This YA novel is historical fiction about the events that led to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911, which was the workplace disaster with the most loss of life until the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in 2001. Due to broken fire escapes, ineffective ventilation, and locking their employees in the building (!!!), 146 workers died in this tragedy, and many were young women or girls. I learned the most about the shirtwaist strike through this book, that it lasted for 3 months in the cold New York winter, from November 1909-February 1910. It was the largest uprising of female American workers to date, but it sadly did not accomplish their goals in terms of fair pay, a closed shop, and improved working conditions. The fire occurred about a year after the end of the strike and shed light on the abhorrent working conditions in the garment district and beyond.

The story is told through multiple perspectives: two shirtwaist girls and one society girl who joins them in their strike. There’s so much going on here: immigrant stories, suffrage, women’s higher education, and the reality of living in a tenement in New York City at the turn of the century. I thought it was well done, and reading it can create a lot of opportunities to talk about dignified work, ethical consumption, and compassion for those who are making a way in a new country.

I found my copy at a community bookshelf near my office in New York City, and I ended up listening to it on audio via my library, which was well-read by Suzanne Toren.