A True Wonder

Starred review from August 1, 2021
Grades 2-5 *Starred Review* Suffering Sappho! This story about Wonder Woman, the iconic comic book, comic strip, TV show, and blockbuster superhero movie persona, splendidly parallels the history of women in America over the past 80 years. Our story begins in 1941, when white men were in charge of the exploding comic book market. The idea of introducing a woman character was radical, but the publisher of Superman, Charlie Gaines, liked the idea, so Wonder Woman was born. This clever account highlights women like Joye Hummel, who wrote and edited Wonder Woman comics during the 1940s when the men went off to war; empowered women of the 1960s, such as Gloria Steinem, who put Wonder Woman on the cover of the very first Ms. Magazine; and Patty Jenkins, the groundbreaking director of both recent Wonder Woman films. The text stresses how all these women defied expectations and took on new roles, vanquishing misogynistic villains at every turn. The wonderfully detailed illustrations create nuance, showing diverse audiences enthralled with various versions of our heroine (and be sure to look for cameo appearances by other feminist icons). The back matter includes an especially entertaining author's note, source notes, and recommended reading suggestions. This is an engaging addition to the superhero canon and packs quite a punch for everyday women heroes.

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August 13, 2021

Gr 3-5-Focusing on the ups and downs of Wonder Woman's status as a role model, Larson begins with the superheroine's origins in 1941. The author details changes through the years as Wonder Woman went from capturing enemy soldiers and even serving as president of the United States (in the far future) to, in the 1950s, just angling to retire and marry before being revived as a feminist icon in subsequent decades and becoming the strong, independent TV and movie star of today. Skipping over seamier details (Wonder Woman's creator William Marston was a real piece of work, by other accounts), the author names and pays tribute to the women writers and editors who played prominent roles in the predominantly white male world of comics publishing to create the WW stories and, later, films. In a personal afterword preceding the generous list of further resources, Larson also connects Wonder Woman's long fight for social justice to real-world struggles for civil and equal rights. Possibly for licensing reasons, Wu steers clear of clear or conventional depictions of Wonder Woman-and covers her cleavage with discreet swirls of bunting to keep censors at bay, too-but fills the illustrations with images of proud, active fans, mostly (but not entirely) girls and women, of diverse races. VERDICT References to Diana Prince's actual adventures and feats are scattered, so readers will have to look elsewhere for her background and exploits, but this picture book tribute provides a strong motive for doing so.-John Peters, Children's Literature Consultant, NY

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 15, 2021
"As lovely as Aphrodite--as wise as Athena--with the speed of Mercury and the strength of Hercules...." Wonder Woman was born when her creator, Bill Marston, decided that children needed a female superhero. But the male publishing world laughed at the idea, so Marston needed to find a way to be incredibly convincing--and he did, eventually bringing Wonder Woman into the mainstream and hiring women writers and artists to help him do so. Told entirely as a comic, complete with panels, speech bubbles, biographical text boxes, captions, and sound effects, the thought-provoking and accessible story accompanied by engaging illustrations describes how the lives of women in the U.S. changed during and after World War II and how Wonder Woman's character embodied many of these changes. It chronicles the dilution of her personality in the 1950s, the integration of the comic into Ms. magazine in the '60s, the '70s television show that showed execs people would tune in for a female lead, and the woman-directed 2017 movie. While the retro illustrations focus on the all-White primary cast (helpfully labeling all the White men at work making comics in an early scene), people of color are included throughout. Whether or not they already know the character, children will be drawn into this informative tale, which is inspiring and entertaining, much like Wonder Woman herself. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A lively exploration of recent women's history as well as the creation of an iconic female superhero. (author's notes, source notes, selected reading) (Informational picture book. 5-10)

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