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Fight of the Century: Alice Paul Battles Woodrow Wilson for the Vote
The fight for women's suffrage between women's rights leader Alice Paul and President Woodrow Wilson is presented as a four-round boxing match in this nonfiction picture book.
When Woodrow Wilson was elected President, he didn't know that he would be participating in one of the greatest fights of the century: the battle for women's right to vote. The formidable Alice Paul led the women's suffrage movement, and saw President Wilson's election as an opportunity to win the vote to women. She battered her opponent with endless strategic arguments and carefully coordinated protests, calling for a new amendment granting women the right to vote. With a spirit and determination that never quit--even when peaceful protests were met with violence and even when many women were thrown in jail--Paul eventually convinced President Wilson to support her cause, changing the country forever.
When Woodrow Wilson was elected President, he didn't know that he would be participating in one of the greatest fights of the century: the battle for women's right to vote. The formidable Alice Paul led the women's suffrage movement, and saw President Wilson's election as an opportunity to win the vote to women. She battered her opponent with endless strategic arguments and carefully coordinated protests, calling for a new amendment granting women the right to vote. With a spirit and determination that never quit--even when peaceful protests were met with violence and even when many women were thrown in jail--Paul eventually convinced President Wilson to support her cause, changing the country forever.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published February 25, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
June 1, 2020
A crowd lines the parade route, half a million strong. Angry men spill into the street. They push, spit, and throw lit cigars at the marchers. Go home where you belong! The suffrage parade dissolves into a riot. Hundreds are injured.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it. It seems as if change can never happen in the U.S. without violence preceding it.
I won this book in a giveaway sponsored by the Women’s National Book Association. Thank you to them.
June 6, 2020
I love the art in this book, but I have two big issues:
1. I don't love framing political efforts in sports metaphors (here as a boxing match). It's done too often, leading to a misconception that there must be a clear-cut "winner" and "loser" with no room for nuance or analysis of external factors, like "winning" is often predicated on specific privileges or social advantages. Basically, I think it oversimplifies the process.
2. The biggest issue is that Alice Paul, though originally included Black women activists, ultimately upheld processes and norms that excluded them. This book puts that fact in the end notes with just a few sentences and frames this exclusion as "damaging to her reputation." Um, it was racist and unacceptable, not just damaging to her reputation. I understand that any book about women's suffrage in America is going to have to address the rampant racism in this movement, but if you want to talk about what white women did do that was important, you MUST devote at least a few pages to explaining that their activism was imperfect and racist. I realize this isn't... fun to learn about? It's uncomfortable. And infuriating. But many movements are/were racist/classist/sexist, and we owe it to kids to tell the whole, uncomplicated truth (this book talks about Paul leading a hunger strike and being tortured in prison; we can tell the whole truth).
Just my two cents.
1. I don't love framing political efforts in sports metaphors (here as a boxing match). It's done too often, leading to a misconception that there must be a clear-cut "winner" and "loser" with no room for nuance or analysis of external factors, like "winning" is often predicated on specific privileges or social advantages. Basically, I think it oversimplifies the process.
2. The biggest issue is that Alice Paul, though originally included Black women activists, ultimately upheld processes and norms that excluded them. This book puts that fact in the end notes with just a few sentences and frames this exclusion as "damaging to her reputation." Um, it was racist and unacceptable, not just damaging to her reputation. I understand that any book about women's suffrage in America is going to have to address the rampant racism in this movement, but if you want to talk about what white women did do that was important, you MUST devote at least a few pages to explaining that their activism was imperfect and racist. I realize this isn't... fun to learn about? It's uncomfortable. And infuriating. But many movements are/were racist/classist/sexist, and we owe it to kids to tell the whole, uncomplicated truth (this book talks about Paul leading a hunger strike and being tortured in prison; we can tell the whole truth).
Just my two cents.
February 28, 2020
A very cute, clever telling of Alice Paul’s suffrage work — making the battle between Paul and Woodrow Wilson resemble a prize fight (“... and in this corner ...”). The text adorably reads like a prizefight announcer is calling the fight. I love Sarah Green’s cute, colorful drawings, which manage to be pretty historically accurate in terms of clothing, hair, etc., but also visually expressive. And I appreciated that the ending includes more detailed information and a timeline.
I’m not entirely convinced that little kids of picture-book age will “get” the whole prizefight analogy. Do they know enough about boxing to really understand? (Well, maybe that’s not necessary.) Will they be confused about whether Alice Paul and Woodrow Wilson physically fought each other? (I don’t think so but I’ve known little kids who take some surprising things literally).
I’m not entirely convinced that little kids of picture-book age will “get” the whole prizefight analogy. Do they know enough about boxing to really understand? (Well, maybe that’s not necessary.) Will they be confused about whether Alice Paul and Woodrow Wilson physically fought each other? (I don’t think so but I’ve known little kids who take some surprising things literally).
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January 24, 2021Mati got this picture book from the library. He also read the explanations for adults at the end, which is good, because otherwise I would have been very uncomfortable. (I read the book after he did, and then we had a little discussion about it.) Details about how the American fight for women's suffrage was, in the eyes of many white women suffragettes, only for white and not Black women, were only explained in the section for adults - and this information was not incorporated into the story at all.
I thought the "boxing match" framing did not add to the story either, and I got the impression Mati was confused by it. Still, I think he liked the book more than I did.
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Source of the book: Lawrence Public Library
I thought the "boxing match" framing did not add to the story either, and I got the impression Mati was confused by it. Still, I think he liked the book more than I did.
____
Source of the book: Lawrence Public Library
August 10, 2021
Suffragettes win! We loved the theme of a proverbial boxing 🥊 fight going round by round. My eldest son read this one aloud like a fight announcer. It was interesting for us all.
March 8, 2020
This book creatively retells the story of Alice Paul's fight for women's suffrage. It conveys historically accurate and detailed information while keeping a playful, engaging tone for children, and the illustrations capture Paul's and Wilson's real-life physical features and facial expressions very well. However, even though I am impressed with most elements of this book, and appreciate the detailed author's note and historical timelines in the back, I am only giving this book three stars because of two different issues.
Firstly, the playful narrative device of telling the story as a match-up between a champion and a challenger has a few complications. The author presents fellow suffrage supporters as being "in Alice's corner," and detractors as being "in Woodrow's corner." The unfortunate, incorrect implication of this is that the men who screamed at, spit on, and were physically violent against suffrage marchers were part of Wilson's team. The president did not endorse verbal harassment and physical brutality against Suffragettes, and as the book otherwise shows very clearly, the primary problem was that he was passive and tried to ignore the issue. This book makes it clear that women had to go to great lengths to get his attention and win him over, but the line about people being "in Woodrow's corner" could lead to the incorrect interpretation that the president supported brutal actions against women.
The second issue is that when the book addresses Alice Paul's time in prison, it refers to her no longer eating without providing any context for this. Similarly, the author's note refers to her being force-fed without explaining anything. Given our current culture and issues with girls' relationships to food, I think that it is unwise and confusing to refer to Alice Paul's refusal to eat without explaining the specific context, precedent, and political strategy of a hunger strike. Maybe I am making too big of a deal about this, but it wouldn't be that hard to briefly explain a hunger strike at a child-friendly level, so the choice not to explain, even in the author's note, seems unwise and a little bit negligent.
I would still recommend this book, because it is very appealing, detailed, accurate, and well-illustrated, but parents and educators should be informed of these two issues so that they are prepared to address them with children.
Firstly, the playful narrative device of telling the story as a match-up between a champion and a challenger has a few complications. The author presents fellow suffrage supporters as being "in Alice's corner," and detractors as being "in Woodrow's corner." The unfortunate, incorrect implication of this is that the men who screamed at, spit on, and were physically violent against suffrage marchers were part of Wilson's team. The president did not endorse verbal harassment and physical brutality against Suffragettes, and as the book otherwise shows very clearly, the primary problem was that he was passive and tried to ignore the issue. This book makes it clear that women had to go to great lengths to get his attention and win him over, but the line about people being "in Woodrow's corner" could lead to the incorrect interpretation that the president supported brutal actions against women.
The second issue is that when the book addresses Alice Paul's time in prison, it refers to her no longer eating without providing any context for this. Similarly, the author's note refers to her being force-fed without explaining anything. Given our current culture and issues with girls' relationships to food, I think that it is unwise and confusing to refer to Alice Paul's refusal to eat without explaining the specific context, precedent, and political strategy of a hunger strike. Maybe I am making too big of a deal about this, but it wouldn't be that hard to briefly explain a hunger strike at a child-friendly level, so the choice not to explain, even in the author's note, seems unwise and a little bit negligent.
I would still recommend this book, because it is very appealing, detailed, accurate, and well-illustrated, but parents and educators should be informed of these two issues so that they are prepared to address them with children.
December 3, 2020
Framed as a boxing match between suffragist Alice Paul and President Woodrow Wilson, this book nicely summarizes the key points of Alice Paul and the NWP's campaign for women's suffrage. It even includes Alice Paul's jail time and hunger strike. Being a picture book for children, the story is naturally very short and summarized but the author really hits the key points. In the back, there's a timeline of women's suffrage, a two-page biographical note of Alice Paul's fight and an extensive list of sources for adults, quotation sources. The only real problems I have with the book are 1) I didn't like the boxing match format and 2)The storybook portion mentions how Alice's Quaker faith made her believe everyone was equal yet neglects to mention how she let the segregationists throw Black women under the bus. However, the author's note DOES explain what happened and how Ida B. Wells refused to march in the back of the parade.
The illustrations are excellent! The author based the style on lithographs of the period. She really paid attention to detail in regards to the fashions of the time and copied what she saw. I'm impressed. (Fashion history nerd)
This may be the best picture book about Alice Paul I've read so far.
The illustrations are excellent! The author based the style on lithographs of the period. She really paid attention to detail in regards to the fashions of the time and copied what she saw. I'm impressed. (Fashion history nerd)
This may be the best picture book about Alice Paul I've read so far.
January 20, 2021
Alice Paul was a fighter!
October 29, 2020
Love the context putting it in terms of a prize fight. Great illustrations
December 12, 2020
"Give it a good review, okay, Mom? I liked it!"
My son liked the style in which this was told. It was an engaging way to share what could be an otherwise dry history to young kids. It was told in the style of a boxing match. My son said the suffragists reminded him of the people who fought for civil rights for Blacks. He was indignant at the injustice of women not having the vote.
My son liked the style in which this was told. It was an engaging way to share what could be an otherwise dry history to young kids. It was told in the style of a boxing match. My son said the suffragists reminded him of the people who fought for civil rights for Blacks. He was indignant at the injustice of women not having the vote.
October 2, 2020
Fight of the Century: Alice Paul Battles Woodrow Wilson for the Vote is a children's picture book written by Barb Rosenstock and illustrated by Sarah Green. Using a framework based on boxing match rounds, this picture book describes the pitched battle between two complicated historical figures in Alice Paul and President Woodrow Wilson.
Alice Stokes Paul was an American suffragist, feminist, and women's rights activist, and one of the main leaders and strategists of the campaign for the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibits sex discrimination in the right to vote.
Rosenstock's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Rosenstock's fidelity to the boxing metaphor creates a unique, albeit rigid framework that sometimes distracts – still an apt metaphor nevertheless. Backmatter includes an author's note and supplementary notes. Stylized, colorful illustrations by Green are accented with bold black lines and incorporate boxing motifs.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Alice Paul, a fierce advocate for the passage of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote, faces the conservatism of President Woodrow Wilson, who blocked the amendment for years, but was eventually ratified in 1920.
All in all, Fight of the Century: Alice Paul Battles Woodrow Wilson for the Vote is a lively, inspiring depiction of an indomitable fighter for women’s rights.
Alice Stokes Paul was an American suffragist, feminist, and women's rights activist, and one of the main leaders and strategists of the campaign for the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibits sex discrimination in the right to vote.
Rosenstock's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Rosenstock's fidelity to the boxing metaphor creates a unique, albeit rigid framework that sometimes distracts – still an apt metaphor nevertheless. Backmatter includes an author's note and supplementary notes. Stylized, colorful illustrations by Green are accented with bold black lines and incorporate boxing motifs.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Alice Paul, a fierce advocate for the passage of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote, faces the conservatism of President Woodrow Wilson, who blocked the amendment for years, but was eventually ratified in 1920.
All in all, Fight of the Century: Alice Paul Battles Woodrow Wilson for the Vote is a lively, inspiring depiction of an indomitable fighter for women’s rights.
July 1, 2022
While the illustrations are nice, this books struggles with several things. One, I don’t think framing this sort of political movement as a boxing match is helpful for children’s comprehension. Other main things are not explained, like what a hunger strike is and how the 19th amendment actually came to pass.
A more grievous error is the complete lack of acknowledgement that the only way the amendment was granted was from suffragettes breaking their alliance with abolitionists, and counting on white supremacy to win. Even in the timeline, the fact that many women of color didn’t get the right to vote until 1965 and later for some lay completely unaddressed. The timeline just stops in 1920. This erasure of the harm white feminists have done to women of color should be unacceptable in a book published in 2020.
A more grievous error is the complete lack of acknowledgement that the only way the amendment was granted was from suffragettes breaking their alliance with abolitionists, and counting on white supremacy to win. Even in the timeline, the fact that many women of color didn’t get the right to vote until 1965 and later for some lay completely unaddressed. The timeline just stops in 1920. This erasure of the harm white feminists have done to women of color should be unacceptable in a book published in 2020.
January 7, 2021
This is an incredible picture book explaining how a very strong Suffragist, Alice Paul, wore down President Woodrow Wilson (and others) to help win the vote for American women. This story follows the pattern of a "prize fight" with rounds instead of chapters and a KO at the end when Wilson finally agrees to become Paul's ally instead of fighting against her. What incredible violence and degradation these women endured just to stand up for themselves to win the right to vote. I am very surprised I have never heard of this woman before and I am happy I learned something new about the Women's Suffragist Movement.
February 12, 2021
A nice picture book about women’s suffrage for upper elementary students. I liked the way the fight is compared to a boxing match. The author’s note at the end gives more information and acknowledges that Alice Paul supported discriminatory practices for African American women within the suffrage movement. The timeline at the end is appropriate for the intended audience.
I particularly liked the color palette of the illustrations. The dark colors enhanced the theme of the text that obtaining the right for women to vote was a fight.
I would recommend this text over “Miss Paul and the President.”
I particularly liked the color palette of the illustrations. The dark colors enhanced the theme of the text that obtaining the right for women to vote was a fight.
I would recommend this text over “Miss Paul and the President.”
February 25, 2020
This timely book introduces young readers to Alice Paul and her activism, her ongoing support of women’s suffrage, and her continuing advocacy for passage of the 19th Amendment during Woodrow Wilson’s two presidential terms. Beautifully illustrated, it provides a fascinating and compelling look at an important moment in American history. The two-page timeline at the end of the book reminds readers that women getting the vote was not an easy process and should not be taken lightly.
December 3, 2024
An important story about Alice Paul's role in the battle for women's right to vote is told through the metaphor of a boxing match. I don't appreciate the simplification of the struggle being whittled down to a boxing match between two people, but I imagine it might draw different types of readers. Kind of like how different viewers were drawn to watch tennis when Billie Jean King whipped Bobby Riggs's ass in 1973.
August 9, 2020
Possible contender for the Mock Caldecott Awards. The story of Alice Paul and her supporters attempting to convince President Woodrow Wilson to grant women the right to vote told in the manner of a prize fight. An interesting way to approach the telling and, in my opinion, to making it easier for older children to remember the account.
September 15, 2020
The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote and this year will be the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the amendment. This book shows the struggles that Alice Paul and her fellow suffragists went through, particularly with President Woodrow Wilson, to make this happen. A timely and wonderful story, expertly woven for younger readers.
December 22, 2020
I just read Susan B Anthony's Biography, and reading this I just don't understand why women weren't give n the vote. I know, power and control by white males, but are "they" that afraid of women that they can't have their voices be heard in politics!
Yeah for all those women who stood up, were imprisoned and treated like property who said "NO MORE!!"
Yeah for all those women who stood up, were imprisoned and treated like property who said "NO MORE!!"
August 18, 2021
A unique framing of the fight for women's right to vote, focusing on the work of Alice Paul and how she persevered to get President Wilson to change his mind about supporting womens' suffrage. Ideal for Grades 3-6th, I think and a wonderful research piece as well, with factual information, photos, and timeline in the back.
April 25, 2022
Read to 5 yr old DD. Overall a great book and perhaps I'm just more sensitive to the atrocities of the world with events happening in Ukraine but just had to quickly skip over page about war. Is it wrong that I just don't want to have that word in reading time with this young, innocent being?
May 4, 2022
The fight for the women's right to vote told as if it were a real boxing match. I found it interesting the president switched sides partway through the fight. Photos of the main players in the end plus very detailed historical notes.
February 7, 2020
A clever retelling of the ideological battle between suffragist Alice Paul and President Woodrow Wilson!
April 5, 2020
An important story to tell, but framing it as a boxing match is an odd and mismatched way to share her story.
June 7, 2020
3.5. I like the fight aspect of the book.
June 26, 2020
The author's note kind of addresses how white women did not include Black women, etc.. This information needs to be included IN books more often.
August 7, 2020
This would be a great book to read aloud to students in third grade and up!
October 16, 2020
I read this to my daughter in celebration of 100 years of votes for women.
December 22, 2020
I liked how the book was set up like it was a boxing match.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews