Doing Her Bit: A Story About the Woman's Land Army of America

In 1917, proper New York City college girl Helen Stevens joins the Woman's Land Army of America to "do her bit" for the war effort. Her white-linens-and-fine-china farewell luncheon sets the story's tone, as Helen waves off her mother's fretting "as if she were swatting a pesky fly. 'I'll be fine,' she said." At the Women's Agricultural Camp in Bedford, New York, Helen and other "farmerettes" trade their dresses for overalls and get to work under the guidance of tough director Ida Ogilvie. While, indeed, "blisters turned into calluses," finding men who would hire them to do farm work was more challenging. But, thanks to Ida, Helen and her fellow farmerettes do get hired--and for men's wages (well, after they prove their worth and stand up for themselves). This WWI home front story "based on real events and real people" uses invented dialogue and details in a homespun narrative that gets to the heart of an important moment in feminist history. Hill's gouache illustrations in a tawny palette are full of Rosie the Riveter-esque images of women hard at work--just doing their bit--in pastoral landscapes. An informative author's note, a bibliography, and internet-search recommendations are appended; the endpapers display WWI Woman's Land Army posters and sepia photos of real farmerettes. A century later, when equal pay for equal work is still not guaranteed, this book may empower readers to start discussions about feminism and women's roles throughout history. katrina hedeen

In 1917, college girl Helen Stevens joins the Woman's Land Army of America to "do her bit" for the war effort at the Women's Agricultural Camp in Bedford, New York. Hagar's homespun narrative uses invented dialogue and details to spotlight an important moment in feminist history. Hill's gouache illustrations are full of Rosie the Riveter–esque images in pastoral landscapes. Bib.