Rose Spoke Out: The Story of Rose Schneiderman

Emma Carlson Berne is the author of over 120 books for juvenile, middle grade, and young adult readers, including Books By Horseback, illustrated by Ilaria Urbinati, and Shabbat Sabotage, a middle-grade mystery. She has worked with American Girl Publishing, Disney Lucasfilm, Simon & Shuster, National Geographic Kids, and Scholastic among others. She often ghostwrites under the names Jake Maddox, Lila Stewart, Elizabeth Woods, and Hailey Abbott.  She often writes about Jewish history and culture. Emma lives with her family in Cincinnati, Ohio.Giovanni Abeille is an Italian illustrator born and raised in Naples, a beautiful city in southern Italyoverlooking the Mediterranean Sea. From an early age he filled albums, sheets,and notebooks with drawings and continues to do so today for various publishinghouses around the world. He has been an upholsterer, salesman, banker, set dresserand even a fireman. However, his path has always been drawing, creativity andart. He lives in Italy.

One powerful voice can effect powerful change.Polish Jewish immigrant Rose Schneiderman was 8 when shearrived in New York City with her parents in the late 19th century. Even as achild, she loved talking and arguing about ideas. At age 13, she left school tohelp support her family, finding employment in a hat factory. Inearly-20th-century New York, this meant buying her own sewing machine andenduring long hours in dirty, unsafe, and unfair working conditions. Havingkept silent for fear of losing her much-needed job, Rose finally spoke up uponlearning women earned less than men; organizing female co-workers to protest asa group was key, and some conditions improved, including wage increases. Thisvictory of sorts eventually led to others. In 1909, Rose led a massive strikefor factory workers’ rights. As time went on, more employees, employers, thenjournalists and politicians heeded this woman of small stature (only 4-foot-9)and big voice, and factory conditions continued to improve, particularly afterher rousing address at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House. This is a quiet,respectful, stirring look at a courageous workers’ rights champion, written instraightforward, accessible prose. The simple illustrations are cast mostly in brownshades, reflecting the somberness of poverty and dire labor practices. (Thisbook was reviewed digitally.)An inspiring portrait of a woman committed to making adifference and whose influence is still felt to this day. (more about RoseSchneiderman, author's note) (Picture-book biography. 5-8) b--Kirkus ReviewsA diminu­tive red-head­ed immi­grant to the Unit­ed Stateswho began work­ing full-time when she was thir­teen years old: Rose Schnei­der­manmay seem an unlike­ly hero­ine or some­one des­tined to improve the lives ofher fel­low work­ers, but Rose cer­tain­ly didn’t know that. Nor did she antic­i­patethat the sweat­shop that employed her and many oth­er women would be freez­ingin the win­ter, swel­ter­ing in the sum­mer, and filthy all the time. San­i­ta­tionwas not a pri­or­i­ty — rats were every­where — and dan­ger was a con­stant.Rose also noticed that women were rou­tine­ly paid less than men. Her deter­mi­na­tionto improve con­di­tions for all work­ers led this young vision­ary ona path toward a remark­able career.The Inter­na­tion­al Ladies Gar­ment Work­ers Union, whichhelps employ­ees receive ben­e­fits and equi­table treat­ment, is one result ofRose’s activism. She is a role mod­el for today’s young people.Although Rose Spoke Out is a pic­ture bookaimed at kids who are five through eight, old­er chil­dren and adults will findthe sto­ry fas­ci­nat­ing, too. The art evokes the era, enhanc­ing the reader’sover­all expe­ri­ence. The book con­cludes with his­tor­i­cal pho­tographs anda note about tikkun olam, or mak­ing the world a bet­ter place. --The Jewish Book Council