Hilltown Families 
Bad Girls: Sirens, Jezebels, Murderesses, Thieves & Other Female Villains
New Book Portrays History’s Bad Girls with a Modern Twist
Delilah. Cleopatra. Anne Bonney. Catherine the Great. Mata Hari. Bonnie Parker. Just a few of history’s bad girls. Or are they? Might they just be misunderstood girls? Smart, strong, outspoken girls? Or girls who are victims of bad circumstance?
In their new book, Bad Girls: Sirens, Jezebels, Murderesses, Thieves & Other Female Villains
Interludes between Yolen and Stemple, who are mother and daughter in real life, are portrayed in Rebecca Guay’s comic book illustration and add another dimension of opinion. Their on-going dialogue and debate about each girl is carried out in witty episodes as mother and daughter seek to uncover the truth behind these lawless ladies.
A concluding chapter on “Modern Times and Changing Gender Roles” discusses women’s rights and responsibilities and how changing times have changed the definition of the word “bad.” In the end, mother and daughter synch up, agreeing that every bad girl has a good side, and that sometimes it’s all about the shoes!
Bad Girls: Sirens, Jezebels, Murderesses, Thieves & Other Female Villains: Written by Jane Yolen & Heidi E.Y. Stemple and illustrated by Rebecca Guay. Published by Charlesbridge, 2013. 146 pages ISBN: 978-1-58089-85-1
*Jane Yolen, one of our local treasures, has been hailed as America’s Hans Christian Anderson and the Aesop of the twentieth century. She has authored more than 300 books from picture books and poetry to fantasy and science fiction. You can find more about her and her work at www.janeyolen.com.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cheli has been involved with creative arts and education for most of her life, and has taught many subjects from art and books to yoga and zoology. But she has a special fondness for kid’s books, and has worked in the field for more than 20 years. She is a freelance writer and regular contributor to Valley Kids and teaches a course for adults in “Writing for Children.” She writes from Colrain, where she lives with her musician-husband, three children, and shelves full of kid’s books.
This book looks like fun! Can’t wait to read it! we love this kind of book with several short bios…there is another series we love:
“Girls Who Rocked the World: Heroines from Joan of Arc to Mother Teresa” by Michelle Roehm McCann