The problem with the way American history is taught is that most of the people that are brought out are straight white me and women, and very few others.

In reading this book, and realizing I had never heard of Hanna G. Solomon, I was reminded of a crusading woman who turned out to be her contemporary Jane Addams, who started Hull House, to benefit poor immigrant women. Just as Jane did what she did, so did Hannah do for Jewish women and poor people in Chicago. She founded the National Council fo Jewish Women, which apparently is still around to this day.

there is a little snippet about her at the end of the book, as well as a photo of her.

Fascinating knowing about women who did good back int he day.


<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.</em>

This book deserves my thanks, as it would do if it was a poor representation of the subject, about whom I don't think I'd ever heard. Thanks come much more easily when this is pitched very well at the target audience, and shows that the fight for equality, and fair access to society, culture, labour and health for all is an ongoing struggle. Our subject, brought up the right way by fine upstanding people, and seeing them house some of the homeless left that way by a mahoosive Chicago fire, was such a front-runner in volunteering for women's issues in her city that she was tasked with bringing Jewish women to the World's Fair. From that came the National Council of Jewish Women, which since day one has definitely done a lot, not just for Jewish Women, but for everyone. Clearly this religiously-named body caters way outside that belief system – would that others followed that path. Anyway, the book is perfectly accessible, and there is nothing of the 'first book syndrome' that marks this as flawed when compared to similar volumes about similar subjects. The artwork too is fine – I would have liked more chance to see the masterful double-page spreads we get here and there, but the illustrations are always suitable. And as I say, this successfully taught me something, so has every right to succeed. Four and a half stars.

My children and I loved the story and the artwork. The story was an interesting one to read and my children asked to read it again. Always a sign of a good book.