Bread and Roses, Too

Rosa's mother is singing again, for the first time since Papa died in an accident in the mills. But instead of filling their cramped tenement apartment with Italian lullabies, Mamma is out on the streets singing union songs, and Rosa is terrified that her mother and older sister, Anna, are endangering their lives by marching against the corrupt mill owners. After all, didn't Miss Finch tell the class that the strikers are nothing but rabble-rousers--an uneducated, violent mob? Suppose Mamma and Anna are jailed or, worse, killed? What will happen to Rosa and little Ricci? When Rosa is sent to Vermont with other children to live with strangers until the strike is over, she fears she will never see her family again. Then, on the train, a show more boy begs her to pretend that he is her brother. Alone and far from home, she agrees to protect him . . . even though she suspects that he is hiding some terrible secret. show less

Paterson compellingly presents the story of the Lawrence mill strike of 1912 through the point of view of two affected children, Rosa and Jake. Adding the second protagonist provides more perspective on living conditions and tension between classes as well as ethnicities, and there is a turning point in the story where the main protagonist becomes the secondary protagonist and vice versa. Although Jake appears early on throughout the novel, Rosa’s inner turmoil over the strike propels the first half of the book as Paterson convincingly puts the reader at the crossroads of Rosa’s concerns of wanting to be a “proper” American and Catholic while staying true to her immigrant family. Paterson makes brilliant use of Rosa’s school show more teacher to further this tension, turning pro-strike and true American into an either/or binary. Rosa’s happy ending is when the strike eventually ceases, but it is Jake who grows and develops more as a character, changing throughout the book. Paterson’s secondary characters are somewhat unevenly developed given their importance. For instance, although Rosa’s school teacher was given sufficient characterization and development, Rosa’s older sister was somewhat underdeveloped, which is surprising considering her role in the book. However, it is clear that this book has been well researched and Paterson does a nearly seamless job of integrating her characters into her setting in a convincing manner. Bread and Roses, Too reads as a solid work of historical fiction and can be read alongside or in compliment to Lyddie, an earlier work of Paterson’s with some common elements. This book is recommended for children ages ten to twelve. show less

In Lawrence, MA, the immigrant workers of the wool mills go on strike to demand better wages and conditions. The story focuses on two young teens: Rosa, who fears the consequences of her mother and sister’s participation in the strike, and Jake, a mill worker and the son of an abusive, drunk father whom he escapes by sleeping in the streets. As the strike progresses, the worker parents decide to send their children away “on vacation” to be cared for by other families with the help of the union. Thirty-five of the kids, including Rosa are sent to Barre, VT. Jake, on the run after discovering his father is dead and fearing the police may be after him, sneaks on to the train thinking he is headed for New York. Rosa pretends Jake is show more her brother and they are taken in by an elder Italian couple, the Gerbatis. In the midst of fear, anger, and skepticism glimmers love and hope. Lib notes: Some ethnic slurs, such as “wop.” show less

Historical Fiction. The 1912 “Bread and Roses” textile mill strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts, is seen through the eyes of Rosa Serutti, a 12-year-old immigrant, and 13-year-old Jake Beale, a child laborer in the mill. After a wage cut, Rosa’s mother and older sister go on strike while Jake is fired, earning the ire of his alcoholic, abusive father. When the strike turns violent, Rosa and Jake are sent to live temporarily with a family in Vermont. Jake’s prickly exterior falls away as he learns to trust his new father figure, while Rosa’s impatience with her mother’s old-world ways becomes a moot point when her life is in danger. Paterson has written a very realistic historic fictional account of the labor movement. The show more shifting point of view between Rosa and Jake allows each character to be well-developed. The plot moves along nicely and the setting rings true, but it’s the sense of injustice that ties the children’s perspective to the strike going on around them. show less

This seemed like a well-researched book. Labor strikes are not taught about in US schools, and certainly not extensively. It never even occurred to me that children might have been involved or even affected. In this book, I learned they were sent away like London children were sent away during air raids, although I am likely later to discover this might be an insensitive comparison. Such is not my intent. This book was boring! The use of broken English among the adults and the bigotry among the children was likely historically accurate, but on the page, was aggravating. I originally mistook this for another book entirely and rated it waaaay back when I thought the Goodreads algorithm mattered and wasn't the waste of time it is now.

One of the many things I like about Paterson is the way she can bring characters alive for readers. I'm particularly drawn to her historical fiction. Her books always make great titles for literature circles and social studies connections. Bread and Roses, Too is set during the 1912 labor strike in Lawrence Massachusetts. Some of the children of strikers were sent on "vacation" to Vermont to escape the potential violence. Like so many great historical fiction novels for young people, it made me want to learn more about the real people and events. I immediately went to the Library of Congress website to find photographs of the strike.

Young Rosa is anxious about her mother and sister's involvement in a strike of mill workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts; in the same town, Jake, a young mill worker now on strike, is trying to survive.

This historical fiction novel portrays the mill strike in Lawrence through the viewpoints of two adolescents connected to, but not directly involved with, the strike. Though the strike is a strong presence in the novel, the main focus is the personal turmoil and changes these children experience as the strike progresses. Authorities Rosa was taught by her mother to obey-- the Catholic church and her schoolteacher-- have condemned the strike as sinful and dangerous, and Rosa fears her mother's involvement will destroy her family both show more morally and physically. Jake, though a mill worker, is too hungry and cold to become concerned with the strikers' ideals, and occasionally tries to cross the picket lines. By focusing on the children and their concerns, this novel excellently portrays a significant historical event from the perspective of an everyday individual, and shows what the children experienced while their friends and families tried to change the world. There is some implied violence and one especially disturbing scene that may make the book unsuitable for very young readers, but it is appropriate for upper level middle school or junior high readers. show less