  | Tear this down Author: Dee, Barbara | |
| Price: $23.08 | ||
Summary:
When twelve-year-old Freya discovers that her town's historical hero had problematic views towards women, she advocates to replace his statue with a lesser-known suffragette.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 4.60 Points: 7.0 Quiz: 552681 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (12/15/24)
School Library Journal (00/12/24)
Booklist (01/01/25)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/02/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Other - 10/28/2024 Twelve-year-old, white-cued Freya struggles to relate to her peers, who are put off by her uninhibited enthusiasm. Following a humiliating defeat in the race for class president, Freya vows to keep her views to herself. Then, while researching for a school project, she learns of the sexist writings of the town’s namesake Benjamin Wellstone. The seventh grader is enraged at the reverence he is afforded by her neighbors-especially when contrasted with the forgotten legacy of local suffragists. With the help of a new friend and a hip librarian, Freya unearths the efforts of women from her own town who fought for the right to vote, and plots ways to show her neighbors just how problematic their hero was. But as the burgeoning activist faces resistance, she becomes preoccupied with changing the town name and tearing down a statue of Wellstone, losing sight of her mission. "Great with opinions" Freya is a thoughtful yet impulsive and vibrantly drawn character. Dee (Unstuck) strategically and effectively weaves Freya’s nascent feminism into timely subplots involving craftivism, the unrecognized labor of women in history, and the importance of research in this smart and passionate read. Ages 9-13. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary. (Feb.) - Copyright 2024
Booklist - 01/01/2025 Freya is known for asking tough questions, like why the school-assigned reading has only male main characters. After an embarrassingly unsuccessful campaign for student council president, she tries to stuff down all her big questions. But repression is rarely effective, and the new school year brings its own challenging questions; for example, why is everything in their town named after a man who didn't think women should be allowed to vote or seek education? Freya wants her community to see the harm in viewing someone only in their historical context, and pushes them to hold historical figures accountable—and to take down that man's statue. Dee expertly demonstrates how varied responses to activism on the internet can be, touching on online safety without being condescending. Relatable topics range from changing friendship dynamics to respecting others' opinions and approaches to issues to being underestimated due to age and/or gender. This empowering novel leads by example as Freya finds agency, uses her voice, and works to spark change with friends new and old. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
