A Woman for President by Kathleen Krull

Bibliography
Krull, Kathleen. 2004. A Woman for President. Ill. by Jane Dyer. New York, NY: Walker Publishing Company, Inc. ISBN 0802789099.

Plot Summary
In A Woman for President Kathleen Krull tells the unknown story of Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for President of the United States in 1872. Born into poverty, she was the 7th child out of the ten born to her parents. To help support her family, she began preaching at the age of eight. Along with running for president, Woodhull was also the first woman to own a newspaper, speak before Congress, and hold a seat on the stock exchange. Krull presents a chronological look at Woodhull's life that is both fascinating and inspiring.

Critical Analysis
A Woman for President is the amazing and inspiring story of Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for President of the United States. This chronological look takes the reader to Woodhull's early childhood days of spending time with her neighbor, Rachel. Through this relationship, Victoria was taught to read. By the age of 8 she and her sister, Tennessee, was supporting her family by preaching and communicating with the dead. Krull takes the reader through Woodhull's first marriage, her relationship with Cornelius Vanderbilt which resulted in financial success, and the creation of Woodhull, Chaflin & Co., the first female-owned American company in the business of buying and selling stocks.

Even though Woodhull was able to gain much success, she was very concerned with the treatment of women that she witnessed. As a result, she declared that she would run for president during the 1872 campaign. She was not allowed to vote for herself during the election as women were not allowed that right and of course did not win the election. However, she did spend the rest of her life fighting for women's right.

Krull did an excellent job in presenting this often forgotten story. The book is well organized and researched. A bibliography of resources are included in the back of the book. Jane Dyer's illustrations add to the story by further defining the time period with pictures of the clothes, homes, and the newspaper press. This is a great biography that both children and adults will enjoy.

Reviews
Children's Literature: "The book has a perfect blend of the personal and the political which give an in-depth sense of the woman, her times, and her contributions."

School Library Journal: "Krull's writing style is lively and engaging and Dyer's large, photo-realist watercolors capture the sense of the age and involve both eye and imagination."

Connections
*Use this biography as an introduction to a woman's right movement lesson.
*Have students create their own newspaper and cover the 1872 election.