Elizabeth Leads the Way: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Right to Vote

This book was inspirational and I loved reading it. This informational, biography of Elizabeth Cady Stanton puts adult issues, like women's rights and slavery, into terms any child can understand. One unique aspect of this book that elevates its effectiveness at raising awareness is the use of rhetorical questions. Stone begins the book by asking the reader a series of questions, "What would you do if someone told you you can't be what you want to be because you are a girl? Would you ask why? Would you talk back? Would you fight for your rights?" These questions capture the attention of the reader and challenge them to place themselves in Elizabeth Cady Stanton's shoes. This also gives the reader insight on what the book is about, show more another engaging factor. I also like how the author uses language to contrast Elizabeth to other women. Instead of simply stating that Elizabeth was courageous and righteous, the author shares what other women were doing (getting married, having kids, washing dishes, etc.), then contrasted that with Elizabeth working hard studying. This paints a clear image of the person Elizabeth Cady Stanton was, a true inspiration for women and men. This book has an important message for everyone, especially those facing oppression, to never give up fighting for what they believe in. Although Elizabeth did not live to see women gain the right to vote, her brave work fighting for women's rights will never be forgotten. show less

I really liked reading this book for multiple reasons. One reason was the characters. They were all very developed and believable. The readers were able to see how Elizabeth changed women’s rights forever from all of the descriptions the author wrote about her. For instance, the day Elizabeth figured out the only way that would change women’s rights is “if women could vote, they could help change all kinds of laws!” Another reason I liked this book was for the illustrations. The readers can see the emotions and what the characters are doing in the book. These illustrations help to guide readers as they read this book. The big message of this book is that women can do anything men can. Women should not be put down or have less show more rights for being a female. show less

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born in a time when it was "a pity to be a girl." Women didn't have the same rights as men and at the age of four Elizabeth knew she wanted to change this. This book erupts raw emotion from the very first page. The fire of equality burned bright in my young daughters eyes when I asked her "what if, because you are a girl." This book was not only a great history lesson on women's rights it was a story of a strong fierce women. Women are still fighting for equality on all fronts, and it started with Elizabeth. Elizabeth wasn't scared to fight for what she believed in, “Elizabeth had tossed a stone in the water and the ripples grew wider and wider and wider.”

Elizabeth Leads the Way is a wonderful picture book biography of one of the early suffragettes in American history, Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The reader learns about some of Elizabeth's early life experiences that lead her to fight for women's right to vote and, more imporantly, how she felt that engaging in the demoractic process was a way, in fact the only way, to bring about the changes she felt needed to happen in reagrds to how women were treated and viewed.

When Elizabeth Cady was growing up she couldn’t be what she wanted to be, she couldn’t vote, her voice didn’t matter all because she was a girl. She wanted to change how men looked at women. Elizabeth was determined, strong-spirited and a rule-breaker. Instead of getting married and doing chores around the house all day, she decided she was going to go to school and study religion, math, science, French, and writing. She met Henry Stanton and was moved about how he spoke out against slavery. Elizabeth married Stanton and realized that she did not love doing laundry, cleaning, and cooking. One day Lucretia Mott came over and she shared Elizabeth’s ideas about all the things women could do and would do if they only had the right. show more Elizabeth had the idea that could change history for the better, allowing women the right to vote. Elizabeth went to the meeting place on July 29, 1848, where she discussed how women should be granted the right to vote. The idea spread like wildfire and she changed America forever. show less

Fantastic introduction to the life of one of the suffragist leaders in the United States. The author does a great job distilling a packed life into a few pages and making the life of Elizabeth Cady Stanton into a cohesive story. Unfortunately, it ended abruptly and it seemed there was a hole in the "story" that only a few more pages, if written in the same way, would have given the audience more depth to this hero's life (thus 4 rating rather than a 5).

The writing style was simple but full of detail. Each sentence packed a punch and moved the story forward. The illustrations were reminiscent of folk art and really paralleled the story so that it was almost possible to "read" the story through the pictures, rather than just using the show more illustrations as a way to "decorate" the words.

This is a great book for elementary students, not only for pleasure, but to supplement curriculum. show less

ELIZABETH LEADS THE WAY: ELIZABETH CADY STANTON AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE is a cute picture book about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her determination that women should have the right to vote. It details her life and points out the many injustices that women of that time had to face primarily because they had no say in the law making process. The book and Elizabeth Cady Stanton's life show that sometimes with enough passion, just one person (even an unlikely one like a woman in the 1800's) can begin to "change the world forever." It contains many well done illustrations and would be an excellent read during a lesson on women's rights or American history in general.