Welcome to Day 2 of Blogging A to Z where I’m blogging this year about maps found in children’s books. I love to find a biography that includes maps of where the subject lived and traveled. I am fascinated by Nelly Bly and all that she accomplished. She was the ultimate traveler!
The Daring Nellie Bly – America’s Star Reporter
By Bonnie Christensen Alfred A. Knopf Publishing 2003
Picture book grades 1-6
Nellie Bly was an amazing American woman who became a reporter and insisted on covering difficult subjects rather than write the social columns. She spent five months reporting from Mexico became famous when she went undercover and spent ten days in an insane asylum. Her scathing articles exposed horrible social conditions and often resulted in needed change.
She is most well-known, however for her 1889 – 1890 trip around the world traveling by boat, train, and horse. Nellie’s journey was inspired by Jules Verne’s fictional account of Phineas Fogg in Around the World in Eighty Days. She was determined to travel light and she had a dress made that would hold up to three months of constant wear. Nellie Bly made the 21,740 mile trip in record time arriving home after 72 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes and 14 seconds of travel.
This is the front page article printed on the day that Nellie Bly began her trip around the world.
These are the two maps drawn for The Daring Nellie Bly – America’s Star Reporter
Wise words from this intrepid reporter:
If you are interested in reading more about Nellie Bly, then download this free copy of her book Around the World in Seventy-Two Days.
See you tomorrow with the letter C.
Hi Claire Annette – what a fascinating woman to be told about … I’d never heard of her – so interesting to read a little on her – intrepid to say the least – cheers Hilary
Wouldn’t it be fun to take a trip using her itinerary? But I would want more than 72 days to see everything.
Sometimes I think that all the books need to come with a map!
If I were rich, I will rush to buy all the books your have written about. At least, all the books so far!
Wow! I remember reading about her and her travel around the world on the footsteps of Phineas Fog. Thsi is something only 1800s people could think 😉
But the days in the asylum. That was brave.
Golden words about Nellie Bly.
Thanks – more people should know about her.