Thrill Seekers

Thrill Seekers
Thrill Seekers

Thrill Seekers

15 Remarkable Women in Extreme Sports
By Ann McCallum Staats

Women of Power

YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION

224 Pages, 5.5 x 8.5

Formats: Hardback, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket, Trade Paper

EPUB, $11.99 (US $11.99) (CA $15.99)

ISBN 9781641605434

Rights: WOR

Chicago Review Press (Mar 2021)

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Overview

Encompassing a diverse selection of women in extreme and unique sports, this book shares the stories of bold and daring thrill-seekers
What is the allure of the extreme? Who are the women who seek out and excel at sports outside the conventional, such as cave diving, wingsuit flying, or Formula 1 racing? This collection of female adventure dynamos is as fascinating as it is empowering. Thrill Seekers introduces readers to a diverse and fascinating selection of women whose determination, grit, and courage have propelled each of them into a life far from the sidelines. Each chapter introduces readers to modern role models and leaders, change-makers who opt into a life of risk—but one of astonishing rewards. Their stories inspire young people to approach life with the same bold resolve.

Reviews

“What many people don’t realize is that women have always been pushing themselves in many ways to meet mental, creative, and physical challenges—it is part of our roaming humanity, our quest to reach and understand the farthest places on earth. However, it has often been difficult for women to be recognized or allowed into the special cadre of heroes—those who inspire us all to reach for our personal best. Ann McCallum Staats has written an uplifting book profiling a handful of extraordinary women whose example proves that nothing can or should hold women back. These women push the boundaries of what was believed possible, achieving the impossible. Mastering fear and building on years of astute training, the women Staats profiles soar over active volcanoes, swim through ice caves, deep dive with sharks, break speeding records, master dogs to race through the wilderness, and other challenging feats. These women explore the possibilities of the impossible.” —Milbry Polk, author of Women of Discovery, and board of directors member of the Explorers Club  



“Ann McCallum Staats has written a much-needed book. In a world dominated by ball and goal sports, Thrill Seekers: 15 Remarkable Women in Extreme Sports takes a deep dive into sports such as slackline walking, cave diving, and dog sled racing. Staats also tells the stories of the fascinating women who have the courage to push themselves further than they ever thought possible. Thrill Seekers is a reading rush.” —Fred Bowen, author and Washington Post KidsPost columnist 



"This newest book by Ann celebrates women today as you can see from the title. They are making history right now! I was amazed and constantly in awe as I read through Ann's stories of each of these women. I've ordered a copy for myself so I can pass it on to my granddaughters who are both athletic and will love reading of girls who've grown to women as they achieve in sports what few others have done." —Linda, Goodreads

“A book full of adventure and fascinating stories!” —Language during Mealtime

“A useful collection of light reading that serves as an introduction to extreme sports.” —School Library Journal

“The unique journeys and achievements of women athletes who push the limits of their bodies and minds are outlined in individual substantial chapters.” —Booklist

“An engaging, energetic, and unabashedly woman-centric adventure.” —Kirkus Reviews

Author Biography

Ann McCallum Staats holds a BA in Education from the University of Victoria, BC, and an MA in Education from the University of Maryland. She is the author Women Heroes of the US Army as well as six children’s books, including The Secret Life of Math, which won ForeWord's Gold Book of the Year, and the Eat Your Homework series. She is currently an ESOL high school teacher and a member of SCBWI as well as the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, DC.
 

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What is the allure of the extreme? Who are the women who seek out and excel at sports outside the conventional, such as cave diving, wingsuit flying, or Formula 1 racing? This collection of female adventure dynamos is as fascinating as it is empowering. Thrill Seekers introduces readers to a diverse and fascinating selection of women whose determination, grit, and courage have propelled each of them into a life far from the sidelines. Each chapter introduces readers to modern role models and leaders, change-makers who opt into a life of risk—but one of astonishing rewards. Their stories inspire young people to approach life with the same bold resolve.
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Food is a great unifying force on Earth.

Not only do humans need food to survive, it also gives structure to our days, offers dining and recreational opportunities, provides employment, and speaks to important societal issues such as food security, hunger, and nutrition.

Women and food make a dynamic duo. These 15 hardworking, innovative, and accomplished women have made great strides in the field of food, whether it’s coming up with meals for astronauts to eat in space, operating a 20-acre farm, hosting a food podcast, or fighting for food rights.

Women have always been instrumental in providing nourishment for their families and communities, and they are often at the forefront of this ever-changing global industry.

These 15 women are stellar in their food industry roles as farmers, chefs, food activists, food storytellers, and food scientists.
 
Music Mavens
Music Mavens ›
By Ashley Walker, By Maureen Charles

Trade Paper

Published Sep 2024

Nothing moves us like music. 
Music Mavens transports readers around the world (and beyond)—to a jazz performance in Genoa, an instrument lab in London, a Tokyo taiko dojo, a New York City beatbox battle, and even a film scoring session aboard the starship Enterprise, to name a few. Along the way, it spotlights artists whose work spans musical genres and industry roles, including composing and songwriting, performing and conducting, audio engineering, producing, and rock photography.
In Music Mavens, 15 extraordinary women reveal how they turned their passions into platforms and how they use their power to uplift others. 
Their musical resumes will inspire, but the way each artist lives her life is the real story.
Problem Solvers
Problem Solvers ›
By PJ Hoover

Trade Paper

Published Jul 2024

When engineers are faced with an impossible problem, they don’t quit. They look for solutions.

These 15 women are coders and engineers who have faced impossible problems and found solutions. They are each doing amazing work in technical fields while facing unique challenges that are not equally faced by men. Some have faced work/life balance offsets and long-distance relationship challenges. Others have faced teen pregnancy, homelessness, and domestic abuse. Many may have not had the same technical encouragement growing up that their male colleagues had. 

Science has typically been considered a man’s field of study. There are all sorts of reasons why this is the case, though none of them is valid in today’s society. Women can and should be anything they want to be. 

Problem solving with science and math is everyone’s field, and it’s time for the world to see powerful women succeeding in it.
High Flyers
High Flyers ›
By Ann McCallum Staats

Trade Paper

Published May 2024

These 15 women fly outside the lines.

Soar beside Black Hawk helicopter pilot turned politician Tammy Duckworth, hot air balloonist Edgora McEwan, or medevac pilot Dede Murawsky. Higher up, meet commercial and military aviators such as the Coast Guard’s Ronaqua Russell, the first African American female to receive the prestigious Air Medal for her rescue efforts during Hurricane Harvey.

Next, ride along with Tammie Jo Shults, whose story includes a harrowing catastrophic engine failure while in command of 148 people aboard Southwest’s Flight 1380. Others share their experiences in military high-performance jets, the Stratotanker, or while flying for the Blue Angels.

Reaching past the bounds of Earth are astronauts who have launched in the cramped Russian rocket, the Soyuz, orbited Earth while conducting critical science experiments, or lived aboard the International Space Station.

In all cases, the women in this book faced obstacles. Throughout their rise to incredible accomplishment, these courageous go-getters persevered and endured, insisting on success. Ultimately, each succeeded on her path to flight.
 
These diverse high-flyers are dreamers and doers who believed, despite the odds, that soaring is possible.  
 
Film Makers
Film Makers ›
By Lyn Miller-Lachman, By Tanisia Moore

Trade Paper

Published Jun 2024

In Hollywood, women don’t have to be in front of the cameras to shine.

Each of the 15 women profiled in Film Makers share a common trait: she is, as Shonda Rhimes says, “First. Only. Different.”

These phenomenal women have redefined the film and television industry, winning awards historically given to a male counterpart, being the only woman in a writers' room, or portraying stories no one else could tell.

While their resumes are impressive, it is how they live their lives that has made a greater impact in the communities they serve.
Climate Champions
Climate Champions ›
By Rachel Sarah

Trade Paper

Published Oct 2024

These 15 contemporary climate champions are on the frontlines of science to create a sustainable future on Earth.

They are climate scientists, journalists, professors, academics, researchers, and policy makers from around the world who draft policies with real-world impact, run science labs to find new answers to old problems, and lead organizations at the forefront of change. These women reveal how racial and social injustices lie at the root of the climate crisis.  

Their stories are accessible and energetic, with spotlights on the triumphs and struggles of women who are working to protect the planet.  

As young readers learn how these champions are rising up around the world, they will learn how to be part of the solution.
Idea Makers
Idea Makers ›
By Lowey Bundy Sichol

Trade Paper

Published Mar 2024

Entrepreneurship can change your life—and even the world
 
Idea Makers shares the incredible stories of 15 women who changed the world through their entrepreneurship. Author Lowey Bundy Sichol presents five industries that women are leading in recent years: food, fashion and clothing, health and beauty, science and technology, and education.
 
Jenn Hyman brought couture fashion to everyday women with her idea to Rent the Runway. Morgan DeBaun supports Black journalists through Blavity. And Sandra Oh Lin is inspiring kids everywhere with KiwiCo activity boxes.
 
Readers learn about how the women featured risked their early careers, gave up their salaries, and sometimes even went against the approval of their families to follow their passions and start their own businesses. Today, these women are modern leaders worth billions of dollars and employing tens of thousands of individuals.
 
Young women today are embracing innovation and idea making, and the women profiled in Idea Makers will show them how that can change the world.