A story just like this one could have taken place in any mill town in North Carolina. It is a gripping narrative of a spunky heroine named Grace Forcier. She lives in a textile mill town in Vermont and works with her mom as a doffer in the spinning room. The author describes the many hardships of the textile workers while weaving Grace's story of self-discovery and growth all the while. She and her friend Arthur are the best readers in school and Miss Lesley their teacher wants to keep them out of the dangerous mill. She is fired for her meddling and Grace is given the substitute teaching position. The Lewis Hine photo on the dusk jacket is of a real mill rat from 1910 - an "anemic little spinner in North Pownal Cotton Mill." In this book Grace writes a letter to Mr. Hine about working conditions for children in the mill and he arrives and takes pictures to document the terrible conditions . You will remember Grace long after you put this book down - she is the star among many wonderfully drawn characters. This book will be an excellent companion to Bread and Roses by Katherine Paterson and of course, Kids at Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade Against Child Labor. SLJ starred review.
Grades 5 - 8
Grades 5 - 8
