Does it have great literary value? No. Is it relatively narrow in its scope? Of course. Might it inspire, propel and empower a young girl? ABSOLUTELY. My 6 year old adored this book when we got it from the library. It made it into many consecutive bedtime story times (and if it did not interest her, we would not have re-read it night after night) and the message of "you can achieve what you want to go, even if people tell you 'No' and try to keep you down" definitely got through to her. She spontaneously took to sketching out the poses of the 13 women in this book, and also posing her stuffed animals in the same way at every page turn. Since reading this we have seen her enact behavior where she stands tall as a girl - like when the "rude boys" were saying "no girls allowed" on the climbing structure, she and other girls climbed right up and made it clear that that they would not be cowed. This book has moved from a library loan to her Christmas list, which is a very rare occurrence.

I am just glad that she has not yet asked what slavery is (as part of the Harriet Tubman page)...