Noyes, Deborah Ten Days a Madwoman: The Daring Life and Turbulent Times of the Original "Girl" Reporter, Nellie Bly, 122 pgs. Viking, 2016. $18.99 Content: Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: PG.
Nellie Bly, known as Pinkie Cochran as a child, was a star newspaper report in the late 1800s - early 1900s. But she fought her way to that level of fame. A woman in the workforce was unheard of - unless she was a teacher or a maid or a stenographer. Nellie was wanting to do the same job as a man, and had to prove herself at every report. From masquerading as a crazy woman to expose the abuses in the asylum on Blackwell’s Island, to traveling unaccompanied around the world to test Jules Verne's novel Around the World in 80 days (she did it in 72) Nellie Bly became the darling of the day, the favorite reporter of the New York World and other papers.
Nellie’s early life is also chronicled, along with the backstories for many of the jobs and people of her life. Although designated in blue paper, this was not my favorite part of the book as it broke up the action and felt like I was reading 2 different biographies. Complete with photos, period illustrations, source notes, bibliography, webliography and an index, this is an informative nonfiction read that is appealing on both the middle school and high school level.
MS, HS ADVISABLE Lisa Librarian
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