On Our Way to Oyster Bay: Mother Jones and Her March for Children's Rights
by Monica Kulling
illustrated by Felicita Sala
Eight-year-old Aidan and his friend Gussie are on strike at the cotton mill where they work. A woman named Mother Jones persuades them and other child laborers to join her in a march from Kensington, Pennsylvania to Oyster Bay, New York. Mother Jones wanted an end to child labor and was taking her message right to President Theodore Roosevelt himself.
The jaunty text and cheerful pictures add a festive air to the proceedings even though the march itself was not always pleasant. Mother Jones even treated the children to a fun-filled day at Coney Island. Sadly, the march was unsuccessful as Roosevelt refused to meet with them. But their protest did work in raising awareness, leading to future laws against child labor.
An entertaining, child-friendly story that serves as a good introduction to social justice and citizenship.
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