Carol Gilligan and the Search for Voice

Gr 6 Up–The best kind of biographies are the ones that are written so well, readers feel lost in the real-life story. While developmental psychologist Carol Gilligan’s life work is the focus of this book, it’s a highly readable and powerful volume. The story of Gilligan’s voice, her subsequent work in the field of psychology, including her landmark 1982 book In a Different Voice, and how voice is developed can help readers understand their own development. Each chapter scaffolds Gilligan’s personal life and professional accomplishments, from discovering her own voice as a child to attending Harvard University for her PhD to her subsequent work in psychology; all are aligned with historical moments. She challenged existing research methods of psychology that included only white men and boys. Pop-out text boxes, illustrations, and photographs, as well as large text, are all helpful features to increase accessibility. Some may find it most important that there are entire sections on listening, because what’s a voice without the ability to listen.