We are always talking about “we need more women in politics.” Well, we are just not looking in the right places. In 1980 Iceland elected its first female president, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir. And the book Vigdis: A Book About the World’s First Female President by Rán Flygenring shows us the background of that historical event. Not only was she the first of Iceland she is considered the first woman to be democratically elected president in 1980 (Isabel Perón of Argentina was the first woman president in 1974-1976).
The young female narrator of the story is precocious and goes off to interview the woman herself. The house is filled with the highlights of the woman’s life. We are told by her to her young interviewer how things came about. It is mostly easy, but it is longer in form and takes a bit of time to read through it. Most of the originality comes from the picture book having a graphic novel look, as women’s biographies and women politicians are not new. However, the voice also gives it a fresh tone making it conversational and not just “she did this and she did that” and giving it human touches.
It’s good for most ages as it does not go deep into her personal life or non-policital elements, but talks about the highlights of things. I read it via an online reader copy, but it came out back in 2024 so a physical copy should be easy to find. I would like to see if things have been updated to include more personal things or updated events and if she is part of them. In mid-April 2026 she will be 91 years-old. So it is the perfect time to get a copy now.
