Dangerous Jane: ?The Life and Times of Jane Addams, Crusader for Peace

by Suzanne Slade, Alice Ratterree (Illustrator)

Overview

An inspiring picture book biography of Jane Addams, the groundbreaking social activist who went from the FBI's "Most Dangerous Woman in America" to Nobel Peace Prize winner.

From the time she was a child, Jane Addams's heart ached for others—for those who were sad, hungry, and hopeless. When she grew up, Jane created Hull House, a settlement house in Chicago where she worked eighteen hours a day, providing whatever her immigrant neighbors needed: English lessons, childcare, steady work—as well as friendship, dignity, and hope. Then World War I broke out. Jane had helped people from different countries live in peace at Hull House, but what could she do to stop a war?

Suzanne Slade's powerful free verse and Alice Ratterree's stunning, period-perfect illustrations bring a remarkable woman to life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682632062
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	11/03/2020
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,032,710
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Suzanne Slade, a Sibert Honor-winning author, has written over one hundred and fifty children's books. An engineer by degree, she enjoys writing on STEM topics, as well as on inspiring figures in history. A popular speaker, she visits dozens of schools every year and has been invited to speak at numerous conferences such as ALA, IRA, ISLMA, NSTA, as well as the National Book Festival. Suzanne's books are enjoyed by readers around the world and also in space! Her picture book Astronaut Annie was read aboard the International Space Station for Story Time from Space. She lives in Illinois.

Alice Ratterree began her career in music, as a classically trained singer working in operatic, concert and oratorio venues. Her work has been featured in greeting cards, children's books, and original paintings and drawings. She lives in South Carolina.

Editorial Reviews

08/07/2017
In an inspiring testament to the power of activism, Slade shows how Jane Addams’s lifelong concern for those in need led her to found Hull House, serve as president of the Women’s Peace Party, and embark on other charitable endeavors that eventually resulted in her receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, the first American woman to be honored with it. Ratterree strongly evokes the late-19th- and early-20th-century setting in carefully drafted watercolors dominated by muted taupes and browns; Addams’s bright green dress is like a beacon amid scenes of WWI battle and deprivation. An afterword and timeline round out a solid introduction to a woman who “kept doing what she’d always done: helping people. No matter where they were from. No matter what others thought. No matter the cost.” Ages 6–10. Author’s agent: Karen Grencik, Red Fox Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Marietta Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"A straightforward introduction to the dedication and purpose of an American heroine." —Booklist

"An inspiring testament to the power of activism.. . . An afterword and timeline round out a solid introduction to a woman who 'kept doing what she'd always done: helping people. No matter where they were from. No matter what others thought. No matter the cost.'" —Publishers Weekly

"Slade tells the purposively inspiring story with a poetic flair, and Ratterree's pale, evocatively washed-out watercolor illustrations are richly detailed. . . An attractive volume introducing an important American to young readers." —Kirkus Reviews

"Slade continues her line of outstanding nonfiction picture books with her latest offering, about Jane Addams. . . . This short biography emphasizes the value of doing what is right despite criticism. . . . In Slade's and Ratterree's hands, Addams's legacy shines brightly for the next generation of advocates. . . . A stirring addition to any school or public library's biography section." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

07/01/2017
PreS-Gr 3—Slade continues her line of outstanding nonfiction picture books with her latest offering, about Jane Addams. Many young historians know Addams as the creator of Hull House in Chicago, but this title will give them a more well-rounded account of her life. Readers learn of her childhood hardships, including losing her mother as a toddler and being diagnosed with what doctors believed was tuberculosis of the spine. Addams was also a peace activist during World War I and was named the "most dangerous woman in America" by the FBI for her humanitarian work abroad in the years after the war. This short biography emphasizes the value of doing what is right despite criticism. Written in short, lyrical bursts, Addams's story will hold readers' attention. Back matter contains a time line and a more in-depth afterword. Soft pencil and watercolor illustrations recall the turn of the 20th century. In Slade's and Ratterree's hands, Addams's legacy shines brightly for the next generation of advocates. VERDICT A stirring addition to any school or public library's biography section. Pair with titles such as Tanya Lee Stone's The House That Jane Built: A Story About Jane Addams. Hand to readers looking to make a difference in the world.—Brittany Drehobl, Eisenhower Public Library District, IL

School Library Journal

2017-06-05
Jane Addams' life was dedicated to helping others. Jane Addams knew how it felt to be sad, lonely, and in pain. Her mother died when Jane was 2, and Jane contracted spinal tuberculosis at age 4, leaving her with a crooked back and toes that pointed in. "She felt like the ugly duckling / in her storybook: / different, / unwanted, / hopeless." So, when she rode into town with her father and saw the poverty other people faced—"the rundown shacks, / sad, hungry parents, / cold, barefoot children"—the beginnings of her social conscience were stirred. She got a good education, traveled throughout Europe, and committed herself to helping the poor. Toynbee Hall, a settlement house in London, inspired her to establish the now-famous Hull House in Chicago. At first Jane was beloved, the New York Evening Post even suggesting she run for president. But Addams became controversial for her peace efforts during World War I, and the FBI labeled her "the Most Dangerous Woman in America." However, she went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Slade tells the purposively inspiring story with a poetic flair, and Ratterree's pale, evocatively washed-out watercolor illustrations are richly detailed (though hands seem to be her nemesis as an artist). They make the most of the book's oversize trim, giving space to the free-verse text. A "More about Dangerous Jane" section mostly retells the story, with a few new details added. An attractive volume introducing an important American to young readers. (Picture book/biography. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews