Alice Across America: The Story of the First Women’s Cross-Country Road Trip

Gr 2-5–Marsh describes the fascinating story of the first cross-country trip made by women. Alice Ramsey fell in love with driving when she first got behind the wheel of an automobile. When Ramsey earned a perfect score in an endurance test, she caught the eye of the publicist for the Maxwell-Briscoe Company. He proposed that she drive a new Maxwell automobile from New York to California to prove that the car was so well built, even a lady could handle it. Ramsey and three of her friends embarked on a two-month journey that took them across the country. Historical details about cars, roadways, and gender bias are incorporated throughout the story and enhance the plot. The author’s note includes more information about Ramsey, her companions, the journey, and photos of the women during the trip. Ford’s illustrations are a true asset to the text and evoke a sense of the early 1900s. Most of the illustrations are large two-page spreads that provide a sense of the wide-open spaces the women traveled.