The Locket: Surviving the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

Historical Fiction Adventures (HFA)

by Suzanne Lieurance

Galena, an eleven-year-old Russian-Jewish immigrant, lives in New York City with her family and works at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory with her older sister Anya. The factory pays low wages and has terrible working conditions, making Anya yearn to join a union. Soon a horrible fire guts the factory leaving Galena with painful, horrific memories. Follow author Suzanne Lieurance in this dramatic historical fiction novel, as she describes how Galena uses the support of friends, family, and Jewish traditions to inspire her to fight for workers rights.

Genres: Historical Fiction

160 pages, Library Binding

First published December 1, 2007

Reviews

[Sandra Stiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a historical fiction that will knock your socks off then this is the book. This story is a familiar one to many of us. It is the story of lives lost in one of the worst fires in New York City. Galena and Anya are two Jewish sisters who have immigrated from Russia with their parents. Anya works on the 10th floor of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Galena is only 14 and works on the eighth floor. Her job is to snip loose threads from the garments. She works six days a week. Her sister's boyfriend Dimitri is trying to get Anya to join the union. Their mother is against it. Dimitri wants them to be safe and he knows that working for the union is the only way that can be guaranteed. In March of 1911 a fire broke out in the factory. Anya runs upstairs to find her sister. What she witnesses that day is such a horror. When talking to my students about it they will be able to make connections between this book and the Towers that were hit on 9/11. It is a book that is hard to put down. It is a story that must be heard again and again. It is one I will definitely read to my students.

[Mikayla Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was great. I would have preferred that it would have been about 100 pages longer. I just feel that I didn't learn enough about the characters. My favorite character is either Galena or Anya. I almost screamed when the factory fire started. It also made me want to scream when the owners went to a new Sweat shop and had different innocent girls come to work. Here is the worst part. THE NEW BUILDING THEY WENT TO WASN'T FIRE PROOF! THEY EVEN BLOCKED SOME OF THE EXIT DOORS! When the owners went to court they were found NOT GUILTY! How could these men sleep at night knowing they killed over 100 women and girls.

I was really sad when they found out that Anya was dead. Galena got Anya's locket hence the title The Locket. Anya's boyfriend was going to propose right after Anya was killed. It breaks my heart. Another sad part is now inside the locket she doesn't just look at it to remember her deceased grandmother (Bubi), she also opens it to see the picture of her big sister and to remember the fire that changed working conditions forever.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juvie fiction is sometimes the best way for me to learn some history. Lol. I’ve read other pieces about the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, so was very familiar with it, but this little story summed it up quite nicely.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written for ages 10-14, in my estimate, but has some content matter that for sensitive readers would be hard to read.

As a child some of it may have gone over their heads, but it talks about death and while not graphic, the thoughts of burning people jumping to their deaths is hard for anyone to take. There is a brief mention of her mother witnessing her sister's assault and death, although it just says the soldiers were forcing kisses on her.

This is an important piece of history to read and this was well written in the least amount of graphic way it could be done, but just to be prepared before you hand it to your child. It tells us why we have minimum wage, children have to go to school and fire codes.

[Nancy O'Toole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eleven-year-old Galena is a Russian immigrant who lives in New York City in the early 1900s. To help support her family, she does not go to school and instead works at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory with her older sister. When a large fire breaks out, the workers panic and Galena cannot find her sister. The results of the fire will change Galena's life, and the life of New Yorkers forever. The Locket is a work of historical fiction based on a real life event that took place in New York City. One thing the author does incredibly well is transport the reader back to the early 20th century. Her descriptions from Galena's every day life, to the design of the factory, to horrors that occur in the fire itself are very impressive and feel accurate. The author supplements this by providing a short essay in the back of the book with more information on the fire and the time period, as well as a list of further reading. Lieurance provides accurate descriptions of the fire, including the sight of girl's hair catching on fire, and jumping off the roof of the building. These descriptions are true to life, but not overly graphic, although some people may still feel that they are inappropriate for children. One area where Lieurance struggles a bit more is in characterization. Although Galena is an interesting lead, many of the other characters come off as rather two-dimensional. As a result, the dialogue can feel clunky and unrealistic. As a whole, The Locket is a likable book about a young girl who survives a tragedy and then has to determine how to deal with the consequences.
Recommended Grade Level- 3-6

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The author does a great job of infusing history into the story of this immigrant family. The main character and her sister both work in the sweatshops of the garment industry, at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. As Galena deals with everyday life at the factory and living in the tenements, she is also worried about her older sister and the boy she has been hanging around with who is trying to talk her sister Anya into joining the union. Galena's family is typical of many families at the time, struggling to survive. When a fire breaks out at the factory, Galena cannot find her sister anywhere. The author does an excellent job of sharing the horrific events of this tragedy in a very real and personal way. The story may be too violent for younger children, but overall this is a fantastic book for middle grade students, they will relate well to Galena and her struggles.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a bit of everything -- Jewish immigrants settling into America, family discord over fitting in, glimpses into the lives of factory workers, the growing union movement. The story centers around 11-year-old Galena. Her mother wants her in school, but the family needs her to work, needs the money. Her older sister Anya, who strives to fit in to the American ideal, is pulling away from her upbringing, has a job, a boy who likes her (and she likes) and wants to join a union to help her family and others work in safer conditions. Hundreds of lives will change in the aftermath of a fire in the factory where they work -- eight stories up, fire escape locked, stairwells blocked. And hundreds of workers trapped, most of them young girls.

Quick read for an adult, with an interesting glimpse into the horror of the Shirtwaist fire, its aftermath and the lives of those who worked there.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Galena and her mom,dad and sister Anya are now living in America. They came from Russia to have a better life. Both Anya and Galena work at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. On March 25 1911 fire arose in the factory right as most girls were about to leave, all the doors except one, the factory owners had locked. Hundreds of girls ran screaming out of the building some girls only had the choice of burning up in the fire or jumping out of the windows to their death. Galena tried to find her sister in the chaos but passed out from all the smoke. Will Galena and her sister survive the fire?

I did not like this book very much though because it was very sad, and disturbing because Galena is describing the girl's she is seeing die.

I would not recommend this book it has really impacted me and it was very sad.

[Bvlmc Buchanan Verplanck Elementary School · Rating 2 out of 5]

Recounts the life of a Russian Jewish immigrant family living in the tenements of New York City at the turn of the 20th century and working in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. The book chronicles the life of two sisters and the conditions of garment workers in a non-unionized sweatshop. The story highlights the challenges of immigrant families struggling to between their old world values, the forces of assimilation and the political and social reform movements of the time. As a defining moment in union history, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire turns out to be a defining moment for Galena. Those interested in immigrant life, New York City history and working conditions at the turn of the 20th century will find this an enjoyable read.

[Noah · Rating 2 out of 5]

As Galena lives in New York city as she works at the triangle shirtwaist company factory but when a horrible fire accories leaves Galena with painful and horrific memories.

This book was ok it wasnt bad but it wasnt good ether but a lot of people die.

I would reccomend this book to people who like historicle fiction books.

[Haim · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire that occurred on March 25, 1911,as told through the eyes of 11 year old Galena. Suzanne Lieurance does a nice job of introducing the history of the tragic event. I felt at times that, because Lierunace also explained Jewish mourning rituals, the flow became choppy.

[Jen]

(2008) Galena, an 11-year-old Russian immigrant, works at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company, a garment factory, with her older sister. Galena ends up surviving the famous 1911 factory fire--but her sister is trapped in the building and dies. After this devastating event, Galena begins to work with the labor union, of which she was originally resistant to, in order to improve workers' rights.

[Becky H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction of two sisters that work at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory. The older sister has a locket with two pictures. One of their grandmother that is still in Russia and one of their family.
Recommended for 4th and 5th graders.

#50/50BookQuest= Book recommend by a librarian, historical fiction, noun in the title and person on the cover.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read many books that cover this historical even, and this was a fresh take. The Character that we follow in this book is 11 years old, it was pretty neat to read about this even through the eyes of someone so young.
It was also great how much we went into the events after the fire! I actually learned a few things through this book =)

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didnt realize so many young girls died due too working in bad conditons. Granted this is a YA book but I liked it alot.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great historical fiction book. Gives great insight into the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire and the working conditions of the sweatshop workers.

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a very good book but it was just soooo sad i could barely get through it.