The Ballot Box Battle [Hardcover]

Emily Arnold McCully (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 9, 1996 | Age Level: 7 and up

Illustrated in full color. Just in time for the presidential election comes Caldecott medalist Emily Arnold McCully's stirring tale of a young girl's act of bravery inspired by the great Elizabeth Cady Stanton. It is the fall of 1880, and Cordelia is more interested in horse riding than in hearing her neighbor, Mrs. Stanton talk about her fight for women's suffrage. But on Election Day, Mrs. Stanton tells the heart-wrenching story of her childhood. Charged with the story's message, Cordelia determines to go with Mrs. Stanton to the polls in an attempt to vote--above the jeers and taunts of the male crowd. With faces, landscapes, and action scenes brought to life by McCully's virtuosic illustrations, Cordelia's turning-point experience is sure to inspire today's young girls (and boys) everywhere.  

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Following her tribute to proto-feminist 19th-century millworkers in The Bobbin Girl, McCully weaves a story around Elizabeth Cady Stanton. It is Election Day in 1880, 32 years after Stanton organized the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, N.Y., yet 40 years before the 19th Amendment granted women the vote. The activist takes time out from writing The History of Woman Suffrage to give riding lessons to Cordelia, whose brother disdainfully states that she will not be a true horsewoman until she jumps a four-foot fence. Stanton tells Cordelia about her own childhood goals to be as "learned and courageous" as her only brother and to convince her father that she was as good as any boy. Her father's refusal to acknowledge her achievements "taught me to go on fighting. And I have!" Reluctantly accompanying her mentor to the polls, Cordelia watches as the election officials ridicule Stanton, who flings her ballot at the hand covering the slot in the box. And though Stanton's triumph on this day is hardly complete, Cordelia's is: goaded by her brother, the girl jumps onto her horse and sails over a high fence. In sometimes misty paintings that seem to fade in and out of focus, McCully deftly portrays two time periods, distinguishing Stanton's flashbacks with round-edged pictures seen as if through a telescope to the past. Stanton has a worthy message for contemporary girls?and boys, and McCully's art and story, aided by a succinct concluding note, deliver it gracefully. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4?History, the subtle and not-so-subtle oppression of women, and the redoubtable character of Elizabeth Cady Stanton are made real and alive in this colorfully illustrated story set in the summer of 1880. Cordelia loves to ride on Mrs. Stanton's old horse and hear the stories of her neighbor's own girlhood. Despite her efforts to ride and excel in Greek, young Elizabeth's only praise was to hear "Oh, my daughter, you should have been a boy!" Cordelia's brother puts her down in the same way when he makes fun of her desire to prove herself a courageous rider. On election day, the children accompany Mrs. Stanton on her yearly attempt to cast a vote in the local contests. Seeing her friend's courage in facing the taunts and scorn of the men gathered at the polls, and angry at the teasing of the local boys, Cordelia makes her own protest by taking the old horse over a four-foot fence in a daring and dangerous leap forward. McCully's richly hued, softly textured paintings beautifully evoke the late 19th-century era and the small-town world of Tenafly, NJ, where the widowed Stanton spent her last years. Skillfully weaving fact and story, The Ballot Box Battle offers a history lesson pleasingly framed in a story about an independent young girl. A full-page author's note gives further information on Stanton and on the creation of the book.?Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (July 9, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679879382
• ISBN-13: 978-0679879381
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,670,679 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Emily Arnold McCully was born left handed in Illinois and was transplanted to Long Island, where she grew up. A tree climber, bike rider, fort builder and ball player, she also devoted hours every day to reading and drawing. She majored in art history at college and acted and wrote for the theater. She lived in Europe for a year researching her Master's thesis, also in art history. Back in New York, she took to the streets with a portfolio of sample illustrations. Early assignments were for book jackets, magazine stories and pharmaceutical ads. A poster displayed in subway cars caught the attention of a children's book editor and a new career was launched. After illustrating other peoples' texts for several years and publishing two adult novels (A Craving and life Drawing) McCully began writing her own picture books.
She has been awarded the Caldecott Medal, Christopher Award, Jane Addams Award, O'Henry Award and many others.
She has two sons and lives in New York and Columbia County, N.Y., where she maintains a large garden.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and imaginative pictures., March 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Ballot Box Battle (Hardcover)

This story takes place in the late 1800's when Mrs. Stanton-the famous women's rights activist-was still alive. It deals with a young girl, Cordelia, who wants to ride Mrs. Stanton's horse. Mrs. Stanton instead of letting her ride the horse tells her about her childhood experiences. Mrs. Stanton also also makes a great impact on Cordelia when she tries to vote and is not allowed. This in turn inspires Cordelia to stand up for herself.

It is a well-written story that shows what life was like for women before they got to vote. It shows that injustices can be overcome when we put our minds to it and when we don't let what others say get in our way of realizing our dreams. This would be a good story to read to 5th and 6th graders as an introduction to American history in this century.

The pictures are beautiful. They recall images of a by-gone era. It is interesting that men and boys are painted in darker colors, while Cordelia wears lighter colors.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ballot Box, September 12, 2010

By 

B. Edwards - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Ballot Box Battle (Dragonfly Books) (Paperback)

Great picture book. I will use this in class with students when we are studying elections. The book was recommended to me at a Language Arts conference.