• Age: 4 to 8
• Grade: p to 3

“Each poem and illustration shines with a personality all its own.” —Shelf Awareness (starred review)

“This book has definitely made an impact on my life.” —Kitt Shapiro, daughter of Eartha Kitt

Fresh, accessible, and inspiring, Shaking Things Up introduces fourteen revolutionary young women—each paired with a noteworthy female artist—to the next generation of activists, trailblazers, and rabble-rousers.

From the award-winning author of Ada’s Violin and Lifeboat 12, Susan Hood, this is a poetic and visual celebration of persistent women throughout history.

In this book of poems, you will find Mary Anning, who was just thirteen when she unearthed a prehistoric fossil. You’ll meet Ruby Bridges, the brave six-year-old who helped end segregation in the South. And Maya Lin, who at twenty-one won a competition to create a war memorial, and then had to appear before Congress to defend her right to create.

And those are just a few of the young women included in this book. Readers will also hear about Molly Williams, Annette Kellerman, Nellie Bly, Pura Belpré, Frida Kahlo, Jacqueline and Eileen Nearne, Frances Moore Lappé, Mae Jemison, Angela Zhang, and Malala Yousafzai—all whose stories will enthrall and inspire. This poetry collection was written, illustrated, edited, and designed by women and includes an author’s note, a timeline, and additional resources.

With artwork by award-winning and bestselling artists including Selina Alko, Sophie Blackall, Lisa Brown, Hadley Hooper, Emily Winfield Martin, Oge Mora, Julie Morstad, Sara Palacios, LeUyen Pham, Erin Robinson, Isabel Roxas, Shadra Strickland, and Melissa Sweet.

A 2019 Bank Street Best Book of the Year

Named to the 2019 Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List

Selected for CCBC Choices Book 2019

Selected as a Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2019

Named to the Cuyahoga County Public Library’s 2018 list of Great Books for Kids

2020-2021 South Carolina Picture Book Award Nominee

Susan Hood is the award-winning author of many books for young readers, including Alias Anna, Lifeboat 12, Ada’s Violin, Brothers in Arms, The Last Straw: Kids vs. Plastics, Shaking Things Up, and Titan and the Wild Boars. She is the recipient of an E. B. White Read-Aloud Picture Book Honor, the Christopher Award, the Américas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, the Golden Kite Award, and the Bank Street Flora Stieglitz Straus Award, given annually for “a distinguished work of nonfiction.” Visit her at susanhoodbooks.com.

Susan Hood's profile page

LINDSAY MATTICK, Harry Colebourn’s great-granddaughter, is the vice-president of an award-winning public relations firm. Passionate about making a difference in her own backyard, Lindsay is a board member for several non-profit organizations including Timeraiser, Artbound and Help Tank. Based in Toronto, she has shared Harry and Winnie’s story around the world.

SOPHIE BLACKALL is the illustrator of many acclaimed picture books, including Mr. and Mrs. Bunny—Detectives Extraordinaire! by Polly Horvath, The Mighty Lalouche by Matthew Olshan and The Baby Tree. Her artwork has also appeared in murals as part of the New York City MTA’s “Arts for Transit” program. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

WEB: www.sophieblackall.com

Sophie Blackall's profile page

Emily Winfield Martin's profile page

Shadra Strickland's profile page

Melissa Sweet has illustrated more than one hundred books, including Kwame Alexander’s How to Read a Book and How to Write a Poem, and has written and illustrated her own work. Her work has been featured in magazines, on greeting cards, and on living room walls. Melissa has received the Caldecott Honor Medal twice, among many other awards, including the Sibert Award, and is a New York Times bestselling author and artist. Melissa lives in Maine. You can visit her at melissasweet.net.

Melissa Sweet's profile page

LeUyen Pham has voted in every single presidential election since she turned eighteen. She is the author and illustrator of A Piece of Cake, All the Things I Love About You, and Big Sister, Little Sister. She has illustrated many other picture books, including the New York Times bestsellers Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio and Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore. LeUyen lives with her husband and sons in California.

LeUyen Pham's profile page

Oge Mora graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in illustration. Her debut picture book, Thank You, Omu!, was a Caldecott Honor Book, a New York Times Notable Book and Editors’ Choice, and a Junior Library Guild selection. She is also the author-illustrator of Saturday as well as the illustrator of The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read. Oge lives in Providence, Rhode Island, and invites you to visit her website at www.ogemora.com.

Oge Mora's profile page

 span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Julie Morstadspan lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"> is an author, illustrator and artist living in Vancouver, British Columbia.  Her most recent book for children, How To, marks her authorial debut, and has received starred reviews in Kirkus, School Library Journal and Quill & Quire, as well as a Governor General's award nomination. Books she has illustrated for children include When You Were Small, recipient of the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award; When I Was Small, winner of the Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize; and Singing Away the Dark, which was shortlisted for a number of children's literature prizes.

 

Julie Morstad's profile page

Lisa Brown is the New York Times bestselling illustrator of How To Be, Sometimes You Get What You Want, and the New York Times bestselling book The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and son.

Lisa Brown's profile page

Selina Alko spends her days melding words and mixed-media art to convey stories of hope and inspiration—as well as an alternative viewpoint. Her books include The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage, Can I Touch Your Hair?, Daddy Christmas & Hanukkah Mama, I is for Immigrants, and Stars of the Night: The Courageous Children of the Czech Kindertransport, which was a National Jewish Book Award Finalist and selected as a Best Children's Book of the Year by Bank Street College of Education and School Library Journal. Selina lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Selina Alko's profile page

Hadley Hooper's profile page

Isabel Roxas is an author & illustrator creating books for young readers. Originally from Manila, she is now based in New York City, completing the third installment of her award-winning graphic novel series The Adventures of Team Pom.

Isabel Roxas' profile page

Erin Robinson is the illustrator of the forthcoming picture book A Crown of Stories: The Life and Language of Beloved Writer Toni Morrison.

Erin Robinson's profile page

Sara Palacios is the recipient of the 2012 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor for her work on Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match/Marisol McDonald no combina. A native of Mexico, Sara graduated from the National Institute of Fine Arts in Mexico City with a degree in digital graphic techniques and went on to earn BFA and MFA degrees in illustration from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She works with a variety of media such as collage, ink, and digital artwork.

Sara Palacios' profile page

“Each poem and illustration…shines with a personality all its own” — Shelf Awareness (starred review)

“Encouraging profiles of astronauts, artists, and activists both honor past accomplishments and point toward ways young readers themselves might change the world, too.” — Publishers Weekly

“The different artistic styles and the variety of poetry are sure to keep readers’ interest.” — Booklist

“An additional purchase for elementary history and poetry collections.” — School Library Journal

“[T]his book has definitely made an impact on my life” — Kitt Shapiro, daughter of Eartha Kitt

From my mermaid queen, Annette Kellerman, to spies and activists and astronauts, this book is a beautiful live wire! — Emily Winfield Martin, author-illustrator of the New York Times bestseller The Wonderful Things You Will Be

Your spirit will be lifted and your heart will be full after reading Shaking Things Up... This blend of poetry and stunning artwork should be a part of every professional and personal collection." — Margie Myers-Culver / Librarian's Quest blog (10.5K Twitter followers)

Shaking Things Up is the ultimate girl power picture book of 2018! It's written, illustrated, and edited by all women! — Here Wee Read blog (41.9K Instagram followers)

We're in a golden age of books about strong women for children, and what I love about this one is that each biography (written in poems begging to be read out loud) focuses on women who achieved great things as girls and young women. The combination of spare text and gorgeous, varied illustrations...makes this a stunning and friendly introduction to amazing women. — The Curious Reader bookstore (13K Instagram followers)

If there were ever a book that truly epitomized the concept of female empowerment and celebration, it's Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World. — Let’s Talk Picture Books blog (6K Instagram followers)

The book is truly incredible. It is a must-read must-have, must-revisit kind of book. It is perfection! — Franki Sibberson, 5^th grade teacher. President-Elect of NCTE (19K Twitter followers)

Hood highlights female activists in an impressive array of fields - firefighting...paleontology...librarianship...journalism...undercover operatives...architecture...and much more...Each poem and illustration is followed be a brief bio of each woman and the book closes with a list of sources and information for further reading. — Julie Danielson, Kirkus Reviews, 7-Imp, a children's literature blog focusing on illustration and picture books

'I chose to write this book...to celebrate the world I want for my daughters, my new granddaughter, and the young girls and boys out there,' Hood writes in an author's note. If could give her a fist bump for including "and boys" there, I would. And that's because boys need to see these stories of powerful women just as much as girls do. — Julie Danielson, Kirkus Reviews, 7-Imp, a children's literature blog focusing on illustration and picture books