The Locket: Surviving the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire by Suzanne Lieurance

The Locket: Surviving the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire by Suzanne Lieurance
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. The author does a great job of infusing accurate history into the story of this immigrant family. The main character and her sister both work in the sweatshops of the New York 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 her sister has been hanging around with, who is trying to talk her sister Anya into joining the union. Galena's family is typical of many immigrant 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 some younger children, but overall this is a fantastic book for middle grade students, they will relate well to Galena and her struggles.

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