The Bobbin Girl [Hardcover]

Emily Arnold McCully (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Rebecca Putney is a bobbin girl who helps support her struggling family by working all day in a hot, noisy cotton mill. Working conditions at the mill are poor, and there is talk of lowering the workers' wages. Rebecca's friend Judith wants to protest the pay cut--but troublemakers at the mill are dismissed. Does Rebecca have the courage to join the protest? Full color.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Caldecott Medalist McCully (Mirette on the High Wire) spins an engrossing, fact-based tale with feminism and fair labor practices at its heart. Ten-year-old Rebecca supplements her family's meager income by toiling as a "bobbin girl" in 1830s New England. She is one of the thousands of girls and women who endure 131/2-hour days in the stuffy textile mills of Lowell, Mass., the City of Spindles. Rebecca sees first-hand the courage of her co-workers, who all share a dream of building a better life with the money they earn. She also observes the illnesses, injuries and anxiety caused by the harsh conditions and callous mill owners. When a decrease in wages is announced, the mill girls rally to stage a "turn out" (strike) and protest their predicament. McCully deftly weaves feminist themes into her spirited text, and her meaty author's note places her story in context. Her characters speak of self-reliance and education; they read and attend lectures whenever possible. The courage and ambition these role models inspire in Rebecca are palpable. Rough-edged watercolors, frequently awash in gray light, convey the often oppressive mood of an industrial town of the time. The shawled and bonneted women and an abundance of other period details add further historical depth. Ages 6-9.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4?This tale of child labor, early efforts to organize against unfair employers, and human courage is based on the true story of Harriet Hanson Robinson, whose mother ran a mill boardinghouse in 19th-century Lowell, MA. It tells of Rebecca Putney, a 10-year-old bobbin girl who follows the lead of an older firebrand and walks out of the textile mill in protest of a pay cut. The house provides the context to move the plot because it's there that the women talk about their goals and conditions. McCully's straightforward narrative is told in the third person with substantial dialogue. The artwork, realistic watercolors, supports the narrative but does little to move the story forward. Though crowd scenes offer opportunities for drama, the composition is somewhat static. Not all of the human figures are well-rendered. Some spreads are compelling, as in the after-dinner hours when the women sit around the fire, one wearily soaking her feet. Another striking scene shows one woman's collapse in the hazy spinning room. Despite Rebecca's central position in the narrative, she is primarily an observer and reporter and never really comes to life. Though this entry offers a valuable slice of history and will be useful for curriculum support, it lacks vitality of its own.?Carolyn Noah, Central Mass. Regional Library System, Worcester, MA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 36 pages
• Publisher: Dial; 1st edition (May 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803718276
• ISBN-13: 978-0803718272
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #620,174 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Emily Arnold McCully was born left handed in Illinois and was transplanted to Long Island, where she grew up. A tree climber, bike rider, fort builder and ball player, she also devoted hours every day to reading and drawing. She majored in art history at college and acted and wrote for the theater. She lived in Europe for a year researching her Master's thesis, also in art history. Back in New York, she took to the streets with a portfolio of sample illustrations. Early assignments were for book jackets, magazine stories and pharmaceutical ads. A poster displayed in subway cars caught the attention of a children's book editor and a new career was launched. After illustrating other peoples' texts for several years and publishing two adult novels (A Craving and life Drawing) McCully began writing her own picture books.
She has been awarded the Caldecott Medal, Christopher Award, Jane Addams Award, O'Henry Award and many others.
She has two sons and lives in New York and Columbia County, N.Y., where she maintains a large garden.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bobbin Girl - a great way to teach about the Lowell Mills, July 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Bobbin Girl (Hardcover)

I am an 8th grade history teacher and I use this book every year when I am teaching about the Lowell Mills and the Industrial Revolution. The students love it and it really helps open up a discussion about the positive and negative effects of the Industrial Revolution

4.0 out of 5 stars A Small Slice of American History, October 24, 2009

By 

LME "The Discerning Viewer" (Central CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bobbin Girl (Hardcover)

Interesting topic covered in a minimum of text. The beautiful and appropriate artwork might lead one to think this 36 page book is a storybook for young children. The subject matter and the way it is handled is not. I find grades 3-8 to be the most appropriate. 4th-6th grade is ideal. The story of the bobbin girl is fairly well crafted but not particularly engaging. The story is very much enhanced by the excellent illustrations.