Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World
Pénélope Bagieu
First Second
Published March 6, 2018
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About Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World
2019 Eisner Award Winner for Best U.S. Edition of International Material
Throughout history and across the globe, one characteristic connects the daring women of Brazen: their indomitable spirit.
With her characteristic wit and dazzling drawings, celebrated graphic novelist Pénélope Bagieu profiles the lives of these feisty female role models, some world famous, some little known. From Nellie Bly to Mae Jemison or Josephine Baker to Naziq al-Abid, the stories in this comic biography are sure to inspire the next generation of rebel ladies.
My Review
This is such a fun collection! The women featured in the book come from all over the world and include a diverse spectrum of accomplishments from science to the arts to politics. Some faces and stories will probably be familiar to readers if they’ve read much about women’s history before. Other faces and stories may be completely unfamiliar.
I enjoyed learning bits of history with Bagieu’s signature humor and quick wit. Some of the panels had me absolutely cracking up. In the story of Chinese Emperor Wu Zetian, one panel relates that she caught recognition for taming what was thought to be an untamable horse. The expression on the horse’s face in that panel had me in stitches.
This collection is perfect for celebrating women’s history. It could also serve as a great starting point for someone wanting to learn more about contributions women have made to the world. Bagieu’s smart illustrations and the clever narrative accompanying them are so engaging. I highly recommend it.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 12 up.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Profanity used very sparingly.
Romance/Sexual Content
References to marriage and romantic partnership. Reference to a woman speaking plainly about her sexual experiences and feelings. Reference to a girl in danger of being abused by a stepparent.
Spiritual Content
None.
Violent Content
Situations of peril.
Drug Content
Reference to drinking alcohol.
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