Publisher Description

A fun and feisty tour of famous girl BFFs from history who stuck together and changed the world.A modern girl is nothing without her squad of besties. But don't let all the hashtags fool you- the #girlsquad goes back a long, long time. In this hilarious and heartfelt book, geek girl Sam Maggs takes you on a tour of some of history's most famous female BFFs, including-* Anne Bonny and Mary Read, the infamous lady pirates who sailed the seven seas and plundered with the best of the men* Jeanne Manon Roland and Sophie Grandchamp, Parisian socialites who landed front-row seats (from prison) to the French Revolution* Sharon and Shirley Firth, the First Nations twin sisters who would go on to become Olympic skiiers and break barriers in the sport* The Edinburgh Seven, the band of pals who fought to become the first women admitted to medical school in the United Kingdom* The Zohra Orchestra, the ensemble from Afghanistan who defied laws, danger, and threats to become the nation's first all-female musical groupAnd many more! Spanning art, science, politics, activism, and even sports, these girl squads show just how essential female friendship has been throughout history and throughout the world. Sam Maggs brings her signature wit and warmth as she pays tribute to the enduring power of the girl squad. Fun, feisty, and delightful to read--with empowering illustrations by artist Jenn Woodall--it's the perfect gift for your BFF.

Notes

Warm and witty profiles of collaborations between women that have had a positive impact on history, spanning art, science, activism and many other fields.

Author Biography

Sam Maggs is an Associate Writer for BioWare and the bestselling author ofThe Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy and Wonder Women,both published by Quirk Books. Sam has been aneditor for geek girl culture site The Mary Sue, and has beenpublished across the web and in other books about gaming and genre.Jenn Woodall is an illustrator and comics creator whose work has been featured in multiple comics anthologies. She lives in Toronto.

Review

"Maggs writes with a sly sense of humor and irreverence that keeps the text from ever feeling dry or dull. [Girl Squads] is upbeat and positive, itself a 'journey of lady solidarity' bound to educate and inspire readers of any gender."—Shelf Awareness for Readers

"An impressively researched and fascinating compendium of history's greatest gal pals."—Booklist 

"A historical and fun look into some of the most incredible female teams, partnerships, and friendships throughout history."—Book Riot

"[Girl Squads is] exactly the book you need if you're a history buff with a decidedly feminist streak."—Bustle

Praise for Wonder Women:
"Wonder Women isn't just filled with extraordinary tales of female scientists and inventors – though there are plenty of them – [Maggs] also includes sections on espionage and adventure, fields not traditionally associated with STEM."—Entertainment Weekly
 
"We could all stand to learn more about women in STEM fields, and Maggs, whose book The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy is a gem, is just the writer to lead the way."—Bustle 

"Both thorough and easy to digest. . . . Maggs writes the descriptions of the women and their achievements in such a way that you're inspired to take the ball and keep running."—Nerdist 

"If you know a feminist, punk-rocking preteen who's as concerned with body piercings as she is with book reports, pick up a copy of Maggs's Wonder Women . . . a compelling collection of profiles highlighting history's forgotten women of science, adventure, and espionage."—The Village Voice

"Whether you want to know about suffragists, awesome historical lady ninjas, or the other butt kicking, trailblazing smarties in between, Wonder Women will have something for you!"—Amy Poehler's Smart Girls

Praise for The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy:
"Read it cover to cover, and then make sure you share it with all the young girl geeks you know."—Brit + Co
 
"A handy handbook for being an empowering and happy girl geek."—Sweety High

"A great homage to anything and everything fandom, especially for those new to the genre."—Reading Eagle 

"If you or someone else in your life could do with an inclusive, funny, super smart, and sweet introduction to the world of female geeks, look no further."—The Mary Sue

"Through and through, Maggs manages to talk about feminism, fangirling, cons, lingo, and the general idea that you should be yourself, and do that unapologetically, with a great deal of lightheartedness and fun."—The Frisky

Promotional

A fun and feisty tour of famous girl BFFs from history who stuck together and changed the world.

Review Quote

Praise for Wonder Women : " Wonder Women isn't just filled with extraordinary tales of female scientists and inventors - though there are plenty of them - [Maggs] also includes sections on espionage and adventure, fields not traditionally associated with STEM."-- Entertainment Weekly "We could all stand to learn more about women in STEM fields, and Maggs, whose book The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy is a gem, is just the writer to lead the way." --Bustle "Both thorough and easy to digest. . . . Maggs writes the descriptions of the women and their achievements in such a way that you're inspired to take the ball and keep running."-- Nerdist "If you know a feminist, punk-rocking preteen who's as concerned with body piercings as she is with book reports, pick up a copy of Maggs's Wonder Women . . . a compelling collection of profiles highlighting history's forgotten women of science, adventure, and espionage. "--The Village Voice "Whether you want to know about suffragists, awesome historical lady ninjas, or the other butt kicking, trailblazing smarties in between, Wonder Women will have something for you!"-- Amy Poehler's Smart Girls Praise for The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy : "Read it cover to cover, and then make sure you share it with all the young girl geeks you know."-- Brit + Co "A handy handbook for being an empowering and happy girl geek."-- Sweety High "A great homage to anything and everything fandom, especially for those new to the genre."-- Reading Eagle "If you or someone else in your life could do with an inclusive, funny, super smart, and sweet introduction to the world of female geeks, look no further."-- The Mary Sue "Through and through, Maggs manages to talk about feminism, fangirling, cons, lingo, and the general idea that you should be yourself, and do that unapologetically, with a great deal of lightheartedness and fun."-- The Frisky

Promotional "Headline"

A fun and feisty tour of famous girl BFFs from history who stuck together and changed the world.

Excerpt from Book

Introduction As girls and women, we live in a world that is incredibly difficult to navigate. And although many of us have caring, sympathetic men in our lives, there are some things--no matter how many times we explain them--that they''ll never fully understand: what it''s like to always wonder if you''re being paid as much as the guy at the next desk whose work isn''t even as good as yours; how it feels to walk home at night with your keys between your knuckles, wondering if your facial expression is tough enough to scare off assailants but not so tough as to invite aggression; the punch to the gut when someone on the internet threatens you with sexual violence just because you expressed an opinion about a superhero movie. Tell a guy about these and he might just stare at you; tell a gal and she''ll get it. These shared experiences help us befriend the girls and women around us. They link us with the kind of bond that''s impossible to describe unless you''ve felt it. Female friendship is a thing . So why does TV portray women as catty, competitive, and constantly looking for opportunities to undercut each other? Why do movies often feature a lone "token girl" (if there are any women at all) in an otherwise entirely male cast? What''s up with those weird, jealous feelings toward other women that we might get sometimes? And why doesn''t the world recognize the amazing power that comes when girls and women team up, bond, and respect one another? For starters, until very recently, it was the men doing all the writing--men who either didn''t think women''s stories mattered or, worse, were invested in keeping women in their "place," which meant "apart from one another." A tale of inspiring female friendship was just too empowering . But that doesn''t mean those friendships didn''t exist. In fact, if we dig deep enough into history, we find that many women who pushed the boundaries and won victories did so because of--and not despite--other women. Who else would cheer them on? The first women to be formally educated, the first women to demand suffrage, the first women doctors--we owe all these success stories to women supporting women. "Girl squads" might be trendy these days (and it''s a trend I am 100 percent on board with), but they''re not at all new. These trailblazing ladies were the first, and arguably the most important squads of all. Fortunately, the tide is turning. Everyone is all about the girl squad. Which is awesome, trust me! But it''s more than just a solid hashtag (though it also makes a great hashtag). Believing in the strength of women and girls banding together is a shift in consciousness. Promoting positive ideas about female bonding changes how we interact with our own buds. And the magic power of friendship can help us tear down the barriers that are holding us back. So while society would rather see us compete against each other instead of care about each other, we don''t have to listen. We can draw inspiration from historical gals who''ve lifted each other up and do the same in our own lives. We can connect rather than divide. Because why would we want to talk behind another woman''s back when we could compliment her sharp-as- heck winged eyeliner or her new career move and watch her face light up? The girl squad is about supporting and believing women when they tell us their stories. It''s about stopping the fight over the right to be The Girl in the room and insisting that we all have a seat at the table--femmes of all ethnicities, races, classes, sexual orientations, gender identities, and abilities. It''s about finally getting the women-dominated entertainment and media we are so desperate for ( Ocean''s Eight , anyone?). It''s about being more together than we are apart. So let''s rewrite the narrative by seeing how much the amazing girl squads of history have already done. Join me on this journey of lady solidarity, and bring your best girl friends along too. Oh, and hey--text me to let me know you got home safe, okay?

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