Renegade Girls (A Graphic Novel)

January 15, 2025
A fictionalized account of two real figures: "stunt-girl reporter" Nell Cusack and photographer Alice Austen. It's 1888. Each year, Nell summers in New York City with her well-connected aunt and uncle. She's found employment as a society reporter for theNew York Chronicle, a job which she hopes to finagle into more consequential reporting, like Nellie Bly's famous mental hospital expos�. When she discovers that her best friend, Italian American Lucia Amatucci, who works as a maid for Nell's aunt and uncle, was injured at her second job at a garment factory, Nell goes undercover to blow the whistle on the factory's dangerous and inhumane work environment. After her article appears in print, the factory sues the paper. Fortunately, Nell has recently become acquainted with photographer Alice Austen, whom she enlists to gather photographic evidence for subsequent articles. In the nuanced resolution, Nell confronts her own privilege in pursuit of social justice. Along the way, the gently budding romance between Nell and Alice unfolds in sweet, swoonworthy scenes. While Neus takes liberties with the story--the author's note indicates there's no historical evidence that Cusack was queer, though Austen spent more than 50 years with her woman partner--the fictional romance is a delight. The soft, luminous, full-color illustrations shine. The panels showing renderings of Austen's actual photos, depicted in grayscale, are particularly evocative. Informative historical fiction about important trailblazers featuring a charming queer romance.(Graphic historical fiction. 12-18)

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March 1, 2025
Grades 7-12 Renegade Girls takes the reader on a whirlwind ride through 1880s high society and undercover reporting. Helena Cusack is desperate to become a stunt girl reporter, one who exposes the exploitative underbelly of the Gilded Age. She's encouraged by new friend Alice Austen, who's based on a real photographer, and household maid Lucia. After learning of Lucia's dangerous factory work, Helena becomes Nell Nelson, writing a series of articles to spur change in child labor and worker safety. Alice's photos prove necessary evidence, and the pair become romantic and professional partners. But powerful people oppose Nell's work; soon readers are left wondering if the intrepid team will be silenced for good. The art vividly captures the diverse population of New York among the bucolic parks, busy streets, and grimy industrial workshops characteristic of the period. This will be of great interest to kids who have just outgrown books in the American Girl series and will appreciate the mix of historical fact and entertaining fiction found here. A dashing tale of justice, bravery, and love.

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