ALABAMA SPITFIRE: Picture Book Giveaway

22 individual copies were given away to educators, librarians and literacy groups for Women’s History Month.  Thank you HarperCollins!

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Alabama Spitfire:
The Story of Harper Lee
and To Kill a Mockingbird
By Bethany Hegedus
Illustrated by Erin McGuire
Published by HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN-13: 9780062456700
Age Range: 4 – 8 Years

Nelle Harper Lee grew up in the rocky red soil of Monroeville, Alabama. From the get-go she was a spitfire.

Unlike most girls at that time and place, Nelle preferred overalls to dresses and climbing trees to tea parties. Nelle loved to watch her daddy try cases in the courtroom. And she and her best friend, Tru, devoured books and wrote stories of their own. More than anything Nelle loved words.

This love eventually took her all the way to New York City, where she dreamed of becoming a writer. Any chance she had, Nelle sat at her typewriter, writing, revising, and chasing her dream. Nelle wouldn’t give up—not until she discovered the right story, the one she was born to tell.

Finally, that story came to her, and Nelle, inspired by her childhood, penned To Kill a Mockingbird. A groundbreaking book about small-town injustice that has sold over forty million copies, Nelle’s novel resonated with readers the world over, who, through reading, learned what it was like to climb into someone else’s skin and walk around in it.

“McGuire’s cinematic cartoons call to mind scenes from the To Kill a Mockingbird film—with her chestnut bob and overalls, Nelle readily resembles Mary Badham’s Scout. It’s an affectionate ode to a writer who “carved out a life of her own design,” as Hegedus eloquently puts it.“
—Publishers Weekly
.
“Hegedus’s picture book biography tells how Lee wrote a still much beloved novel by basing her main character, Atticus Finch, on her father and using people from her childhood as a source for other characters. Digital illustrations, created using Adobe Photoshop, admirably show Lee’s experiences in Alabama and in New York City. A variety of visual perspectives and faces that portray emotions add much to this informational book of a prominent U.S. author.“
—School Library Journal
.
“…clearly a labor of love, and teachers of To Kill a Mockingbird might read it aloud for the glimpses it offers into the origins of the novel.”
—Kirkus Reviews

 

EXPLORE SPITFIRE CLASSROOM & EVENT ACTIVITIES

DOWNLOAD Alabama Spitfire: Defining Spitfire (PDF)

DOWNLOAD Alabama Spitfire: Spitfire Biographies (PDF)

DOWNLOAD Alabama Spitfire: Spitfire Poster (PDF)

DOWNLOAD Celebrate Great Women in History (HarperCollins) (PDF)
 

THE GIVEAWAY WINNERS

A. M. Davis Elementary School North Chesterfield VA
Barron High School Barron WI
Bertie County Public Library Windsor NC
Charlotte Public Library Charlotte TX
Dorsett Shoals Elementary Douglasville GA
Emil M. Larson Public Library Clark SD
Enos Elementary School Springfield IL
Great Prairie Area Education Agency Ottumwa IA
Hackberry Elementary Frisco TX
Hawley Public Library Hawley PA
James Island Library Charleston SC
Lewis University Romeoville, IL
Library of the Canyons Silverado CA
Midland Schools Pleasant Plains AR
Monte Sano Elementary Huntsville AL
Newark Public Library Newark NJ
Northview Primary School Kodak TN
River Ridge elementary Villa HIlls KY
San Dimas Library San Dimas CA
Scarsdale Schools Scarsdale NY
Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Library Decatur GA
Westland Public Library Westland MI

 

THE SPITFIRES

“Nelle Harper Lee grew up in the rocky red soil of Monroeville, Alabama. From the get-go she was a spitfire.”
—Alabama Spitfire

The Curious City community named their favorite spitfires…

– A tough one as several come to mind: Amelia Earhart; Jane Goodall; Harper Lee; among many others.

– Alice Paul

– Amelia Bloomer

– Amelia Earhardt

– Amelia Earhart
Jane Addams, founder of Hull House
Margaret Thatcher, “Iron Maggie”, British PM.

– Amelia Earhart!

– Amelia Earhart

– Amelia Earhart

– Amelia Earhart

– Amelia Earhart

– Amelia Earhart

– Amelia Earhart

– Amelia Earhart

– Amelia Earhart

– Amelia Earhart

– Annie Oakley

– Audrey Faye Hendricks is my favorite spitfire. Her story, The Youngest Marcher, is about her time as the youngest prisoner at age 9, sent to juvenile hall during the childrens’ march of 1963. She volunteered to go to jail to help end segregation in Birmingham, Alabama.<br />
This book would be a great addition to any collection.

– Beatrix Potter and Eleanor Roosevelt

– Beryl Markham, Elizabeth Warren, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Deborah Sampson

– Boudica – she rocked; though she eventually lost…We still remember her centuries later!

– Clara Barton is my favorite “spitfire”. Clara founded the Red Cross. Though she was a female, she felt the need to step into a man’s medical world and help those who were injured and dying on the battlefield of the American Civil War. She helped everyone no matter political beliefs, nationality, or color of skin. At a time when the US was divided, she did not acknowledge any division.

– Clara Barton

– Cleopatra

– Do I have to pick just one? 🙂 Joni Mitchell, Wilma Rudolph, Billie Holiday, Eleanor Roosevelt, Janis Joplin….

– Dolley Madison! Although she endured many struggles in her life, she was very involved in public life and politics for many years after the death of her husband, President James Madison. She saved the portrait of George Washington and other important pieces of our history prior to the burning of Washington, D. C. during the War of 1812.

– Eleanor Roosevelt

– Eleanor Roosevelt<br />
She was ahead of her time in working for the rights of those less fortunate, the rights of women, and other progressive issues.

– Elizabeth Cady Stanton

– Elizabeth Cady Stanton

– Ellen Craft – the enslaved woman who passed as a white man in order to escape to freedom

– Emma Goldman!

– Fannie Lou Hamer.

– Frida Kahlo

– Grace Hopper

– Grace Hopper

– Harper Lee, Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart

– Harper Lee, Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart

– Harper Lee, Ruby ridges,

– Hedy Lamarr because she took skills learned before she became famous and used them to help win a war and eventually lead to the development of the cell phone.

– Helen Keller, Sally Ride, Annette Kellerman, and Wilma Rudolph!

– Helen Keller! She was AMAZING!!

– Helen Keller

– Hillary Clinton!

– How about favorites . . . Dolley Madison, Molly Pitcher, and Abigail Adams!!

– I believe my favorite “spitfire” from Women’s History would be Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. Although she started out as an unexceptional child, she became exceptional by setting goals on things that appealed to her. Her parents would encourage her to seek and try new things. Through her life as a tennis player, and then a Ph.D. in Physics, she was selected by NASA to become an astronaut. Her willingness to explore, setting goals and achieving them, and setting up programs where school children can experience a part of the space program gives Sally Ride my definition of a “spitfire”.

– I can’t give you just one, but here are a few that I would like to see celebrated. Madame C.J. Walker, Michelle Obama, Dorothea Lange, Governor Ann Richards of Texas, Barbara Jordan, Kay Bailey Hutchinson of Texas, Katherine Stinson, and Lady Bird Johnson.
– These “spitfires” are always asked for, but I just don’t have that much to share with them.

– I don’t know if Sophia Smith would be considered a “spitfire” but she was a staunch advocate of women’s education and created Smith College.

– I have always admired Helen Keller. First in her life women were still working toward equality so she face that barrier. Second she did not let the disabilities of blindness and deafness stop her from becoming successful and achieving her goals.

– I’m rather fond of Elizabeth I of England – she got the job done!

– Ida B. Wells

– If this is a literary “spitfire” I am nominating Louisa May Alcott … she also served as a nurse during the Civil War along with writing a number of books for young readers. Alcott was an abolitionist and a feminist and remained unmarried throughout her life.

– Jane Goodall

– Joan of Arc. Her story has always facinated me.

– Joan of Arc

– Joan of Arc

– Joan of Arc

– Julia Child. She was a trendsetter in the kitchen!

– Just read about Anne Carroll Moore, who created libraries for children!

– Katherine Hepburn & Eleanor Roosevelt.

– Katherine Johnson

– Laura Ingalls Wilder was an inspirational “spitfire” when I was growing up. Laura tended to stand up for what she thought was right; plus she was funny and had human flaws. I grew up to be a teacher just like Mrs. Wilder.

– Malala Yousafzai

– Malala Yousafzai

– Mary McLeod Bethune

– Maya Angelou

– Michelle Obama

– My favorite “spitfire” was Helen Keller, and my students and I love reading her story. I think that even today her life resonates because she overcame amazing odds to not allow her lack of sight stand in her way of changing the world.

– My grandma 🙂

– Nellie Bly

– Oh gosh! Too many amazing women to choose just one…how about a few…RBG (Ruth Bader Ginsberg), Malala Yousafzai, Jane Goodall, Maya Angelou. Just a few, women are awesome!

– One is Maya Lin.

– One of my favorite historical ‘spitfires’ is Amelia Earhart. She lived life at full-throttle and continues to inspire young women to be powerful and adventurous. There has been so much speculation about her demise in the media in recent years, it would be great for children to read about her life and accomplishments, rather than her death. She undoubtedly lived it to the fullest!

– Ooooh, this is a hard one; there are so many spitfires! I think it’s a tie between Eleanor Roosevelt and Maya Angelou. They both refused to be defined by other’s expectations and did not allow adversity to dull their shine. They are my inspirations!

– Queen Esther (from the Bible); Rosa Parks (she was so brave!!!!!)

– Rachel Carson

– Red-headed, strong-willed, and intelligent, my nomination for ‘spitfire’ goes to Elizabeth I. A woman in a man’s world, she managed to make her country safer, expand its influence, and be a lasting influence while remaining true to herself.

– Rosa Parks!

– Rosa Parks

– Rosalind Franklin is my favorite just discovered “spitfire” from women’s history. While helping my grandson study for his biology test, I quizzed him on the individuals responsible for the development of understanding of the DNA. Ms. Franklin was the only female involved. And, she was different from her male counterparts. She shared all her findings instead of keeping them secret. This enabled fellow colleagues to investigate further and discover more of the secrets help within the DNA structure. As a result of her sharing, she probably lost some of the credit for her original discoveries. It seems that she was more interested in gaining understanding of her research than fanfare. Unfortunately, her work using X-rays probably contributed to her young death. The danger of X-rays had not yet been discovered. It is through the stories of these courageous women that we can encourage and inspire our young girls and boys today!

– Rosie the Riveter

– Ruby Bridges

– Ruth Bader Ginsberg! What an inspiration.

– Ruth Bader Ginsberg

– Ruth Bader Ginsburg

– Scarlett O’Hara (fictional) Tipper Gore ( non fiction)

– Shirley Chisholm

– Susan B. Anthony, Heddie LeMarr, Angela Davis

– Susan B. Anthony

– We should celebrate Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

– Well, Harper Lee, but also Eleanor Roosevelt, Susan B Anthony, and so many others!

– Why it’s, Harper Lee, of course:) Other spitfires I admire are Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Wilma Rudolph, Billy Jean King, Patsy Cline, and Amelia Earhart.

– Wilma Rudolph

– Zora Neale Hurston