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barefootmegz's review
4.0
In a time where women are more free to pursue careers in STEM, it is important to remember the history of our liberation, and the journeys of the women who came before us. While several women in various careers defied societal norms, attending male-only institutions, and qualifying in traditionally “male” professions, not much is known about them. Their stories reside quietly in the archives of professional associations, and the annals of universities.
In this imagination of what Julia Morgan’s childhood might have been, we meet a young girl who is a pioneer long before she becomes the first female to qualify at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and the first female architect granted a license to practise in New York City.
The author, Susan J. Austin, melds seamlessly the known facts of Morgan’s life and career, with plausible experiences in her childhood. While I enjoyed the book, I would like to especially commend the epilogue and afterword, because they illustrate just how thorough Austin was in creating this narrative.
I couldn’t help but think of [b:Anne of Green Gables|8127|Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)|L.M. Montgomery|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615094578l/8127._SY75_.jpg|3464264] reading this Drawing Outside the Lines. While Anne and Julia are very different young girls, with entirely different stories, the tone of a young girl taking great pleasure in knowledge, while discovering her own talents, really marries these books in my mind.
The beauty of Morgan’s life, and thus also this book, is that the focus is so much on persistence and effort, and in this way is applicable to young girls and boys everywhere, and in all fields of interest. Julia Morgan doesn’t achieve what she does by happenstance or gift (though she may have innate ability): she works hard through the night, perfects her art, and she consistently presses on when doors are closed to her.
Appropriate for tweens and up, I recommend this book to young girls AND boys, their teachers, and their parents.
I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley and SparkPress in exchange for an honest review.
In this imagination of what Julia Morgan’s childhood might have been, we meet a young girl who is a pioneer long before she becomes the first female to qualify at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and the first female architect granted a license to practise in New York City.
The author, Susan J. Austin, melds seamlessly the known facts of Morgan’s life and career, with plausible experiences in her childhood. While I enjoyed the book, I would like to especially commend the epilogue and afterword, because they illustrate just how thorough Austin was in creating this narrative.
I couldn’t help but think of [b:Anne of Green Gables|8127|Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)|L.M. Montgomery|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615094578l/8127._SY75_.jpg|3464264] reading this Drawing Outside the Lines. While Anne and Julia are very different young girls, with entirely different stories, the tone of a young girl taking great pleasure in knowledge, while discovering her own talents, really marries these books in my mind.
The beauty of Morgan’s life, and thus also this book, is that the focus is so much on persistence and effort, and in this way is applicable to young girls and boys everywhere, and in all fields of interest. Julia Morgan doesn’t achieve what she does by happenstance or gift (though she may have innate ability): she works hard through the night, perfects her art, and she consistently presses on when doors are closed to her.
Appropriate for tweens and up, I recommend this book to young girls AND boys, their teachers, and their parents.
I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley and SparkPress in exchange for an honest review.
michellehenriereads's review
5.0
I received an ARC of DRAWING OUTSIDE THE LINES in exchange for my honest opinions.
This book is recommended for people who loved The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate—so I am the perfect audience even though I'm an adult.
We delve into the Victorian era in Oakland, California along with a trips to surrounding cities and taking the train to New York, New York. If you think girls and women have it rough now, you're in for a surprise to see how bad it was in the late 1800s. Oh my goodness! I was filled with righteous anger for Julia (nicknamed Dudu by a younger brother who couldn't pronounce her name).
I adored how Julia mind works. She's brilliant with numbers and willing to work hard. Harder even than her classmates. She's meticulous in her work—even a perfectionist. These traits serve her well, but the most important trait she possessed is tenacity! If she wasn't stubborn, she never would've stood up for herself, she never would have continued to dream, and she never would have lived the life she strove for in that era. One point in her favor were the letters she received from Pierre LeBrun. (As explained in the book's back matter, we don't know if Julia had contact with this architect in her childhood but did in her college years.) I can imagine how thrilled Julia would have been to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge—a marvelous feat that is still inspiring today.
I feel like Julia is inspiring no matter who you are, where you come from, or what you dream to achieve. The author sucked me in from the beginning, and I couldn't put the book down.
Seriously—you NEED this book for your sons and daughters.
It's great to start a conversation about how we treat others, what it takes to accomplish hard things, and valuing your unique skills and talents.
This is going in my favorites of all-time category because it's so good! So, yes! I highly recommend it.
After you read DRAWING OUTSIDE THE LINES, please give me a note about what you love about it. I love hearing from you!
For more reviews, go to talesuntangled.wordpress.com :)
This book is recommended for people who loved The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate—so I am the perfect audience even though I'm an adult.
We delve into the Victorian era in Oakland, California along with a trips to surrounding cities and taking the train to New York, New York. If you think girls and women have it rough now, you're in for a surprise to see how bad it was in the late 1800s. Oh my goodness! I was filled with righteous anger for Julia (nicknamed Dudu by a younger brother who couldn't pronounce her name).
I adored how Julia mind works. She's brilliant with numbers and willing to work hard. Harder even than her classmates. She's meticulous in her work—even a perfectionist. These traits serve her well, but the most important trait she possessed is tenacity! If she wasn't stubborn, she never would've stood up for herself, she never would have continued to dream, and she never would have lived the life she strove for in that era. One point in her favor were the letters she received from Pierre LeBrun. (As explained in the book's back matter, we don't know if Julia had contact with this architect in her childhood but did in her college years.) I can imagine how thrilled Julia would have been to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge—a marvelous feat that is still inspiring today.
I feel like Julia is inspiring no matter who you are, where you come from, or what you dream to achieve. The author sucked me in from the beginning, and I couldn't put the book down.
Seriously—you NEED this book for your sons and daughters.
It's great to start a conversation about how we treat others, what it takes to accomplish hard things, and valuing your unique skills and talents.
This is going in my favorites of all-time category because it's so good! So, yes! I highly recommend it.
After you read DRAWING OUTSIDE THE LINES, please give me a note about what you love about it. I love hearing from you!
For more reviews, go to talesuntangled.wordpress.com :)
kelleemoye's review
4.0
I loved stepping back to the turn of the 20th century with Julia and experience her marvel as engineering and architectural feats were occurring all over America. I also learned so much along with Julia in the book–it was intriguing to learn about architecture, architectural materials, engineering, and more!
Although I know that much of the book is fiction, that Julia is based on a real woman made the story easier to connect with because you knew she succeeded; you knew that all of the hate and bullying and sexism didn’t keep her down. And I wanted to keep following her journey to see all of the amazing things she did to prove people wrong.
Overall, a well-researched and also engaging historical fiction novel about a topic and time period not often shared with our middle grade readers. I look forward to sharing it with students and am happy to share it here.
Full review with teaching tools: https://www.unleashingreaders.com/25714
Although I know that much of the book is fiction, that Julia is based on a real woman made the story easier to connect with because you knew she succeeded; you knew that all of the hate and bullying and sexism didn’t keep her down. And I wanted to keep following her journey to see all of the amazing things she did to prove people wrong.
Overall, a well-researched and also engaging historical fiction novel about a topic and time period not often shared with our middle grade readers. I look forward to sharing it with students and am happy to share it here.
Full review with teaching tools: https://www.unleashingreaders.com/25714
angiew23's review
5.0
Drawing Outside the Lines by Susan Austin is a middle grade historical fiction about an 11 year old girl named Julia who visits New York and becomes enamoured by the Brooklyn Bridge. Based on the real person, Julia Morgan, who was the first female to receive an architecture license in the state of California, Julia is both the perfect fictional and real role model for young girls aspiring to make a career in the sciences. I love that the author included lots of perspectives of the time, for example how her mother wants Julia to focus on needle work rather than following her dreams. Young readers will quickly feel passionate and begin rooting for Julia because middle graders do not love being told what they can and can't do. While teaching historical perspectives of women, and also creating an interesting and realistic storyline, Austin has created a book that I think middle graders will love. I would recommend this book to readers in the age 9-12 range who are ready for chapter books with little to no pictures. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!
annarella's review
5.0
A well written story that talks about the start of women in STEM and how hard it was. The plot flows, the author is a good storyteller, and the characters are fleshed out.
I would to read it to young girls as it is still hard for women in STEM.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
I would to read it to young girls as it is still hard for women in STEM.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
openmypages's review
3.0
{3.5 stars}
Julia is not your typical pre-teen girl in the 1880s. While her peers are all interested in ruffly gowns and coming out parties, Julia is obsessed with architecture marvels of the time - the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. She dreams of being able to be the designer of a structure that will one day rival those things. We follow her as she grows from a precocious girl to a driven college student. Her desires never waver and she pushes back on the patriarchy and expectations of women at every turn.
This is a great middle grade / young YA read to empower young women. Julia is a girl with a good head on her shoulders and pushes the envelope just enough while remaining respectful and kind. We only get a small snippet of the true history of Julia and where she ends up and it's impressive.
Thanks to Booksparks for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
Julia is not your typical pre-teen girl in the 1880s. While her peers are all interested in ruffly gowns and coming out parties, Julia is obsessed with architecture marvels of the time - the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. She dreams of being able to be the designer of a structure that will one day rival those things. We follow her as she grows from a precocious girl to a driven college student. Her desires never waver and she pushes back on the patriarchy and expectations of women at every turn.
This is a great middle grade / young YA read to empower young women. Julia is a girl with a good head on her shoulders and pushes the envelope just enough while remaining respectful and kind. We only get a small snippet of the true history of Julia and where she ends up and it's impressive.
Thanks to Booksparks for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
booksinstilllife's review
4.0
This book tells the story of Julia Morgan, a spitfire of a girl who dreams of building bridges and skyscrapers, despite her mother’s insistence that she play the part of a debutante. She persevered and prevailed, and was the first woman to be admitted to the architecture program at l'École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris and the first woman architect licensed in California.
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This book is geared for 9-12 year olds, and would be just wonderful for a tween dreaming of a career in STEM, or just looking to be all she can be regardless of what society might think or say; It has girl power written all over it. It’s definitely not a rags to riches story - I doubt Julia would have achieved her dream had she not been born into a wealthy family with an architect uncle - but it is an overcoming gender norms story, and for that it should be celebrated.
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I’ve already passed this on to my 9-year old daughter. I hope she loves and appreciates it. Dream big, V!
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Thanks to @booksparks for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
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This book is geared for 9-12 year olds, and would be just wonderful for a tween dreaming of a career in STEM, or just looking to be all she can be regardless of what society might think or say; It has girl power written all over it. It’s definitely not a rags to riches story - I doubt Julia would have achieved her dream had she not been born into a wealthy family with an architect uncle - but it is an overcoming gender norms story, and for that it should be celebrated.
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I’ve already passed this on to my 9-year old daughter. I hope she loves and appreciates it. Dream big, V!
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Thanks to @booksparks for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
pagesandplannersabroad's review
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
This is an outstanding imagining of the life of Julia Morgan, who was a prolific architect. She was one of the first ever female architects in the United States. She designed the Hearst Castle, among other building. This would be a great book to put into young hands.
mady_garrett's review
medium-paced
4.0
thank you to booksparks for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review. this book was mesmerizing. the way the julia and her life was described throughout the entirety of the book was addicting, and the storyline was beautifully crafted and fulfilled. julia was a very loveable and relatable character, which i can't say about many. the way her life was told through julia's perspective was addicting to read, and i never wanted to put this book down. although it was a little bit of a slower read, this was an amazing story and i would recommend! overall rating is a 4/5⭐
themoonphoenix's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Drawing Outside the Lines is a fictionalized biography of Julia Morgan, she was an American architect, and she was a very private person, there is not much information about her childhood, so the author was inspired by letters or memoirs.
Julia grew up at the end of the Victorian era when skyscrapers were beginning to revolutionize the world; Since she was a child, she showed talent in drawing and mathematics, which led her to study civil engineering at the university, being the only woman in her class.
Julia was a pioneer, I think that thanks to women like her, today we can enjoy an education. She was highly intelligent, leading to hostile and misogynistic comments, not only from her peers but also from her professors who did not believe that a woman could (or should) be an engineer. Luckily, she not only had talent, but also support and a lot of perseverance, which led her to become the first woman to be admitted to the Paris School of Fine Arts and the first female architect in California.
It is a short and easy read, and the style is very middle-grade, which makes it perfect for many girls to read and be inspired.
Julia grew up at the end of the Victorian era when skyscrapers were beginning to revolutionize the world; Since she was a child, she showed talent in drawing and mathematics, which led her to study civil engineering at the university, being the only woman in her class.
Julia was a pioneer, I think that thanks to women like her, today we can enjoy an education. She was highly intelligent, leading to hostile and misogynistic comments, not only from her peers but also from her professors who did not believe that a woman could (or should) be an engineer. Luckily, she not only had talent, but also support and a lot of perseverance, which led her to become the first woman to be admitted to the Paris School of Fine Arts and the first female architect in California.
It is a short and easy read, and the style is very middle-grade, which makes it perfect for many girls to read and be inspired.