<b>One powerful voice can effect powerful change.</b><p></p>

Polish Jewish immigrant Rose Schneiderman was 8 when she
arrived in New York City with her parents in the late 19th century. Even as a
child, she loved talking and arguing about ideas. At age 13, she left school to
help support her family, finding employment in a hat factory. In
early-20th-century New York, this meant buying her own sewing machine and
enduring long hours in dirty, unsafe, and unfair working conditions. Having
kept silent for fear of losing her much-needed job, Rose finally spoke up upon
learning women earned less than men; organizing female co-workers to protest as
a group was key, and some conditions improved, including wage increases. This
victory of sorts eventually led to others. In 1909, Rose led a massive strike
for factory workers’ rights. As time went on, more employees, employers, then
journalists and politicians heeded this woman of small stature (only 4-foot-9)
and big voice, and factory conditions continued to improve, particularly after
her rousing address at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House. <b>This is a quiet,
respectful, stirring look at a courageous workers’ rights champion, written in
straightforward, accessible prose.</b> The simple illustrations are cast mostly in brown
shades, reflecting the somberness of poverty and dire labor practices. (This
book was reviewed digitally.)<p></p>

<b>An inspiring portrait of a woman committed to making a
difference and whose influence is still felt to this day.</b> (more about Rose
Schneiderman, author's note) (Picture-book biography. 5-8) b<b><i>--Kirkus Reviews</i></b><p></p><b><i><br /></i></b><p></p>A diminu­tive red-head­ed immi­grant to the Unit­ed States
who began work­ing full-time when she was thir­teen years old: Rose Schnei­der­man
may seem an unlike­ly hero­ine or some­one des­tined to improve the lives of
her fel­low work­ers, but Rose cer­tain­ly didn’t know that. Nor did she antic­i­pate
that the sweat­shop that employed her and many oth­er women would be freez­ing
in the win­ter, swel­ter­ing in the sum­mer, and filthy all the time. San­i­ta­tion
was not a pri­or­i­ty — rats were every­where — and dan­ger was a con­stant.
Rose also noticed that women were rou­tine­ly paid less than men. Her deter­mi­na­tion
to improve con­di­tions for all work­ers led this young vision­ary on
a path toward a remark­able career.<p></p>The Inter­na­tion­al Ladies Gar­ment Work­ers Union, which
helps employ­ees receive ben­e­fits and equi­table treat­ment, is one result of
Rose’s activism. She is a role mod­el for today’s young people.<p></p><b>Although Rose Spoke Out is a pic­ture book
aimed at kids who are five through eight, old­er chil­dren and adults will find
the sto­ry fas­ci­nat­ing, too. The art evokes the era, enhanc­ing the reader’s
over­all expe­ri­ence. The book con­cludes with his­tor­i­cal pho­tographs and
a note about tikkun olam, or mak­ing the world a bet­ter place. --The Jewish Book Council</b><p></p>





<p></p>

<p></p>