She Persisted: Nellie Bly

by Michelle Knudsen, Chelsea Clinton, Alexandra Boiger (Illustrator), Gillian Flint (Illustrator)

Overview

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger, a chapter book series about women who stood up, spoke up and rose up against the odds!

In this chapter book biography by New York Times bestselling author Michelle Knudsen, readers learn about the amazing life of Nellie Bly—and how she persisted. 

Nellie Bly was a journalist and one of the first investigative reporters ever. She went undercover to expose wrongdoing and famously raced around the world so she could write about the experience for her newspaper. Reaching for her dreams wasn't easy. But Nellie never gave up, no matter how many obstacles she faced—and she helped others along the way.

Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can follow in Nellie Bly's footsteps and make a difference! A perfect choice for kids who love learning and teachers who want to bring inspiring women into their curriculum.

And don’t miss out on the rest of the books in the She Persisted series, featuring so many more women who persisted, including Clara Lemlich, Sonia Sotomayor, and more!

Praise for She Persisted: Nellie Bly:

"A fast read, sure to engage transitioning independent readers or older reluctant reader [as well as] more sophisticated readers . . . A likable, meaningful addition to the She Persisted collection." —Kirkus Reviews

"This welcome installment of the series will captivate an audience of varying reading levels with a fast pace, accessible language, and adventurous storytelling." —School Library Journal

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593115756
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	05/04/2021
Series:	She Persisted Series
Pages:	80
Sales rank:	402,949
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Michelle Knudsen (michelleknudsen.com) is the New York Times bestselling author of fifty books for young readers of all ages, including the award-winning picture book Library Lion, which was selected by TIME magazine as one of the 100 Best Children's Books of All Time. Her other books include the picture book Marilyn's Monster (one of NPR's Best Books of 2015) and the novels The Dragon of Trelian (VOYA Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers) and Evil Librarian (YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults and winner of the Sid Fleischman Award for Humor). Michelle also works as a freelance editor and writing teacher and serves on the Writing for Young People MFA faculty at Lesley University. She lives in Brooklyn, NY. Follow her on Twitter @michelleknudsen and on Instagram @michelle.knudsen.

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.

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.

Read an Excerpt

Dear Reader,

As Sally Ride and Marian Wright Edelman both powerfully said, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” When Sally Ride said that, she meant that it was hard to dream of being an astronaut, like she was, or a doctor or an athlete or anything at all if you didn’t see someone like you who already had lived that dream. She especially was talking about seeing women in jobs that historically were held by men. 

I wrote the first She Persisted and the books that came after it because I wanted young girls—and children of all genders—to see women who worked hard to live their dreams. And I wanted all of us to see examples of persistence in the face of different challenges to help inspire us in our own lives. 

I’m so thrilled now to partner with a sisterhood of writers to bring longer, more in-depth versions of these stories of women’s persistence and achievement to readers. I hope you enjoy these chapter books as much as I do and find them inspiring and empowering. 

And remember: If anyone ever tells you no, if anyone ever says your voice isn’t important or your dreams are too big, remember these women. They persisted and so should you.

Warmly,
Chelsea Clinton


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Pink
Chapter 2: The Girl Puzzle
Chapter 3: Newspaper Dreams
Chapter 4: Going Undercover
Chapter 5: Around the World
Chapter 6: More Surprises
How You Can Persist
References


Chapter 1
Pink

Nellie Bly spent her whole life doing things other people thought she couldn’t. She spoke her mind in a time when women’s voices often went unheard. She acted undercover to expose the truth about terrible injustices. And she performed amazing feats that made her one of America’s most famous and daring reporters.

Editorial Reviews

06/01/2021

Gr 1–4—This addition to the "She Persisted" chapter book biography series chronicles the life of Nellie Bly, a white American journalist during the turn of the 20th century who was known for her fearless, immersive reporting. Short chapters and charming, expressive illustrations detail Bly's life. As a precocious child, she witnessed her mother escape an abusive relationship, though divorce was almost unheard of at the time. Bly's groundbreaking investigative journalism career began in early adulthood with a feminist letter to the editor, catching the attention of the managing editor of the newspaper who invited her to write a regular column. Later, she courageously went undercover inside an inhumane asylum, exposing mistreatment and abuse of vulnerable patients. Bly skyrocketed to international fame when she endeavored to travel around the world in under 75 days, beating the fictional record set in Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days. Her journey was highly publicized, causing her to become an overnight celebrity. Bly worked tirelessly until the end of her life, writing daring stories that unearthed injustices and pushing back against the traditional, often oppressive roles women were forced into. This welcome installment of the series will captivate an audience of varying reading levels with a fast pace, accessible language, and adventurous storytelling. VERDICT A concise, engaging illustrated biography of an ambitious woman told in short chapters.—Allison Staley, Lake Oswego P.L., OR

School Library Journal

Praise for She Persisted: Nellie Bly:

"A fast read, sure to engage transitioning independent readers or older reluctant reader [as well as] more sophisticated readers . . . A likable, meaningful addition to the She Persisted collection." —Kirkus Reviews

"This welcome installment of the series will captivate an audience of varying reading levels with a fast pace, accessible language, and adventurous storytelling." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2021-03-17
In the latest installment in the She Persisted chapter-biography series, Knudsen and Flint bring to life a woman with whom many have some familiarity.

However, young readers—as well as not-so-young—will delight in discovering the many tiny details of Nellie Bly’s life. For example, her nickname was Pink because she loved the color so much. But her real name wasn’t Nellie; it was Elizabeth Jane Cochran. When her father died without a will, his estate was divided among Bly’s birth family and her 10 older half siblings, leaving Bly’s mother in straitened circumstances that led to her marriage to a violent second husband. Bly persevered possibly because of the hardships of her young life. Seeing her mother struggle fueled her determination to be self-sufficient. The book shines the most when it outlines how Elizabeth Jane transformed into Nellie Bly—women journalists were not allowed to use their proper names in print—and defied the norms of fashion journalism and society writing usually set aside for women. Bly became an internationally celebrated journalist based on her courageous, daring investigative journalism. This is a fast read, sure to engage transitioning independent readers or older reluctant readers. However, the information included will certainly hold the attention of more sophisticated readers. Flint’s delicate illustrations depict her White protagonist with confident, eager expressions. Per series formula, tips on how readers can persist close the title.

A likable, meaningful addition to the She Persisted collection. (bibliography) (Biography. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews