October 24, 2016
The heroine of My Name Is Not Isabella highlights pioneering women in American politics. Once again, Isabella changes her name throughout, instructing her parents to call her Susanna (after Susanna Madora Salter, the first woman mayor), Jeannette (referring to congresswoman Jeannette Rankin), and Sandra (as in Day O’Connor), among other names. The personas let Litwin do some time traveling in his soft-textured digital illustrations as he pictures the purple-haired heroine inhabiting each role; the story concludes with Isabella witnessing the inauguration of a brown-skinned female president. Biographical background about each politico and a timeline of other female firsts round out a light introduction to women’s role in U.S. political history. Ages 4–8. Illustrator’s agent: Gwen Walters.