
