Matilda Effect

For fans of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls and Girls Think of Everything – as well as anyone who loves discovering unknown tales from the past – a unique collection of unforgettable stories about women who were denied their place in history.

Throughout human history, women’s contributions have been overlooked, overshadowed or outright stolen, often by men in their field. In science and engineering, this is known as the Matilda Effect, after the nineteenth-century writer and women’s rights activist Matilda Joslyn Gage. This groundbreaking book explores little-known stories about 25 women who were erased from history, including Hatshepsut, an ancient Egyptian ruler whose name was chiseled off walls; Marie-Catherine d’Aulnoy, who coined the term “fairy tales”; and Milicent Patrick, who created one of the most iconic monsters in Hollywood. It’s a valuable contribution to history that sets the record straight, writes these remarkable women back into the history books and gives them the credit they deserve.

Award-winning author L. E. Carmichael uncovered the fascinating stories for this book through extensive research and has included some that aren’t available anywhere else for young readers, in print or online. A diverse group of women from around the world and throughout history are featured, bookended by two original erasure poems by the author that highlight the book’s theme of women’s work and achievements. Eye-catching portraits by Roxanne Rainville help readers visualize these remarkable women from history. This book has numerous cross-curricular applications in history, STEM and biography. Additional material in the end matter includes a note from the author and illustrator, information on how to take action to help end the Matilda Effect, a glossary, author’s sources, further reading and an index.