A review by backonthealex
Lights! Camera! Alice!: The Thrilling True Adventures of the First Woman Filmmaker (Film Book for Kids, Non-Fiction Picture Book, Inspiring Ch by Mara Rockliff

4.0

Well, if one of the purposes of biographies is to introduce young readers (and their teacher) to people they may never have heard of, this book certainly fills that bill. Born in France in 1875, Alice Guy-Blaché loved stories, but after her father's bookstore was destroyed and he died not long after, she realized she would need to get a job. Applying at a camera company, Alice discovered moving pictures. Alice thought moving pictures were great, but why not tell a story as well. Alice loved making films even though it wasn't always easy. And she was successful, even when her stories were stolen by others. After marrying, she and her husband moved to America, where Alice continued to make movies. But after her husband went to Hollywood, Alice's business began to fail, though her story does not come to an end there. Alice was a real ground breaker, the first woman in the field of filmmaking but she has received little credit for all she accomplished. The whole book has the feel of old time movies, complete with storyboards, title cards, and text written in short, simple sentences that resemble the inter-titles of silent films, Rockliff traces Alice's life, showing how she turned her love of stories into a career which led to cutting-edge innovations in film. Complimenting the story are colorful dry media illustrations that add a bit of old-time whimsy to Alice's life story. This is a book that kids will most certainly find interesting and inspiring. Back matter is included.