Brave Girl

By Michelle Markel, Melissa Sweet (Illustrator)

A young immigrant leads a historic strike, challenging injustice and fighting for equality.

4.2/5 Goodreads · 3,745 ratings

32 pages· 1,436 words· Est. 12 min read-aloud

$17.99Save 6%

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Bookroo's summary

Clara Lemlich, a determined young immigrant, arrives in America facing language barriers and harsh labor conditions. Refusing to accept inequality, she educates herself and rallies fellow workers, leading the largest women's strike in U.S. history. Can Clara's courage and resolve bring about the change she dreams of? Discover her inspiring journey of activism and resilience in the early 1900s garment industry.

From the publisher

The true story of the young immigrant who led the largest strike of women workers in U.S. history. This picture book biography about the plight of immigrants in America in the early 1900s and the timeless fight for equality and justice should not be missed.When Clara arrived in America, she couldn’t speak English. She didn’t know that young women had to go to work, that they traded an education for long hours of labor, that she was expected to grow up fast.But that didn’t stop Clara. She went to night school, spent hours studying English, and helped support her family by sewing in a shirtwaist factory.Clara never quit, and she never accepted that girls should be treated poorly and paid little. Fed up with the mistreatment of her fellow laborers, Clara led the largest walkout of women workers the country had seen.From her short time in America, Clara learned that everyone deserved a fair chance. That you had to stand together and fight for what you wanted. And, most importantly, that you could do anything you put your mind to.This picture book biography about Ukrainian immigrant Clara Lemlich tackles topics like activism and the U.S. garment industry. The art, by Caldecott Honor winner Melissa Sweet, beautifully incorporates stitching and fabric. A bibliography and an author’s note on the garment industry are included.