Mary Walker Wears the Pants: The True Story of the Doctor, Reformer, and Civil War Hero

By Cheryl Harness

The story of Mary Edwards Walker, the doctor and women’s rights activist who served in the Civil War and received the Medal of Honor.
Mary Edwards Walker was unconventional for her time: She was one of the first women doctors in the country, she was a suffragist, and she wore pants! And when the Civil War struck, she took to the battlefields in a modified Union uniform as a commissioned doctor. For her service, she became the only woman ever to earn the Medal of Honor.
This picture book biography tells the story of a remarkable woman who challenged traditional roles and lived life on her own terms.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Albert Whitman Company
• Release date: Sep 17, 2013
• ISBN: 9781480425453

Cheryl Harness

Cheryl Harness lives in Independence, Missouri. As an author and illustrator, she is known for her engaging approach to history, seen in such books as Our Colonial Year; Mary Walker Wears the Pants; Young Abe Lincoln; George Washington; Spymaster; Three Young Pilgrims, Ghosts of the White House; and Remember the Ladies.

Reviews for Mary Walker Wears the Pants

[abbylibrarian_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A somewhat slight look at the life of Mary Walker, a female physician who served in the Union army during the Civil War. A note at the back of the book does something to provide additional info (dates, etc.), but no sources are cited. Pair this book with LOUISA MAY'S BATTLE for more on women in the Civil War. Skip it and pick up WHO SAYS WOMEN CAN'T BE DOCTORS? by Tanya Lee Stone if you're looking for information about early female physicians.

[melissa_tullo-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In today's modern world, it's tough to remember that at one time it was taboo for a woman to wear pants. Mary Walker defied the conventions of Mid-19th century society in more ways than one. She was one of the first female physicians in America and she chose to wear pants in a time when wide crinoline hoop skirts were the popular fashion for women. This books gives us a slice of Mary Walker's amazing life when she was a physician during the American Civil War, a prisoner of war and a Medal of Honor recipient. She faced discrimination and scrutiny but chose to live her life on her own terms. I would recommend this book as part of a biographical unit or a historical unit at school. Educators and librarians can discuss the Civil War and how it impacted the lives of women. It's suitable for younger readers in Kindergarten or first grade either for independent reading or for story time. The illustrations are great and there's additional biographical information included in the back to add to Mary's life story. I think we need to include more women's history in our school and public libraries, especially the history of those who are often overlooked, and this book is a perfect example.

[kmjanek · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Highly Recommended This story about Mary Walker is well done for a non-fiction picture book trying to explain women’s rights, abolition and the Civil War. Mary Walker was a woman who wore pants in the 1800’s and was one of the first women to get a medical degree. As the nation was about to go to war, Mary decided she was going to go help the wounded. When she got there, she was not allowed to practice medicine, but to just be a volunteer. But Mary was stubborn and stayed to prove herself. She helped the wounded on the battlefield and was finally recognized and made an officer by a Major General in 1863. She was later arrested by the South as a spy and thrown in prison. She was released during an officer exchange. In 1866, Mary was given the Medal of Honor. The conclusion to the story shows Mary proudly wearing her medal and traveling around to lecture about her experiences.This book is a really powerful story for young girls to read. It is about a woman who defied societal expectations of her time and just believed that women were equal to men. She fought for women to have the right to vote, work, think and dress in the way they wanted to. Unfortunately, people always made fun of her and she was thrown in jail several times for wearing pants. Some of the published reviews say that the phrasing is awkward, but I read it out loud and it flows just fine. It is a very complex history that is being told through a picture book. The illustrations are a very nice water color that make you think of the 1800’s. The faces of the town gossips look very disdainful and the reader can imagine themselves being looked at with scorn. Mary Walker is depicted as a proud woman with her head held high, doing what she thought was right.This book is perfect for a school or public library. It would work well during library units on non-fiction and biography reading. It can be used for silent reading or for a read aloud. Perfect for upper elementary. The pictures help tell the story that is not always conveyed in the words. It can help teach girls to think for themselves and do what is right for them. It also teaches about the Civil War, women’s rights and the culture of the late 1800’s in the United States. This book will help to hit a lot of the English Language Arts and history standards. There is also an AR quiz for those students who enjoy taking them.