(3) K-3 Illustrated by Meg Hunt. In 1977, New York City's fire department opened its entrance exam to women, but none of the women who applied passed the physical test. One of them, Brenda Berkman, sued the FDNY for discriminatory entrance testing. After winning in court, Berkman became a firefighter--but endured cruel on-the-job discrimination for years. Hunt's expressive mixed-media illustrations and Rinker's well-shaped story effectively convey Berkman's persistence and resilience, which paved the way for future female firefighters. An author's note discusses "Modern Trailblazers," and an endnote adds biographical details. A bibliography and list of websites are appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn