“This historical fiction young adult novel is a dramatization of the early life of Margaret Higgins Sanger, renowned women’s health activist and founder of Planned Parenthood. Reading as journal entries, each chapters tells a story that helps portray Maggie’s early life: how she longed to escape the tenements where she lived with her large family in a life of poverty. As an ambitious girl born into poverty in the late 19th century, Maggie struggled with her sense of duty to help her often pregnant and ill mother care for the younger siblings, while desperately wanting to escape a similar fate. She felt that her only options besides motherhood were to become a teacher. But she dreamed of becoming a doctor. The author, J. Albert Mann, creates a strong feminist character in her fictional portrayal of Sanger. To help the reader understand the context of the story, which was based on Sanger’s biography, and many primary source, including Sanger’s writings, the author includes an historical note. Without reading this note, readers will not fully understand the significance Sanger had on women’s reproductive rights, nor the personal sacrifices she made, including having to flee the US for a year, and going to jail twice.

The historic note also is aimed at clearing up lingering issues regarding Sanger’s support of eugenics (sterilization of the “mentally unfit”, which was a commonly held viewpoint at the time), and debunks the misquotes regarding alleged racial prejudice that her detractors perpetuated.

This historical fiction would make an excellent addition to a high school library.