By Bailey Sisoy Isgro
Illustrated by Nicole Lapointe
Rosie, a Detroit Herstory is a remarkable story for young readers about women workers during World War II. At this time in history, women began working jobs that had previously been performed only by men, such as running family businesses, operating machinery, and working on assembly lines. Across America, women produced everything from ships and tanks, to ammunition and uniforms, in spectacular quantities. Their skill, bravery, tenacity, and spirit became a rallying point of American patriotism and aided in defining Detroit as the Arsenal of Democracy. Even though women workers were invaluable to the war effort, they met with many challenges that their male counterparts never faced. Yet, for all of their struggles, their successes were monumental. Today, we refer to them as "Rosies"—a group of women defined not by the identity of a single riveter but by the collective might of hundreds of thousands of women whose labors helped save the world.
Rosie, a Detroit Herstory features informative, rhyming text by Bailey Sisoy Isgro and beautifully illustrated original artwork by Nicole Lapointe. The story begins with the start of the Second World War and the eventual need for women to join the American workforce as men shipped out to war. By the end of the story, readers will have a better understanding of who and what Rosie the Riveter really was, how Detroit became a wartime industrial powerhouse, and why the legacy of women war workers is still so important. A glossary is provided for more difficult concepts, as well as a timeline of events.
SIsoy Isgro and Lapointe first came up with the idea for the book on a ten-hour drive to the 2017 Women’s March in Washington, D.C., inspired by the overwhelming number of women who came together for the event. Rosie, a Detroit Herstory is written for children ages 8 to 12, but any reader interested in Detroit or women in history will appreciate this entertaining chronicle.
Hardcover, 40 pages, 37 illustrations
Dimensions: 8 x 10 x 3/8 inches
Reviews:
Rosie, a Detroit Herstory is delightful and also insightful. For someone who thought she knew the story, this beautifully written and illustrated book proves there is always so much more to know. As Bailey Sisoy Isgro shows us, Rosie is inside us all. – Amy Haimerl, author of Detroit Hustle: A Memoir of Life, Love, and Home
Rosie, A Detroit Herstory is a poetic resurrection of a story that wallops in history, women, and Detroit. It reminds us that we can indeed do anything. – Kim Kozlowski, coordinator of Detroit Little Libraries campaign
Rosie, a Detroit Herstory recalls the invaluable contributions made by women workers (the Rosies) to the Allied victory in World War II through their work in Detroit’s war industries. Bailey Sisoy Isgro’s words and Nicole Lapointe’s marvelous illustrations combine to recall the dedicated and patriotic heroines who played such vital roles in the war effort. – Charles K. Hyde, author of Arsenal of Democracy: The American Automobile Industry in World War II and Images from the Arsenal of Democracy
