Flamingnet Student Book Reviewer  MHay
No Girls Allowed is a graphic novel that takes you on a girls only adventure around the world. There are seven stories about women who refused to settle for the status quo and did not let their gender hold them back. Starting off in Egypt around 1500 BCE we're introduced to Hatshepsut whose father is a pharaoh. This story centers on her struggle to gain the title of pharaoh, which would be rightfully hers if she were male. The next stop is Asia, were we meet Mu Lan who is one of the most well known male impersonators because of Disney, and you'll find that Mu Lan's story just a bit different from the way Disney portrayed it. Then it's on to Scandinavia, France, Great Britain, and finally the United States. The women you'll read about are impressive. During a time period when leaving home by yourself was unheard of, these women chose to transform into powerful women. The illustrations are wonderful, and at times make up for the somewhat dry captions. The author manages to keep the book interesting by having dialogue between the characters and their families or acquaintances. The illustrations make it easier to transition between the different characters, because your hopping from one character to another so quickly the pictures become extremely helpful in reminding you of the setting. Even though you are only with each character for about ten pages, by the tenth page you'll feel as if you grew up with her.

This graphic novel did a great job in giving the biographies of seven strong willed women who chose to live as men to fulfill their dreams. These women accomplished things that most men wished they could do; one performed the first successful caesarean section operation, where both baby and mother lived. The novel ends with you wanting to know more about each of the women and giving you the license to achieve your dreams.

Reviewer Age:17

Reviewer City, State and Country: Phoenixville, Pennsylvania United States of America