Mystery at the Mill

by Elspeth Rawstron

'The year is 1859. Charles Darwin’s On the Origins of the Species was published. Big Ben started ticking at the Houses of Parliament in London. Billy the Kid, the famous American cowboy, was born in Oregon in the USA. Charles Dickens, the famous English writer, published A Tale of Two Cities. The escalator was invented. Pierre Curie, the famous physicist, was born and my great grandmother started working at Salt’s Mill, a woolen mill in Bradford. She was seven years old.'

When Caterina finds her great-grandmother's diary in the attic, she reads about her difficult life as a child worker in the local textile mill. Caterina knows that this is not just history. Children around the world today work in terrible conditions to make the clothes we buy. Caterina starts thinking and soon she has started a campaign against a local shop that sells cheap and fashionable clothes.

There are two stories, Caterina's story set in the twenty first century and her great grandmother's story set in 1850s England.

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Janete on hiatus due health issues · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another re-read with audio to improve my English knowledge.

[Elspeth Tavaci · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is suitable for 11/12 year olds. It is beautifully illustrated by a very talented new artist, Nick Tankard. The story works well with history lessons on the Industrial revolution and Victorian times. It also leads children to think about ethical fashion. Last but not least it's a great story.