One Step Forward, by Marcie Flinchum Atkins

Teen-aged Matilda, growing up in a radical family in Washington DC, finds inspiration supporting and eventually protesting for the Suffragists.  Told in verse, the novel traces her involvement (including her presence at the "Night of Terror") to the eventual ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment.  Rooted in well-documented history, Atkins gives herself license to explore the mind of the youngest radical suffragist.

There's no faulting the retelling of historical facts, many of which may be only hazily known by readers and the idea of focusing on a teen makes the novel inspirational for young readers.  However, for a story rich with people and events, the verse format provides too sketchy of a treatment.  And while the poetry is definitely above average, it can prove distracting and distancing to the storytelling.  That frustrates attempts to understand the events of the story.  Reading a more traditional historical account alongside this novel would prove beneficial and in fact be a useful complement.