Tillie came to America with her sewing needle and big dreams. In no time, she had stitched herself a racing outfit and began breaking not only world cycling records, but many soci - etal barriers, too

This is truly an amazing book. Tillie was a very brave individual who came to America with just a needle, so she got herself a job in a tailor shop and waited for her dream to come to find her. Soon or later her dream was just outside of her job's window. Tillie became interested in becoming a biker. Many people in her community envied her dreams and didn't think it was ladylike for a woman to be a biker. Tillie became so interested in her dream she began to ride her bike a half an hour each day and exercise to become stronger as a biker. One day Tillie ran into another biker by the name of Phillip who encouraged her to enter different races. Phillip trained her to become a stronger and advanced biker. Many bikers began to physically abuse her during competitions as well as being placed with the slowest racers so she had no competition but that didn't stop her. She competed with herself and still broke records. Her and Phillip decided to get married and become business partners. Despite the negativity, Tillie still accomplished her goals. ( )

"Most girls came to America with a dream, but all Tillie Anderson had was a needle. So she got herself a job in a tailor's shop and waited for a dream to come and find her." What a line! McMenemy's tone through this book is light hearted, determined, and inspiring. A sweet tale of a woman in the 1800s defying gender norms and body shaming, Tille was a woman facing not only the onslaught men struggling with the dynamic changing but also other women. Thankfully she found he supporters, those involved in the women's suffrage movement and her lovely coach and (eventually) husband, Phillip. The feeling the text and illustrations provide are airy and sweet but more importantly proudly defiant and calm. ( )

When Tillie Anderson arrived to America, all she had was a needle. She got herself a job in a tailor’s shop, and one day a man riding a bicycle rolled right by her window. “Bicycles aren’t for ladies,” everyone would say, but she saved up her money and dreamed of nothing but riding. Every day after work, she rode for half an hour, lifted dumbbells, and swung Indian clubs over her head. She realized she couldn’t keep riding in a dress, so she made her own outfit, complete with pants. Tillie entered races and won them and she was setting records along the way. After hurting herself one day, a man named Phillip quits his career and became Tillie’s manager. With his help, she fights for more opportunities for women. Tillie and Phillip get married, and she continues her life with a new hobby, driving a motorcar. A great book that goes against gender stereotypes and proves that women can do anything they put their mind to. Tillie’s determination is enough motivation for anyone who reads. She didn't care what other people thought of her, and she stuck with her dream. ( )

Summary: This biography is about Tillie Anderson, a Swedish woman who moved to America in 1889 in search of a better life. One day, Tillie saw a person riding a bicycle past her window and decided that was what she wanted to do with her life. She started training to become stronger and she created an outfit that was not a dress so she could ride comfortably. On her first century race she broke he women's record by eighteen minutes. Eventually, after a few more races, Tillie was a sensation; reporters wrote articles about her and she was a poster girl for bicycle companies. Other bicyclists were not a fan of her winning so much and getting all the attention. That did not discourage Tille. Her soon to be husband signed her up for even more challenging races; one was an eighteen-hour race where she beat the record and earned the nickname: "Tillie the Terrible Swede". Tillie continued to race throughout the 1890's and beat her records.

Review: I thought this book was very informational because of all the information it had about Tillie Anderson. It gave the reader information about a big part of Tillie Anderson's life that made her famous. The main message was allowing the reader to learn more about her and to discover how she became a bicyclist. Another message the reader could grasp based on this book is how even though she is a woman, she was still able to reach her dreams. There was a lot of controversy over Tillie riding a bicycle and the book even stated that Tillie lost some of friends because she biked and that was frowned upon during this time period. However, I think the book gave a lot of information; it told the reader how she had to train for her biking competitions and how she had to create her own outfit so she could have something other than a dress. It also stated how Tillie did not give up riding, even though there were many people who tried to stop her from doing it. Therefore, it is one example of how someone followed their dreams and achieved what they wanted to. I really liked how this book was written and thought it would be perfect for a younger audience. It is told in a more story-like way rather than just stating facts. ( )