Heart on Fire: Susan B. Anthony Votes for President

By Ann Malaspina and Steve James

Top 10 on the 2013 Amelia Bloomer list

A nonfiction story about suffragist Susan B. Anthony's first trip to the ballot box.

On November 5, 1872, Susan B. Anthony made history--and broke the law--when she voted in the US presidential election, a privilege that had been reserved for men. She was arrested, tried, and found guilty: "The greatest outrage History every witnessed," she wrote in her journal. It wasn't until 1920 that women were granted the right to vote, but the civil rights victory would not have been possible without Susan B. Anthony's leadership and passion to stand up for what was right.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
• Release date: Jul 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9780807531891

Ann Malaspina

Ann Malaspina has written many books for children, including Touch the Sky: Alice Coachman, Olympic High Jumper and Finding Lincoln. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two sons.

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Reviews for Heart on Fire

[mfeil_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Inspirational! This book has beautiful illustrations, and is a great historically accurate resource to discuss women's rights. I love the potential for interaction with the repeated words: "Outrageous, unbelievable, true."Age range: 6 - 9 Years

[brangwinn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

PSC REVIEW Civil disobedience. We talk about it but what does it really mean? In free verse, author Ann Malaspina, has focused on one aspect of Susan B Anthony’s life. She registered to vote, and voted for President in 1872. This single act of civil disobedience caused uproar. She based her action on the 14th and the 19th amendments to the Constitution. Jailed and then later tried, she was fined $100 which she vowed she would never pay and she stuck to this vow. “Outrageous. Unbelievable. True.” An afterword explains more about Anthony’s life and how after the US Supreme Court, in 1875 ruled that the 14th Amendment did not give women the right to vote she turned her attention to the Suffrage movement. This is an excellent read-a-loud for older students on Constitution day, providing a great way to talk about rights and responsibilities. Steve James, the illustrator of the Dewey the library cat books, puts real determination on Anthony’s face in his pictures.