Counting on Grace

by Elizabeth Winthrop

1910. Pownal, Vermont. At 12, Grace and her best friend Arthur must leave school and go to work as a “doffers” on their mothers’ looms in the mill. Grace’s mother is the best worker, fast and powerful, and Grace desperately wants to help her. But she’s left handed and doffing is a right-handed job. Grace’s every mistake costs her mother, and the family. She only feels capable on Sundays, when she and Arthur receive special lessons from their teacher. Together they write a secret letter to the Child Labor Board about underage children working in Pownal. A few weeks later a man with a camera shows up. It is the famous reformer Lewis Hine, undercover, collecting evidence for the Child Labor Board. Grace’s brief acquaintance with Hine and the photos he takes of her are a gift that changes her sense of herself, her future, and her family’s future.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Fiction, Young Adult, Historical, Childrens, Juvenile

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 14, 2006

About the author

ELIZABETH WINTHROP ALSOP (www.elizabethwinthropalsop.com), is the author of over sixty works of fiction for all ages, including ISLAND JUSTICE and IN MY MOTHER'S HOUSE, both available as e-books.

DAUGHTER OF SPIES: Wartime Secrets, Family Lies, her memoir about her parents' love affair during World War II and her own childhood in 1950s Washington as the daughter of a famous journalist, will be published October 25, 2022 by Regal House.

Her short story, The Golden Darters, was selected by Best American Short Stories by Robert Stone and was recently read on SELECTED SHORTS by the renowned actress, Ann Dowd. She is the author of the memoir piece, Don't Knock Unless You're Bleeding; Growing Up in Cold War Washington.The daughter of Stewart Alsop, the political journalist, she divides her time between New York City and the Berkshires.

Her historical novel, COUNTING ON GRACE was chosen as a Notable Book of the Year by the American Library Association, the National Council of Social Studies, the International Reading Association and the Children’s Book Council among others. The novel has also been nominated for state book awards in Vermont, Virginia, Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri,Indiana, Hawaii and Arizona.

THE CASTLE IN THE ATTIC and its sequel, THE BATTLE FOR THE CASTLE, were nominated for twenty-three state book awards and are considered children’s fantasy classics.

Her popular picture books include DUMPY LA RUE, SHOES,DOG SHOW, SQUASHED IN THE MIDDLE and most recently, THE FIRST CHRISTMAS STOCKING and THE BIGGEST PARADE. Two of her recent books for older children are THE RED-HOT RATTOONS, a comic fantasy novel and DEAR MR. PRESIDENT, Letters from a Milltown Girl, a work of historical fiction set in western Massachusetts.

For more information, www.elizabethwinthrop.com

Reviews

[Karol · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding book that I picked up in the children's section of my local library. The haunting photo on the book jacket drew my attention, and I just had to read the story.

It turns out that the photograph is rather famous; it was taken by Edward Hines and still resides in a museum. He had taken pictures of immigrants arriving at Ellis Island, and became curious about what happened to them after arriving in the U.S. He "followed" them to the towns they settled in and discovered the issues of child labor laws that were not enforced. He used subterfuge to get access to some of the mills, and took photographs of the children who worked there for long hours in terrible conditions. Because of his efforts, social change eventually came.

The author's story is the account of fictional characters (other than Mr. Hines, who visits their town and mill). It is well written, from the viewpoint of a young girl who describes what life is like for her and her friends and family. I ached for Grace as she struggled to please her parents and do well in the mill, and ached for her to find the better life that she longer for.

[Linda Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace was barely 12 when she started at the mill. Her parents used a birth certificate of an older sister who died before Grace was born. Grace left school because she wanted to go work in the mill. She did not understand the value of education because her parents did not. It was survival. There was one phrase that her teacher, Miss Lindsey, said to her...she was her second best reader. Grace clung to that and in the end that was what saved her. In those times, the company "owned" you. You worked long hours six days a week, you lived in a company house and paid rent to the company, you bought groceries and clothing from the company store at higher prices and with interest and you were cheated by the company store because you were illiterate. Modern day slavery long after the Cicil War. This is a great book based loosely on a true story of an actual 12 year old Grace. A moving story about life as told by a 12 year old little girl whose self esteem, courage, sense of what is right and what is wrong, social injustices, desire for education and friendship can and do facilitate CHANGE.

[Susan Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the 2007 book for Vermont's Community Reading Program. I didn't realize this when I bought the book but since it takes place in Vermont I can understand why. I hope that the readers there were as enthralled by this book as I was.

Children think that doing chores around the house is tough. Grace started working in a mill when she wasn't yet a teenager doffing the bobbins for her mother as she turned cotton into thread. The mills were filled with children working under conditions that were dangerous, to say the least. Thank goodness for today's child labor laws in the USA.

Ms. Winthrop writes in such a manner that it is easy for young and old to understand. She paints a picture of a life when there was no technology and most children didn't even get an education. An era in our history that fascinates me but one I'm glad not to have lived in.

[ahyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Counting on Grace started off as a slow read, with a description of the mills in Vermont, its machines, and the process of working with "bobbins." There was a good amount of technical jargon that was presented, and readers need to have some background knowledge in order to understand the setting and culture. However, once the reader gets into the story of the strong female protagonist, Grace, and the people who surround her, including her Mamere, Pepe, Miss Lessley, and Arthur, the book becomes one that can't be put down. It's a story of the horrible conditions of the cotton mills in the late 1800s and early 1900s where children as young as 10 worked all day and night, until their feet became unrecognizably swollen. It's where Grace and Arthur were forced to go work even though they both enjoyed going to school. At first, Grace saw the mill as a place where she could earn money to help her family. From the beginning, Arthur despised the job and desperately wanted to return to the classroom.
The story continues with Grace growing weary of the mill life. Her body aches and she starts missing reading and writing. Grace and Arthur take extra lessons with the mill's teacher (who is actually against child labor in the mills,) Miss Lessley, on Sundays. It's a story of a true bond between these three characters, who find escape through their miserable lives in the classroom setting. Counting on Grace takes several sad turns, including Arthur deliberately getting his hand stuck in the machine and having to get two of his fingers cut off, Pepe dying which leaves Grace very vulnerable, and Arthur & his mom being forced off the mill by the owners because his mom won't let him suffer as a working boy on the mill anymore. Grace loses several important people in her life, including Miss Lessley who is fired from her job. In the end, the mill remains although there is some hope that enters the story when Mamere (Grace's mom) agrees to let Grace leave the mill and focus on teaching and learning instead.

This is an amazing story that takes a hard look at the child labor on the mills in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With Grace's story, readers empathize with her and Arthur, and get an idea of how difficult and unjust life was for these innocent children who were thrust into rooms with threatening machines. The book ends with a bit of hope as Grace is able to leave the mill and do what she knows she is better at-- learning and teaching. This is a great book to teach intermediate and middle school students about injustice, courage, and friendship.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

COUNTING ON GRACE
Elizabeth Winthrop

This little book is a historical fiction set in New England in 1910 when children were not protected exactly by labor laws. The story is about a ginning mill that spins thread and weaves cloth from cotton.
This is an amazing book to start a discussion in middle school as it opens so many areas to think about. There is a difference in how people think about children today as compared to just a short 112 years ago. Too often we take for granted how life is today but this little book offers a fair glimpse into the lives of children at that time. The hardness of the time, the lack of medical care, education, and the lack of overall concern for workers at the time.

I remember talking about 'child hardening' when I was in graduate school. The idea of how parents didn't spoil the child because they need tough children and how they tried not to get super attached to children until they made it to 10 or 12 because of childhood illness and nutritional issues. Death and illness were constant concerns for parents and children. The mortality rate for children was greater then yet families needed children to help their parents, free farmworkers, and in this case, additional salaries that feed the family. But Grace wasn't cut out to be a factory worker, she was a
little girl that was hyper with some concentration issues, and was fearful to go back in the mill.

I really enjoyed the book, though it was historically correct and reflected the times fairly accurately.

5 stars

Happy Reading!

[Leslie Butler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Counting on Grace by Elizabeth Winthrop is a historical fiction novel set in Northern New England during a time of child labor issues in mills. This book brought a flood of memories back for me and how I wish that my mother and Grandparents were alive now to fill me in on unwritten details of mill life. My Grandfather Milton Hayes was an engineer who worked in a paper mill in northern New Hampshire. I remember the smell of the mill when we would visit Berlin NH. I remember Grammie sternly commanding us not to pick and eat from the garden. Every bean and tomato had to be washed thoroughly to remove the mill soot before eating. Grammie had been a one room school house teacher but had to leave her position when she married Grandpa. Another vague memory I had was my mother who would occasionally speak in French when I grew up but never in front of her parents. She explained that French speakers were considered poor and low status when she was a child, so she was not allowed to speak the language.
I enjoyed the book as a tool to educate about the time and it sparked my interest in my own history. I did find the foreshadowing to be a bit of a slap in the face. Arthur is reading the Red Badge of Courage and he then harms himself to be able to escape the mill. I found myself just waiting until it would happen, knowing that it would at some point. I suppose that this aspect of the book could be used as a teaching point with students. I found the book an easy read without much mystery. It was more a matter of waiting for an event to happen instead of wondering what was going to happen. I do think the text does a good job introducing the time period and the subject of child labor to the reader. I like the fact that it is based on true events. Overall I think that Counting on Grace has room for improvement with engaging the reader in a bit of suspense. I rarely found myself on the edge of my seat anxious for the next events.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

While browsing at the library, I noticed the cover of an audiobook in the juvenile section. The picture of a young girl looked interesting, so I listened and was not disappointed.

This well-written piece of historical fiction shines the light on the conditions of French-Canadian immigrant families in 1910 Vermont. It is an engaging look at child labor and the struggle to break a cycle of poverty through education.

Grace is spunky, can't sit still, and the second- best reader in the class. When book-loving Arthur, any teacher's dream student, is "pressed" into mill servitude things get interesting. Grace finds herself dismissed from school and working at the mill also even though she is only twelve years old.

As a result of a letter Grace and Arthur write to the Child Labor Relations Board, undercover photographer, Lewis Hine, shows up at the mill to document the conditions for these underage workers. This real life reformer brings hope to Grace and her family.

As an added bonus, this audiobook includes an interview with the author. Elizabeth Winthrop shares insights into writing the story and the discoveries she made about the child in the picture that Grace's character is based on. Fascinating story!

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this young reader's book about a girl in a Vermont textile town in the early 20th century. It's hard to believe that only a hundred years ago, child labor was accepted by the mills, parents and children alike. The author does a good job of describing working conditions and how little choice the families had.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a doffer in the mill is exciting for 12 year-old Grace, until she realizes she has to miss school to do it... and it is not exactly legal. This book really made me think about child labor laws and the evolution of our country. A great read for any age.

[Amya Holland · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was good book overall, Overall showing a kid should factory at such a young age!!!

[Mehak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall it was a good book , but I didn’t really enjoy reading it as it isn’t my type of genre that I like to read !

[Lillianna Drye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to be honest, 1/3 way through, I thought I was going to give this book three stars, but having finished it, it managed to pulled through at a four. I love how closely this story wove fact and fiction to bring life to the reality of life for mill families and their children.
The narrative is focused primarily on Grace herself, a 12 year old doffer in a cotton mill. You also get glimpses of the lives of her family, her friend Arthur and her teacher, but their stories never receive a conclusion other than their exit from Grace's life.

In my opinion, "Counting on Grace" reads more like a juvenile fiction than adult fiction, but this could have been because of being written from a child's perspective or possibly having been written for a younger reader. I would recommend for someone looking for a quick and easy historical read.

[Nitrorockets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone says that nobody can count on Grace. Her feet move too much and her brain is always thinking about something else, but it’s not true, and she’s going to prove them wrong. When 12 year old Grace is kicked out of school her family is pleased. That means one more person to work at the mill in turn will mean more food to eat and maybe even a pair of shoes for her. At first Grace is glad to be a doffer for her mother at the mill. Her memories of playing in the factory during the summers are still fresh – yet they come to an end as she discovers the draining pain of working 12 hours a day in a stuffy hot factory. Because her mother is a skilled threader Grace has three times the work the average child has, running from frame to frame to keep up production, all the while enduring her mother’s endless criticism. Day after day her mouth and nose fill with cotton and dust making it difficult to breathe, her feet swell from standing so long and her hands get lacerated from the frames. Injury after injury becomes a burden as her six days a week work schedule seems endless. Grace longs to return back to school and dreams of a better life. The question is will she have the courage to stand up to her family and tell them about the dreams in her heart.

[Maris Digiovanni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides children with a view of what it would have been like to grow up in the early 1900s in New England. It was a completely different lifestyle then and work came before one’s education. Now, education is viewed as the most important thing and every child is required to attend school. Work now comes secondary to an education. This book really made me realize how lucky I am to live in the time that I do and have all of the things that I have. I have received a good education and had more food than I needed. Many children take these things in their lives for granted and this book shows them how lucky they are. This would be a great book to do a response project on. It would be very interesting to see how different children from different backgrounds respond to this book. This would be a great book to use in the classroom to prepare student for history/research papers or other projects in this area that are about to take place in class.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grace is a young girl who starts working in a cotton mill at the age of 12, which is against the law, but does it to help pay the family bills. The story is a historical fiction story about young children working in cotton mills illegally in the early 1900's. A photographer comes and takes pictures and tries to make a story against child labor laws.
I listened to the audio version, and enjoyed the story.

[Linda Mchugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a Vermont mill girl based on Hine’s Pownal, Vermont portrait of mill children. I liked the book a lot, but then I do tend to like stories of the mill girls. That this was based on the photo of a real person made it seem more authentic to me. It was the story of a 12 year old girl who grew up being forced to work in the mill and quit school.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Book!! Historical fiction at its best, excellent book for tweens - might make them thankful that child labor is no more (at least in USA).

[Matt Falcone · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Counting On Grace by Elizabeth Winthrop, we read about a young girl named Grace. She is 12 years old and goes to work in the mills after a boy (Arthur) in her class is forced into the same kind of job. The story is a historical fiction piece set in 1910 that deals with child labor in Vermont and talks about how boys and girls would often have to work in the mills, breaking child labor laws, and help provide for their family in a time where money was scarce. Although Arthur and Grace don’t seem to get along at first, they begin to bond in a way with the help of their former teacher Miss Lesley. Miss Lesley sees the true potential that her students have and hates to see them taken out of school in order to go work at the mill. She decides to hatch a plan to get the laws enforced and get children out of working in the mills. She then enlists Arthur and Grace to help her out. The whole story is a bunch of highs and lows and you get to really see the character development happen in Grace as she goes from a timid little girl to a strong leader.

I would have students in grades 5th and 6th read this book mainly because it has some topics that younger children may not be able to handle or understand such as death and child labor. This is a great book for social studies as it focuses on poverty, the economy, and how the world around us can be impacted by our actions. It also shows the perspective of how children were living and how they would spend their days. Some children were lucky enough to go to school to better their education as most of the adults in the town barely had one, while other children were given no choice but to work in the mills and help provide for their family. You can use this as a way to show students that just because you may be told your life is to be lived in a certain way or that you have to become a certain person, you don’t have to.

One of the reasons that this book was a WOW book for me was the character of the teacher Miss Lesley. She is a wonderful example of a teacher who cares. She puts a ton of work into Arthur and Grace and it all happens during times where there isn’t school. Since Grace and Arthur work in the mills, they can only meet with her on Sunday. She travels 3 miles walking everyday to the school and then on top of that comes on Sunday to help these students. She cares so much about them and she wants to see them succeed. Her character further proved to me that I’m making the right decision to become a teacher.
Another reason why this book was a WOW for me was the way that it hooked me in. Originally I was just finding a book to use for this project but the way this book got me invested in each of the characters was amazing. At the beginning you get these sort of vague descriptions of characters but as the book goes on, they all get developed and you get to see how each of them live their life through the struggles they face. It was a great book for me and I recommend this book to anyone. .


*this was my e-book*

[Stephanie Frye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose to read Counting on Grace by Elizabeth Winthrop for my historical fiction novel study. I was so excited to get the opportunity to read a historical fiction novel as this is not a genre that I would typically reach for when choosing a book. The idea that this novel would somehow connect to education and teaching was exciting for me. Growing up history was not a subject that I enjoyed. However, reading this book peaked my interest in the late 1800s and early 1900s and certainly peaked my interest in the child labor laws. My knowledge (and memory from what I learned growing up of this time period) was very minimal. Truthfully, I needed to look up some of the words within the book and try to understand what some of the slang meant when describing the mills but caught on quickly after that.

Counting on Grace started pretty slow for me. I was looking for the connection that it would have with teaching from the start of the book but that really didn't come more in depth until later. So, at first, I really wasn't enjoying it. Aside from focusing on the connection in this story to teaching, I tried to focus on a few things. I wanted to focus on understanding the circumstances that took place in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Then, as I continued to read and learn about the characters, I wanted to focus on how Grace, Arthur, and Miss Lesley make their passion for schooling a reality among all of the hard times.

I had many moments of frustration throughout the novel. The idea of children being pulled out of school and forced to work in circumstances like the cotton mills was incredibly saddening. But, with that being said there were many moments that I felt inspired by the strength of each one of these characters. Their desire to learn, provide, fight for what they believe in and hope for, and their pure dedication was admirable. As a teacher, I connected so much to the character Miss Lesley (who was the teacher in this novel). The way that she cared for the education of her students, cared for their well-being, fought for them, and worked tirelessly to help them succeed is what I hope that I do as an educator for my students.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reading this as a sort of companion to Flesh and Blood So Cheap, and just love Pépé's p'tit oiseau Grace and her French-Canadian family. My parents were born during WWI, when getting an education, especially in your own language, came a very distant second to pitching in to help out the family, so this was all very familiar to me - including the horrific injuries children received while doing adult work, and not just in the mills. The photos were a wonderful visual aid to the story, and the author's note on the results of her research was the best. The most inspired scene came near the end, as Grace used her mother's chalked letters to print her own name on the board. This book did fall short for me as so very much emphasis was placed on the mill work itself - doffing, fixing and spinning for example, with a large number of unfamiliar terms having to do with the machines, but I couldn't find much in the way of explanation of what these things actually were, how they worked, and exactly what was happening when the system broke down. In the end I wasn't any better informed as to what Grace, Delia, and their mother were doing every day at the mill, and that was an omission I think could have been better handled. In any case, I'd recommend this to anyone interested in early 20th century family dynamics, photography, and the child labour movement. 4 stars.

[Tak Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Counting on Grace by Elizabeth Winthrop is a historical narrative about Grace, a 12 year old girl living living in Vermont. Counting on Grace deals with child labor during the industrial revolution in 1910. The book did a good job of blending nonfiction and fictional elements to tell the story of child labor in the early 1900's. Although many of the characters are fictional, the events and the mill elements were very accurate. The description of the mill and what the children had to do in those mills were very spot on to what children really had to do working inside of a textile mill. I learned new information after reading this book, because I didn't know what a "doffer" was, and what they did at the mill. I liked the book, because the story was easy to get into, and the information regarding the working conditions was fascinating to me. It's hard for me to believe adults actually let children work these horrible jobs, and be okay with them leaving school to do so. I made a personal connection with this book, because of the feeling of hopelessness some, if not most of the children would of had during this time period. Overall, this book was a quick and enjoyable read.

[Haley Poulain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Counting on Grace had well-written characters and strong sense of family created by the author. As I reader, I was enchanted the most by Grace’s French family. I too have a French background. So, I immediately connected with the character of Grace in that aspect.

I also felt connected to Miss Lesley, the teacher. She fought for her students throughout the entirety of the novel. I feel like it do this everyday in my profession. I constantly fight for justice for my students in all aspects of their education.

The central concept of working in a textile mill was hard for me to connect to, because I didn’t have enough background knowledge in it in order to create a vivid picture of the scenes for myself in my head. I struggled through these parts of the book.

I think this would be a great read for middle schools to give them a glimpse into how other children suffered during this time, and in comparison to how “good” they have it now in our current society. I would definitely use this book in middle school to teach empathy, compassion, and self-identity. It was not my favorite book as a adult read for enjoyment.

[Cathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard about Counting on Grace in a roundabout way. I found Joe Manning's website, Mornings on Maple Street, and read his account of searching out the true story behind the photo on the cover of this book.
Addie Card, the name of the girl in the photo, was a real person who started working in a Vermont textile mill at the age of 12. Once I read Addie's story, I wanted to read more.
I think Winthrop does an amazing job of letting us see the world through the eyes of a child at the turn of the century in the United States. Unless your family was wealthy, you likely had to work in some fashion - farming, in the mills, or in a business.
This is a book is for young readers, but is a wonderful novel to read at any age. The author powerfully evokes the feelings of Grace, who wants desperately to be useful and help her family, but also hungers for an education and a way out of the cycle that keeps her family trapped in poverty. She also captures the frustration of the mill school's teacher who watches helplessly as the mill "takes" her brightest pupils before they can graduate.

[Kathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many heavy topics, there is so much depth, and, ultimately, there is so much hope for “Grace” in Elizabeth Winthrop’s Counting on Grace. Based on true stories from the early 1900s that Winthrop brings together, we see young children working alongside their mothers at textile mills in dangerous factories to help feed their families.

Amidst these conditions, brave teachers try to convince parents to send their children to schools for a better life. The Child Labor Board also attempts to rescue the children, among them Grace, who is 12 years old in Winthrop’s book. Lewis Hine, an historic figure at that time, becomes a heroic reformer. He works with new magic—a camera—that ultimately helps the children and their parents see the children and their futures in a better light.

For middle schoolers to elderly readers, Counting on Grace is both enriching and inspiring, and well worth our time.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The year is 1910, and 12 year old Grace lives in a cramped Vermont company house with her family.  She enjoys attending the local school, where she and her friend Arthur are top students.  Now her studies (and her freedom) are threatened when both she and Arthur are told they must work at the mill.

In this work of historical fiction geared for middle school readers, Elizabeth Winthrop does an excellent job relating a picture of New England mill life at the turn of the 20th century.  Coupled with the story of real life reformer Lewis Hine, we glimpse the heartbreaking backdrop that became the impetus for social justice in America.

I enjoyed this book very much, and was pleased to be able to share it with my daughter.

[Jennifer Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an easy read, but really made me think. I have 3 kids of my own, my oldest just got his drivers permit yet I worry about letting him even walk to the gas station two blocks away. It baffles me to think about him having to get a job to help support the family. I can't imagine having to make my kids quit school and get a dangerous job just to help insure the family's survival. Another thing that really hit me was when they tied their grandpa to the bed to keep him from wondering off. I recently lost a couple grandparents who were not in sound mind. The thought of having to tie them down makes me sick. It really makes you appreciate just how good we have it. The entire book, the thoughts that kept going through my mind were how unimaginable this lifestyle seems to me.

[Stacy]

I picked up this book after we went through the Work and Culture Museum in Woonsocket, RI. I thought my girls would enjoy it after they got to see the many mills we went to during our visit to Rhode Island. I started reading it myself and find myself intrigued by the harsh life these children endured during the Industrial Revolution. The pictures in the book and on the cover are almost haunting. It is hard to imagine these children working 12 hour a days or sometimes more 6 days a week. The windows were shut tight so there wasn't even hope to get a breath of fresh air. They were always coughing up lint and many were injured or killed. It is a grim reminder of how lucky we have it today. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction.

[Kelly A. Kazmierski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a hard time finding books both my son a lnd I enjoy reading together. I picked this book up at the Boott Cotton Mill Museum in Lowell, MA when we visited recently, and we’ve been reading this at bedtime. It’s the story of 12 year old Grace, whose family works in a cotton mill in VT. I found the stories of her family and friends in the mill very engaging and enjoyed reading it to my son. It was an interesting look at how the industrial revolutionary impacted families and children specifically.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This almost deserves 5 stars. If only there had been at least one illustration of a loom with the parts labeled. I never did figure out what a doffer does. Instead of 100s of words, I just need one clear picture.

Other related books that I've read and recommend. They each complement some aspect of this story.
-Kids at Work: Lewis Hine & the Crusade Against Child Labor, Russell Freedman (YA, NF)
-Lyddie, Katherine Paterson (YA, fic, Mass)
-Call the Darkness Light, Nancy Zaroulis (adult, fic, Mass)

[Elizabeth Ricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite honestly, I had a hard time getting into this book. I had no idea what was involved in the operations of the mill and didn't understand the "doffing." I wish the author had included some photographs or diagrams to so that I could better understand. I do, however, think that it is admirable that all of the children in Vermont have been required to read this. It really highlights the deplorable conditions of the mills and the tragic treatment of children who were forced to work in the early 1900s.