As a woman and someone who prides herself on knowing American history, I am ashamed to admit that I had no idea who Frances Perkins was. But to discover that she was the first female cabinet member (under FDR and labor department) and the woman responsible for the Civilian Conversation Corps and social security (public policies that frankly, I feel always get attributed to a man--FDR)..I was stunned. This woman was sweet, kind, and compassionate. She never sought to domineer a man. She just wanted to make a difference wherever she could in. In her words:

"The door might not be opened to a woman again for a long, long, time. And I had a kind of duty to walk in and sit down in the chair that was offered."

THIS is true feminism. People associate it with radicalism. But it was far from that. Instead we have a woman who was terrified of speaking in public yet when it mattered most, to people she cared about and those underrepresented....she did it. What a role model! ( )

“When someone opens a door to you, go forward.”

From shy child to keen observer, vocal activist to highly effective political adviser, Frances Perkins led a life of tremendous worth, helping others as a volunteer, social worker, expert investigator, workplace-safety regulator, industrial commissioner, and, ultimately, the first woman Secretary of Labor. Brimming with realistic detail about the difficulties of pursuing one’s goals and making a difference while functioning as a woman in the first half of the 20th century, this appealing volume features colorful and appealing animation-inflected illustrations peppered with ideas that inspired Perkins; these appear as banners, headlines, and signposts throughout the story. Krull smoothly describes Perkins’ influences and motivations, her sensitivity to and awareness of injustice, how she overcame some of the fears and constraints she faced, her development as an advocate, and her many accomplishments—including her major contributions to (some say authorship of) FDR’s New Deal and the adoption of the Social Security Act—in a kid-friendly and accessible manner, focusing almost entirely on Perkins’ professional accomplishments. As for Perkins’ personal life, the afterword briefly refers to her husband and daughter within the context of their “significant health problems” (both experienced mental illness), but the text is silent on Perkins’ same-sex relationship following her husband’s institutionalization.

Overall, an appealing, informative picture-book biography that showcases the accomplishments of a great American heroine. (Picture book/biography. 6-10)

-Kirkus Review

Recommended Ages: Gr.

Plot Summary: Frances Perkins was shy as a child but many inspirational women taught her to stand up for what is important, to be observant, and to help others. She became a social worker and was appointed by FDR to help the country during the Great Depression. She was key to helping change the way people understood poverty -- it isn't someone's fault if they are poor.

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Recurring Themes: poverty, helping others, speaking up

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Personal Thoughts: I read this while sitting at the table with my family and I kept reading interesting tidbits aloud. I am blown away by Frances Perkins and this book. I thought the writing was clear without being insulting and the illustrations were beautiful.

Genre: picture book biography

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Frances Perkins was born in Boston, Massachusetts on April 10, 1880. She served as the U.S. Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. She was not only the first woman appointed to a U.S. Cabinet position, but had the longest tenure of anyone serving in that job.

This book tells the story of Frances from the time she was a shy child to her later success and lifelong advocacy against injustice. The author notes that Frances’s grandmother always encouraged her by saying: “When someone opens a door to you, go forward.”

After graduating from Mount Holyoke College (in chemistry and physics!) Frances moved first to Chicago, then Philadelphia, and in 1909 settled in New York City, which was the center of “a new way to fight injustice, called social work.” Along the way, she acquired advanced degrees in economics and sociology. In New York, she began delivering milk and food to starving children, getting landlords to exercise patience in rent collections, and asking for donations. The author reports: “In dangerous neighborhoods, she defended herself with the tip of her umbrella.”

Frances saw she needed power to effect change, and began to get involved in politics.

The author tells us in the Afterword that Frances kept a red envelope entitled “Notes on the Male Mind” which she would fill with notes about how men thought and how she could best make them listen. One way she endeavored to overcome the prejudice of the men she worked with by trying to remind them of their mothers in her appearance and demeanor. She later said, according to biographer Kirsten Downey, "They know and respect their mothers - ninety-nine percent of them do." If that's what it took, that's the persona she would adopt. In this way, she went on to push successfully for workplace safety reforms and measures to reduce unemployment.

As Secretary of Labor, she helped draft important New Deal legislation, including the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Social Security Act of 1935.

The book includes a number of quotes by Frances, shown in larger and colorful fonts, including, “I felt the satisfaction of someone who told the truth.”

The author writes:

“Hurdling one obstacle after another, boldly speaking up, she transformed the government into a force that helped protect people. On a gigantic scale, she had reached her childhood goal of helping others.”

The Afterword provides more background on Frances Perkins and a list of sources.

Alexandra Bye created colorful animation-like illustrations reflecting the times in which Frances lived. She includes apt newspaper headlines and period clothing to set Frances's life in context.

Evaluation: The author does a good job at depicting some of the barriers Frances Perkins had to overcome to achieve success, and of conveying her outsized work ethic and sense of moral conviction. Her story is so inspirational. ( )

A biography of Frances Perkins, the woman behind "FDR's" New Deal. Born in 1880 and very shy as a child, Frances nevertheless believed strongly in justice and fairness, and learned to speak out, becoming a star debater in high school and going on to college. After college, she moved to New York and began doing social work, which opened her eyes to terrible living and working conditions; she was a witness to the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in 1911 (this was the point at which I decided not to bring the book home to my 4yo). Frances was appointed to a number of government positions from which she was able to argue for change and pass laws to improve worker safety and rights; ultimately, she became the secretary of labor in FDR's cabinet, and he supported her plans for change* ("an alphabet soup of agencies").
Today, the Department of Labor is in a building named for Frances Perkins.

Digital illustrations are realistic/cartoonish, with several quotes pulled out in fancy typefaces or hand-lettered (sort of like a personal planner or journal; in fact, the style reminds me of Bad Girls Throughout History, illustrated by Ann Shen).

*"She met with FDR every ten days or so. He liked to hear her advice in the form of a story - who specifically was going to be helped, what exactly would be the result of the action she recommended. With a story he could then relay to others, he would always support her latest idea."

Most picture book biographies focus on a certain aspect of the person's life, leaving other major parts out; in this case, Krull highlights Perkins' social work and career success, omitting any mention of her husband and their daughter except for a single sentence in the back matter. ( )