One Step Forward

Jailed for demanding the right to vote!

What an amazing historical novel in verse based on real life suffragist Matilda Young. At 19, she was the youngest person jailed for her participation in the National Woman’s Party toiling for the women’s right to vote movement in 1919. Atkins dramatically brings stressful moments to life when highlighting the dynamics involved with growing up in a politically divided family. I appreciated how Matilda found strength marching with her mother and sisters for equal access to the vote. This title is highly recommended for middle grade and high school readers interested in the historical context behind the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.