ralovesbooks's review
3.0
As I learn more about humane working conditions in pursuit of an ethical wardrobe, I researched the infamous fire in 1911 at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City. This tragedy killed 145 workers who were unable to escape due to unsafe working conditions and drew attention to the poor conditions in the factories, eventually leading improvements to the work environment. This early chapter book is a fictional depiction of the fire, and it’s not graphic and does not include any death. I think it does a good job showing how lots of people depended on the factory for their livelihoods. They didn’t really have a choice about where they worked, which is something I think we take for granted in today’s society. There is a note at the end of the story about the true story of the fire and how people did not survive, so you can make the call as to how far to go down that road with your young reader. I think it’s important to come to grips with the reality that mistreatment of workers is not limited to what we might consider as faraway places; we must be alert against inhumane treatment of other people, opening our eyes to the stories of the people around us.
vendea's review
5.0
If this is the book I remember reading as a kid it was a good fictionalized account of two girls during the fire which made me interested in learning more about that factory and the fire.
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