Mama Went to Jail for the Vote

 

A fictional account of the early-20th-century American Suffragist movement. Susan watches her mother parade and picket in front of the White House, absorbing the message that voting is preferred over violence as a means to change. When Mama is hauled away in handcuffs, Susan takes up the call, her sign demanding her mother's release from jail. President Wilson's attention achieves the young protagonist's goal, but it is still some time before Mama achieves hers. A historical note provides the language of the 19th Amendment and places some of the players and their actions in context. Alice Paul appears to be the inspiration for this story, which infuses an important chapter in history with humor, spunk, and drama.

 

Author: Kathleen Karr; Malene Laugesen, illustrator. 32 pp. Ages: 9-12. Hardcover. Publisher: Hyperion, 2005.

 

 

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