Girls with Guts!: The Road to Breaking Barriers and Bashing Records

Celebrate women athletes who played all kinds of sports before Title IX finally allowed them to compete in the Olympics, tournaments, and in leagues across America.

No chasing! No stretching or straining! And never, ever sweat. These were the rules girls were forced to play by until Title IX passed in 1972. From Melpomene in 1896 to Althea Gibson in 1956 and beyond, readers will meet the women athletes who refused to take no for an answer. Learn how they paved the way for the women who pushed for a law to protect their right to play, compete, and be athletes.

Debbie Gonzales is an educator, curriculum consultant, former school administrator, and adjunct professor. She’s the author of six books for New Zealand publisher Giltedge. She earned an MFA in writing for children and young adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and lives with her husband John and dog in Michigan.

Rebecca Gibbon is an acclaimed illustrator whose credits include Players in Pigtails and Elizabeth Leads the Way. She paints in watercolor ink and colored pencil, and bases her characters on the people she has met and seen over the years. Rebecca lives with her husband and two boys in the UK. www.rebeccagibbon.com