This book for Children tells the story of the March of the Mill Children led by Mother Jones during July 1903 from Philadelphia to President Roosevelt’s summer mansion in Long Island, New York.

Using many quotes from Mother Jones herself, author Winter  describes it as a “true story that will excite budding young activists and pint-sized agitators alike” to fight for social justice.

• Words by Jonah Winter.
• Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. 
• Published by Schwartz & Wade Books. New York 2020

Mother Jones speaks directly to children in an outraged tone, when describing the exploitative conditions of young children in the mines, mills and factories of the American Industrial revolution at the beginning of the 20^th Century.

The language is blunt, forceful and engage with children’s natural empathy with their oppressed predecessors who were unable to go to school as they worked long hours in terrible conditions.

The illustrations by Nancy Carpenter are first class, with Mother Jones standing out in her dark attire presenting a striking impact in many of the books colourful pages.

“ In her own way, Mother Jones is as important as Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. By law, American children must now go to school and are barred from working in factories – thanks in large part to Mother Jones.”

Jonah Winter

Yet there remain countries where children still work in factories, an estimated 150 – 200 million children, instead of receiving an education, many are still in factories producing clothes for America and Europe in unacceptable conditions. Mother Jones would remain very active today.