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40 pp.
| Getty
| September, 2021
|
TradeISBN 978-1-947440-06-7$17.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Michael Garland.
This biography of the early-twentieth-century photographer--whose work brought attention to inhumane child-labor practices--incorporates some of Hine's own words (italicized) in the free verse text (a "fusion of history and storytelling...grounded in careful research"). Readers meet some of Hine's (fictionalized) young subjects at an oyster cannery, a cranberry bog, a shoe factory (where he's denied entry), a cotton mill (where he deceives the overseer to gain access), and more. Together the impressionistic text and sepia-toned illustrations convey the work's drudgery and dangers. Ten pages of back matter feature (small) reproductions of Hine's work along with cultural and historical context and reflections on using art to affect social change. An annotated timeline traces the history of child labor and important dates in Hine's life.
(2)
YA
In 2009 Gujiao, China, teen orphans Luli and Yun labor long, mind-numbing hours at an electronics factory. Then Yun discovers she is pregnant by her shady boyfriend, a suspected bride trafficker. The girls navigate their severely limited options while trying to avoid being fired, fined, or kidnapped. Liu's candid prose and matter-of-fact tone heighten the horror of the harrowing conditions many Chinese women are subjected to daily.
245 pp.
| Scholastic
| April, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-338-23302-5$17.99
|
EbookISBN 978-1-338-23303-2
(3)
4-6
During the Soviet/Nazi conflict to control Kiev, Luka was sent to work at a labor camp. As this companion to Making Bombs for Hitler begins, he escapes and later joins the Ukrainian underground resistance. Based on actual World War II events, Skrypuch weaves a tale of suspense, highlighting Luka's courage and ingenuity as he searches for his parents and is eventually reunited with friend Lida.
24 pp.
| Eerdmans
| March, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8028-5480-3$16.00
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Ale + Ale.
In the first surreal photo-collage spread, a white girl playing with stilettoes says, "I like shoes"; opposite, a girl with brown skin shines an unseen adult's shoe: "I don't like shoes." This pattern continues with soccer balls, rugs, and more. No countries are identified, but this Italian import is a powerful discussion-starter on international economic inequality and child labor. Contextual notes are appended.
32 pp.
| Pajama
| February, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-1-77278-012-3$17.95
(2)
K-3
Illustrated by
Kim La Fave.
A perilous flash flood threatens a young Sri Lankan girl's life and her village's livelihood. A spare and lyrical text that details Malini's harrowing adventure is accompanied by expressive, brightly colored illustrations with ample open space. Endnotes explain the realities of child labor, poverty, and a dependence on rice as a staple crop in Sri Lanka. A powerful portrait of a child's bravery and perseverance.
271 pp.
| Clarion
| January, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-0-544-69947-2$17.99
(4)
YA
Persecuted by the Chinese government for their Turkic ethnicity and Muslim faith, Roshen and several other Uyghur girls are forced to leave their homes to work in a sweatshop. Roshen is overworked, underfed, and abused, but her courage is sustained by friendships and Uyghur poetry. Although characters lack depth, the girls' plight is compelling. An author's note provides some real-world context.
268 pp.
| Candlewick
| March, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7636-8837-0$17.99
(2)
YA
In an isolated settlement governed by "The Mothers," the only source of fuel is mica harvested by pre-adolescent girls starved to keep them thin enough to slip into mountain crevices. At fourteen, Jena makes a discovery that causes her to question her society's rules and her own memories. This tense, original dystopia contains resonances to our world (fracking, female mutilation, anorexia) but no easy, reductive message.
Reviewer: Sarah Ellis
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2017
(3)
4-6
Nine-year-old Ukrainian girl Lida survives a Nazi labor camp by claiming she is older and proving herself "useful" to her captors. Forced to make bombs, Lida plans to sabotage them. The narrative illuminates Ukrainian history based on true stories of survivors persecuted by both Hitler and Stalin. Lida and her fellow child prisoners are sympathetic characters demonstrating solidarity in a wartime internment setting.
291 pp.
| Knopf
| April, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-0-385-75499-6$16.99
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-385-75500-9$19.99
|
EbookISBN 978-0-385-75501-6
(3)
4-6
In this picaresque novel, young Rocco Zaccaro arrives in 1880s New York City from small-town Italy and learns to survive on the streets of the notorious Five Points neighborhood. (Photographs by Jacob Riis add historical verisimilitude.) How Rocco--a bold, cheeky narrator--moves from begging to pickpocketing to crusading for children's and animals' rights makes for a compelling page-turner.
32 pp.
| Kids Can
| September, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-1-77138-325-7$17.95
(3)
K-3
CitizenKid series.
Illustrated by
Felicita Sala.
This historical picture book introduces activist "Mother" Jones, who in 1903 led an over-one-hundred-mile march to President Theodore Roosevelt's summer home to protest child labor. Focusing on fictional eight-year-old Aidan, a cotton mill worker, the long days of walking, camping out, and rallying are portrayed as an adventurous undertaking that shed light on children's rights. Old-timey paintings capture grandmotherly Jones's feistiness. Author's note appended. Websites.
246 pp.
| Disney/Hyperion
| November, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4847-4690-5$16.99
(4)
4-6
Yuming, a contemporary Chinese girl enslaved by a greedy sweatshop owner, and Clara, an American girl whose adopted Chinese sister has recently died, are connected by Yuming's desperate note, stuffed inside a purse found by Clara in a store. Inspired by a real news story, Polonsky sheds light on important issues in a novel that is moving even as the characters' lives intertwine a little too coincidentally.
384 pp.
| Tor Teen
| September, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7653-3662-0$17.99
|
EbookISBN 978-1-4668-2879-7
(3)
YA
Living in a world destroyed by famine and plague and forced to work munitions jobs unfit for teenagers, Colin and Ty have few comforts other than friendship. When they go on strike, they're joined by an unlikely ally: Lena, heiress to the munitions factory. This dystopian tale is anchored by vivid world-building and peopled with multi-dimensional characters who compel readers to root for the underdogs.
64 pp.
| Abrams
| September, 2014
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4197-0730-8$19.95
(3)
K-3
In this picture book for older readers, historical photographs and sidebars support a fictional tale about two brothers who work in a nineteenth-century Pennsylvania coal mine. Both elements squarely address mining's dangers but also the intense bonds that developed among the boys, men, and beasts who labored deep underground. Nelson's acrylics capture the sooty, lamp-lit atmosphere. An extensive author's note is appended. Timeline. Bib., ind.
248 pp.
| Farrar/Ferguson
| May, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-374-31237-4$16.99
(2)
4-6
Ten-year-old Hastin must endure the cruelty of his employer, a circus owner. Kelly crafts a layered, convincing tale of interspecies friendship as Hastin comes to understand his charge, Nandita, an elephant calf. A kind older man proves an ally in Hastin's quest to protect Nandita, but it is the bond between boy and elephant that will stick in readers' minds.
64 pp.
| Capstone/Compass Point
| August, 2011
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-7565-4439--3$33.99
|
PaperISBN 978-0-7565-4510-9$8.95
(3)
4-6
Captured History series.
Photographs can often be more powerful than the written word in bringing social change. The work of Lewis Hine to improve child labor laws and Will Counts to show the vulnerability of those trying to integrate schools are prime examples. These well-written narratives are illustrated with numerous captioned photographs. Timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Captured History titles: Breaker Boys and Little Rock Girl 1957.
291 pp.
| Simon/Aladdin
| September, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4424-0271-3$15.99
(4)
YA
In the not-too-distant future, children are sent to workhouses to pay off their families' debts. Thirteen-year-old Matt is taken to one; he's categorized as a "Top Floor" and lives relatively comfortably. However, things don't turn out to be as great as they seem. There's a good amount of suspense throughout the story, but it's resolved a little too neatly.
40 pp.
| Lee
| April, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-1-60060-359-4$18.95
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Doug Chayka.
In Bangladesh, young Yasmin and her little sister, Mita, must work hard wielding their hammers, breaking old clay bricks into pieces to make new roads. Yasmin earns enough extra money to buy a book and convinces her parents of the importance of reading and education. Rich-hued oil paintings show the busy city streets of Dhaka and the family's small home. Reading list. Bib., glos.
113 pp.
| Random
| September, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-0-375-85652-5$12.99
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-375-95652-2$15.99
(3)
1-3
Magic Tree House series.
Illustrated by
Sal Murdocca.
In Victorian England, Charles Dickens's pen is quieted by writer's block; he's also dismayed by the plight of London's child laborers. Jack and Annie use magic to create three ghosts who visit Dickens, let loose his muse, and ultimately influence his next masterpiece. Magic Tree House fans won't be disappointed by this latest installment.
118 pp.
| Random
| September, 2010
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-375-96010-9$12.99
|
PaperISBN 978-0-375-86010-2$4.99
(3)
K-3
Magic Tree House Research Guide series.
Illustrated by
Sal Murdocca.
With the Magic Tree House's Jack and Annie as tour guides, this slim volume describes life in Victorian England, in particular the lives of children. Historical photographs and drawings bring the era of the Industrial Revolution to life. The book effectively concludes by drawing similarities between difficult conditions faced by children then and now. Reading list, websites. Ind.
(3)
4-6
Eleven-year-old Gopal and his family hope moving from the country to Mumbai will save them from starvation; unfortunately, their misfortunes only intensify. Gopal is sold into child labor, spending grueling hours making picture frames. But as he befriends other workers and begins telling his kahanis (stories) he builds both his self-worth and plans for freedom. Sheth's unique voice is as compelling as her characters. Websites. Glos.