Uprising

Margaret Peterson Haddix
Simon and Schuster 2007

Uprising tells the story of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire through the eyes of three young women. I loved Bella the most, the poor immigrant girl willing to come to a strange land and put up with abuses she could never have imagined in order to send some money home to her impoverished family. I often laugh out loud when I read a book, but I seldom cry. I wept for Bella, sobbed right out loud. This book moved me because of her.

Yetta, the young visionary social activist who walks the picket line for months, both inspired and frustrated me. As much as I wished she would get off her high horse, get over her obsession, and enjoy life a little now and then, she also made me want to give up writing my silly fantasy novels and write something that would fight evil instead. Something more like Uprising.

I thought this book should have been Haddix's long overdue Newbury honor. She deserves one.