"Young Hillary Rodham dreamed of becoming an astronaut."

So begins the chapter about Hilary Rodham Clinton in Nichola Gutgold's children's book, "Madam President: Five Women Who Paved the Way" (Eifrig Publishing, 2015).

The book, by the former New Tripoli resident, tells the true story of five women who have run for president of the United States including: Margaret Chase Smith, 1964; Shirley Chisholm, 1972; Patricia Schroeder, 1988; Elizabeth Dole, 2000; and Hillary Clinton, 2008.

Although Gutgold, associate dean of academics at Penn State's Schreyer Honors College, has authored numerous scholarly articles and books on women in non-traditional fields, this is her first book for children.

"Preserving women's history and reminding our younger generations, especially girls and young women about it, is crucial for continued progress," said Gutgold. "The sad truth is women who have run for the United States presidency are frequently left off the history pages."

Gutgold has conducted extensive research on women and the American presidency.

Shortly after Clinton's near Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidency in 2008, she conducted a focus group to discuss the subject of a woman president with 10 girls, ages 11 to 14.

The girls believed the only reason there hasn't been a woman president is because not enough women have tried to be president.

None of the girls heard of or read about Shirley Chisholm or Elizabeth Dole.

Grade school teachers she interviewed suggested offering students more examples of women's achievements so girls and young women would recognize that sports figures and movie stars are not the only extraordinary achievers.

Not only does the book include information about the young lives of the five women, but, through thought-provoking questions, it also encourages young readers to expand their thinking of themselves and to try things that have never been done before.

Gutgold personally interviewed several of the women featured in the book.

Chisholm, the first African-American elected to Congress, died in 2005, but Gutgold did interview her husband.

Chisholm, in particular, resonated with Gutgold.

Despite hopeless odds and being accused of being "certifiably crazy," Chisholm pursued her goal and ran for the 1972 Democratic nomination for the presidency.

Gutgold noted eventually President Barack Obama thanked Chisholm for being a trailblazer.

Gutgold grew up in Kelayres, near Hazleton. Her father worked in a coal mine and her mother was a homemaker.

She graduated from Kings College with degrees in English and mass communications.

A first-generation college student, she said her parents were her role models, encouraging her with lessons in speaking.

She faithfully watched the news, especially impressed with women newscasters such as Diane Sawyer.

"That's what I want to do," she decided. She went on to get a Ph. D. in speech communication from Penn State in 1999.

Gutgold doesn't hesitate when asked about her favorite book as a child – "Wizard of Oz."

"Dorothy had a sense of adventure," Gutgold said. "She never gave up."

"Madam President" is coauthored by Penn State student and sophomore Schreyer Honors College Scholar Abigail Kennedy.

"She improved the book," said Gutgold. "She gave it the vitality from a younger person's point of view."

Watercolor illustrations by Jane Ramsey, formerly of Macungie, bring to life the images of the women trailblazers.

"Madam President" is Ramsey's first published children's book illustration project.

While in Macungie, she illustrated several gardening and sewing books for Rodale Press.

She also worked on the book, "Katie Gaumer and Other Stories of Millerstown," published by the Macungie Historical Society creating more than 50 pen and ink illustrations inspired from the photo archives.

"Madam President," for children ages 6-12, includes a glossary and list of female world leaders. The book may be purchased at eifrigpublishing.com.