I Could Do That!: Esther Morris Gets Women The Vote

Written by Linda Arms White

Narrated by Joan Allen

This is the true story of Esther Morris, who started out life believing she could do anything, and then proved it, by building her own business, raising a family in the Wild West, working to get women the vote for the first time, AND becoming the first female judge and the first woman in the US to hold a political office!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Weston Woods
• Release date: Jan 1, 2006
• ISBN: 9780545815413

Reviews for I Could Do That!

[mcintorino-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Esther Morris is not a historical figure with whom I was familiar. This book tells of her unusual trajectory of life for a woman of her time. Esther's story is simply told and easy to follow. The illustrations enhance the story line and provide a colorful narrative to accompany the text. From helping to raise a family of eleven children to winning the vote for women in the Wyoming Territory, Esther Morris' story has a place alongside the stories of other more famous suffragists.This would be a good book to add to a study of Wyoming history. It would be a good book to include in a study of women's rights in America. It would also be a good book to look at when studying the genesis of Constitutional Amendments and voting.

[yyoon4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book for many reasons. The big idea of this story is to be strong and stand up for what you believe in. First, this biography book has a great plot. The character, Esther McQuigg, faces numerous conflicts as she stands up for what she believes in as a woman. She goes against the social norms of the public opinion, such as opening a business as a young lady, stopping people who threatened to stop anti-slave meetings, and fighting for the right to vote as a female. There is a lot of tension and suspense in this book as Esther faces all kinds of challenges. The ultimate challenge being when Esther goes to vote while there were people opposing her. On the last page, the tension is resolved as the text says, “Esther help up her hand. 'I can do this,' she said. And she did.” The character development of Esther McQuigg flows from the beginning to the end very smoothly. At the beginning of the biography, it shows Esther as a young child who would want to mimic her mother and faced challenges by saying, “I could do that.” As the story slowly shares all of the conflicts Esther goes through as she ages, it is shown that Esther becomes stronger in overcoming adversities.

[jpons-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a non-fiction book about Esther Morris's influences on womens' rights. The author informs readers about what a determined person Esther Morris was and how this helped women get the right to vote. The author wrote this book appropriately for the intended audiences' reading level. The illustrations are very colorful. I would read this book when discussing womens' rights or important women in America.

[adriennewood · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Esther Morris was an amazingly motivated woman. As a youth, after her mother passed away, she stepped in to help her family. As a young adult, she opened her own business. As an adult she fought against slavery and for women's right to vote. All of these things Esther Morris did, she did in a time when women weren't seen as equals, but as second class citizens. I felt a swell of pride when reading this book. I think this book would be especially helpful for young girls and boys in seeing that both are capable of doing things the other can do. This is certainly an empowering book for girls.

[hopemiller123 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book is about a Ester Morris, who froma young child to an elderly woman had a mind of her own and equality in her soul. She stood for civil, women's, and even slave's rights. This book shows her finally achieving her ultimate goal which was to be able to vote all on her own and have her voice heard. The illustations in this book are very good as well.

[janee23 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Linda Arms White tell the story of Esther Morris's life. White goes on to getting women the right to vote in Wyoming. Esther had the courage to stand up for what she believed in. As the men in the town opposed her beliefs, she still took action and them take action on women's right to vote and hold office. This is a great book on gender diversity.

[lalfonso_618548 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Reading I Could Do That! Ester Morris Gets Women the Vote would be a fun way to get both boys and girls interested in women’s rights. It told of Ester Morris’s curiosity, self-confidence and perseverance. She seemed to be living the life of a 21st century women long before her time. She owned a business at a time when women were expected to stay home, cook and mend clothing. She overcame many obstacles before becoming one of the first women to vote in the country. Children will enjoy the vibrant, colorful pictures, which help illustrate Ester’s loving, energetic personality. Teaching ideas include using this is a social studies class, perhaps a unit in equality. I would read this to kindergarten to 5th grade. The story is entertaining and told in a lively, humorous manner. The author seems credible. She includes an Author’s Note which gives additional facts about Ester. In addition, she lists books and websites that she used. Finally, she took the time to visit South Pass, Wyoming which is where Ester finally settled so she had the opportunity to see some of the city that Ester called home.