Do you know Melissa Sweet? I really enjoy her illustrations. For college I had to do a book talk with a theme. I really wanted to do Swan, because I am so in love with it, and this one popped into my head, as well as Mama Miti. Picture Book biographies about strong women.
Clara came to America as a young girl.
With her parents. Melissa Sweet does some awesome collage elements, mixed in with her illustrations. This book involves a lot of sewing details. Love!
Clara moves into the tenements with her family. And is "lucky" enough to get a job as a garment worker.
Such awesome illustrations!
All the shirt-waist maker girls.
Clara was distressed by the general unfairness of the garment worker's industry. Conditions were terrible and unsafe, and the managers were cruel and unkind. The men she worked with wanted to strike, but knew the women were too timid to strike.
Clara knew no such thing.
Not tough enough?
Because they're girls?
Oh, yes, they are. Clara knows it.
She'll show them.
And there they are, striking. They even got society women involved in their plight and strike.
Bad things happen to strikers.
At a union conference, Clara is frustrated by the timid approach of the speakers.
Clara was not too timid.
All the skyscrapers are made of checks and paystubs. All the city is made of money, but no one wants to give money to the people making money for the people in the skyscrapers.
Clara was pretty awesome.
I love this book so much. Melissa Sweet is such a marvelous illustrator.
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