Showing results for "Libby" in Biographies

In 1945, when Jella was tasked with what seemed like an insurmountable challenge―to create a haven of imagination and joy for the children of a Germany scarred by war—she turned to a steadfast companion: books. As a Jewish woman who had fled from the Nazis, Jella was determined to restore a sense of childhood to the young people who had only known conflict and violence. Despite constant obstacles, Jella persevered, and with the help of publishers and children from around the world, she amassed an extraordinary collection of 4,000 children’s books in pursuit of her mission to promote peace.

Rachel Carson wasn’t always the Rachel Carson, renowned environmental activist. From her earliest years, Rachel had a passion for nature—to her, it was a fairyland, and she loved to write about her adventures and the creatures she saw. Encouraged by teachers, Rachel wanted nothing more than to study the ocean and its inhabitants. Though unable to finish her PhD due to financial constraints, Rachel found work in science and success as a nature writer.

Lucy Stone grew up in a world where men’s voices rang out, but women swallowed their words. When her church’s minister railed against women speaking in public, Lucy made up her mind that when she grew up, “if she had anything to say, she would say it!”

Katie Sandwina was the strongest woman the world had ever seen. In her circus performances, she bent steel bars, broke chains, and carried a cannon! She could lift men with one hand and twirl them around! In an era when “proper ladies” were expected to be helpless and frail, Katie showed everyone that women could be powerful. She also spoke up for women’s equality and the right to vote.

In the mid-nineteenth century, most women who weren’t raising families became teachers or nurses. But Clara Driscoll longed to be an artist, drawing inspiration from nature: from every flower, weed, dragonfly, and even cobweb, on her family’s farm. In 1888, Clara was hired at the renowned Tiffany Glass Company, where Mr. Louis Comfort Tiffany was known for creating gorgeous stained-glass windows for churches, theaters, and libraries. Impressed by her talent at choosing and cutting glass, Mr. Tiffany eventually put Clara in charge of her own staff of 35 women designers.

With perfect pitch and fierce persistence, Amy Beach always knew she had to make music. There was just one big problem. Her mother believed it was not proper or suitable for a young lady to draw attention to herself, let alone have a musical career. But give in or give up? Not Amy Beach. She demanded to play the piano. She demanded to have a real teacher. She demanded to perform.

Emma Lilian Todd's mind was always soaring—she loved to solve problems. Lilian tinkered and fiddled with all sorts of objects, turning dreams into useful inventions. As a child, she took apart and reassembled clocks to figure out how they worked. As an adult, typing up patents at the U.S. Patent Office, Lilian built the inventions in her mind, including many designs for flying machines. However, they all seemed too impractical. Lilian knew she could design one that worked.