Rose Schneiderman's early life is encapsulated in this picture book biography, starting with her as a red-headed girl in white blouse and long black skirt, arguing with a teacher in school. After her father's death, she left school at thirteen and went to work in a hat factory. Angered by the poor conditions, she encouraged other young women to stand up with her for better pay and a safer and cleaner workplace. Eventually she coordinated a large strike of women workers in factories, but they made few gains until the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. After the fire, Rose spoke to a large audience at the Metropolitan Opera House and became a leader for fair labor, especially for women.
The text is simple and brief, without excessive details "Rose and her friends stood silently by while the enormous funeral passed." "For the rest of her life, Rose spoke out for workers' rights." The art is somewhat generic, showing Rose as a short, red-haired girl and then woman, with general details of the time period. However, even the picture of the factory does not really convey the horrible conditions; the workers smooth faces don't show sweat or dirt and even when they are supposed to be exhausted and angry, there is not much emotion shown. An author's note gives more details about Rose's life as well as how she fits into the Jewish tradition of activism and social justice.
Verdict: The simplicity of this makes it suitable for even young listeners, who can grasp the concept of things not being fair without the scary or horrific details. With child labor laws currently being repealed or made useless in many states, this is a timely book to encourage kids to stand up for themselves and others and work towards a better world for all.
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