Module 12: Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors?

Book summary: Elizabeth Blackwell was not an ordinary girl. She ventured far and was eager to learn about everything. A dying friends wish influenced Elizabeth to push the boundaries society had built and fought to pursue a new profession for women: a doctor. This is the story of her journey, hardships, and perseverance towards becoming the first female doctor.

APA Reference of book: Stone, T.L. & Priceman, M. (2013). Who says women can’t be doctors? The story of Elizabeth Blackwell. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, LLC.

Impressions: This book was an effective piece of storytelling. I felt like the text was written first then shared with the illustrator, who beautifully depicted significant events in the life of Elizabeth Blackwell. I enjoyed the different spreads of illustrations: some were small, unique snapshots of Blackwell’s life, while others were sweeping landscapes of her time traveling through town. The watercolor illustrations were vibrant, sharp, and exuded energy. I especially liked the rejection page spread (p.17-18) where Priceman included twenty-eight elegantly scripted “No” to truly encapsulate the overwhelming rejection felt by Blackwell.

Professional Review: “‘Women cannot be doctors. They should not be doctors.’ Elizabeth Blackwell received 28 rejections from medical schools before one accepted her.

Stone takes a lively and conversational approach to the life of the first female doctor in the United States. A tiny but adventurous girl, Elizabeth Blackwell once carried her brother over her head until he stopped fighting with her, and she got the idea to go to medical school from a sick friend who confided that she would much rather be examined by a woman. When Geneva Medical School in New York state accepted her, she didn’t know that the (male) student body had voted on her acceptance as a joke, but she graduated with the top grades in her class. Priceman’s swirly and vivid gouache-and–India ink artwork is an excellent foil for the text, which directly addresses young readers’ own experience while reminding them that in the 1840s, things were different, and that one very determined girl had changed that. The author’s note describes the difficulties Dr. Blackwell experienced setting up her practice and her career treating the poor women and children of New York City. It also notes that today, more than half of all students in U.S. medical schools are women.

A bracing, vivacious account of a pioneering woman. (Picture book/biography. 5-9).”

Reference

[Review of the book Who says women can’t be doctors? The story of Elizabeth Blackwell by T.L. Stone]. (2012 December 1). Kirkus. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/tanya-lee-stone/who-says-women-cant-be-doctors/.

Library Uses: I would organize a “Career Day for Kids” at the public library, where people from different professions would come in and speak to the audience about their job and answer questions. I would feature books from multiple professions so the audience can gain a greater understanding about what these professionals do on a regular basis.