<b> I've been trying to help women have better lives, using the laws we already have. But what if the laws are wrong, or don't go far enough?" </b> <P> <P> <P> So was the thinking of Jeannette Rankin before she decided to run for Congress, years before most women even had the right to vote. <P> <P> Growing up a small-town girl in Montana, Jeannette showed courage and initiative, helping to run her family's ranch and daring to go to university at a time when most women did not even finish high school. She was bright and well-educated, but it wasn't until a visit to her brother in Boston -- where she glimpsed the harsh realities that women and children faced in the slums -- that she knew what she wanted to do with her life. <P> <P> Immediately she got to work, helping in settlement houses and working with orphaned children, but Jeannette wanted to give women the power to better their own lives -- so she shifted her focus to suffrage and ran for Congress. On November 9, 1916, Jeannette Rankin became the first woman to win a seat in the House of Representatives. While in office, she continued her fight for women's rights and also bravely advocated for peace during World War I. Jeannette Rankin was a true pioneer in women's rights and an undeniable force behind the peace movement in America. <P> <P> In this historical account, Marx's candid text and Andreasen's finely detailed illustrations work together to capture the strength and spirit of one of America's most inspirational leaders. <P>