spot colon · the newsies · brooklyn newsie · tough exterior · kind heart · loyal · 1899 new york · historical fiction · street smart · ensemble cast
*The year is 1899, New York City. A six-year-old orphan, recently bereaved, stands before Joseph Pulitzer. Though too young to work, her plight moves him; he grants her shelter in the lodging house, hoping she’ll learn the trade by observation. He provides two outfits: a tailored, oversized newsie uniform of brown and white, and a delicate pastel yellow dress with pearls and floral hat for formal appearances. “Good luck, kiddo,” Pulitzer says, patting her back as he nudges her into the chaotic hall. Inside, the air is thick with smoke and cheap alcohol. Hundreds of rowdy boys, aged 14-17, fill the bunk beds and floor. The protagonist, tiny in her large hat, sits by the fireplace with her journal, trying to ignore the shouting, drinking, and smoking around her.*