apetruce's review
3.0
A Young Hoosier Award nominee. Not a bad way to introduce kids to turn-of-the century child labor practices. Happy ending...not too gritty details.
lynnski's review
5.0
I read this piece of historical fiction for my daughter’s book club and thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s sad to think that families had to take young children out of school so that they could work to help keep a roof over their head and food on the table. Although not touched on in the book, the truth of the matter is that it still happens today in some areas of the country.
chandlerleighk's review
4.0
Read this book for a class and loved it! It gives you some insight of what it might have been like for children living in the early 1900's. It was very easy to write a unit plan over and found so many great tools online. It is a concept that children might have a hard time grasping, but by the end of the book, they will sympathize with Grace.
It is a little slow and repetitive at times, and that is why I gave it only four stars.
It is a little slow and repetitive at times, and that is why I gave it only four stars.
jengennari's review
5.0
So good -- historical and yet full of girl strength. Shows the atrocities of mill work without losing sight of the fact that it is a children's book. Every character was real; the mother, with her failings, the teacher who could only do so much; the hard choices everyone faced. Excellent.
mon_ique's review
4.0
I was not expecting this. I was not expecting this book to transport me to a time when children had to work or the family could starve, or even kicked out of their own home. I was not expecting to actually care about these questions, as flawed as they are. I was not expecting to be blown away.
As I was saying, I was caught up in the whirl of things, the slow but sure changes, the character development was amazing. Not just with the main character, but with all the main people in this book.
But what did confuse me was what Ms. Lesley(See, I don't memorize names unless it was a good book!) said to Grace, about Arthur. So was it wrong to encourage Arthur as Ms. Lesley did?
And the ending!
This might be one of the few endings that I am actually happy about! Sure, it didn't give much of what was going to happen, but you can piece it together with today. Till at least 16, youths can't even get a job, so it would make sense, that would be the kind of limit to your education, although 18 is very recommended (with a diploma). Kids under are kinda required to go to school.
But knowing the end of Grace's story isn't all that important. Besides the end, her story mirrors many others at that time in history.
Kudos for the amazing description of getting your picture taken!
As I was saying, I was caught up in the whirl of things, the slow but sure changes, the character development was amazing. Not just with the main character, but with all the main people in this book.
But what did confuse me was what Ms. Lesley(See, I don't memorize names unless it was a good book!) said to Grace, about Arthur. So was it wrong to encourage Arthur as Ms. Lesley did?
And the ending!
This might be one of the few endings that I am actually happy about! Sure, it didn't give much of what was going to happen, but you can piece it together with today. Till at least 16, youths can't even get a job, so it would make sense, that would be the kind of limit to your education, although 18 is very recommended (with a diploma). Kids under are kinda required to go to school.
But knowing the end of Grace's story isn't all that important. Besides the end, her story mirrors many others at that time in history.
Kudos for the amazing description of getting your picture taken!
jshettel's review
5.0
I thought this historical fiction novel about child labor was just fantastic and the author's note at the end really made me want to read more about the time frame and the photographer who captured these moments. Is there a sequel??
rlangemann's review
2.0
Interesting story about a time period/location that I know almost nothing about. I think it would be pretty sad for younger children, though.
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