Rad Girls Can: Stories of Bold, Brave, and Brilliant Young Women

Gr 5 Up—The author/illustrator pair of Rad American Women A—Z and Rad Women Worldwide present a new book featuring 50 women and girls who, before the age of 20, made an impact on the world. In an informal writing style, Schatz describes each young woman in one to three pages. The subjects are diverse in race, nationality, and ability, as well as purpose—they are athletes, activists, artists, and more. The title includes such historical figures as Anne Frank, along with contemporary individuals. The latter will be the most meaningful to readers, as they may relate more to their struggles and triumphs, such as the Radical Monarchs, an activist scout troop, and Yusra Mardini, a Syrian refugee and Olympic swimmer. Stahl's cut-paper illustrations are outstanding, showcasing her talent in creating portraitlike depictions on nearly every page. Though the content is impressive, its organization is somewhat lacking. Unlike the previous two titles, the stories do not follow a consistent layout, and they appear in random order. The back matter includes suggestions for readers on how to become a changemaker and short descriptions of additional "rad girls," though there's no formal bibliography.