Marching with Aunt Susan

Gr 1—5—This story takes place in San Francisco in 1896 and is told from the point of view of a young girl named Bessie as her mother hosts a tea with the famous suffragist as the guest of honor. Already influenced and irritated by the many things her brothers get to do that she cannot, Bessie is inspired by Anthony's words and joins the movement by marching, making signs, and talking to her best friend whose domineering father makes all decisions about family life. Bessie's supportive father and activist mother help her deal with her disappointments by balancing them with opportunities for making a difference. Schuett's somewhat impressionistic gouache paintings effectively capture the time and place and convey the emotionally charged tenor of the campaign. The endnotes, accompanied by photographs, provide factual material about the real Bessie Keith Pond, Anthony, and the suffrage movement, especially in California.—Maggie Chase, Boise State University, ID