In the early 1980s, Diane Wilson, a shrimper from Calhoun County, Texas, discovered that the Gulf waters where she worked were among the most polluted in the country. The chemical plants in Calhoun County were dumping toxins unrestricted into the bay. Wilson began asking questions and challenging what was happening. Her emergence as an environmental activist was less by design than necessity, a role that slowly emerged from her inability to ignore what was happening. Molly Bang has woven the story of Diane Wilson into three distinct narrative strands. Black-and-white cartoon-style drawings with dialogue and thought bubbles provide details of Diane’s life and work, including conversations that took place as she embarked on the struggle to clean up the bay. Additional black-and-white drawings are connected to a more straightforward first-person narrative in Diane’s voice that describes events as they unfolded. Bang has set these two narratives against full-color illustrations of the natural world in which this drama was taking place, providing a third narrative that describes the fragile yet resilient ecosystem that Diane Wilson fought to save. (Ages 9-14)

From a renowned author/illustrator; a bold, daring, non-fiction picture book that tells the true story of one woman's fight to protect her environment.

Sometimes we have to take a stand and do what's right. That's what Diane Wilson thinks. An independent shrimper in Texas, she ekes out a living in the same waters that her family has worked hard in for generations. When Diane learns that the chemical plants in Texas give out more pollution than in any other state, she decides to stop them.

One woman against a powerful industry is not much of a fair fight, but Diane educates herself, lobbies, protests, writes letters, and never gives up. Based on real events, this is an inspiring, heartfelt story of one woman's struggle to take a stand against injustice and indifference.

Award-winning author/illustrator Molly Bang has created a compelling narrative, told inventively through a series of black and white graphic panels set against a richly colored gouache background.