Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls Answer the Call: The Heroic Story of WWI Telephone Operators

★ This picture book for older students provides material not readily available about the Signal Corps and the early role of women in the military. It also provides needed backdrop for the suffrage movement happening about the same time. —School Library Connection, starred review

An overlooked hero of World War I is given her due. Quotes from Banker's diary and letters accompany Friddell's straightforward, descriptive text, bringing to life her dedication, humor, and fearlessness. Baddeley's appealing, comics-style illustrations provide a strong sense of time and place... (o)verall, this overlooked piece of history—the role of women during World War I—is presented in engaging detail, and the result is a captivating depiction of a smart, spirited woman who found a way to use her skills and intelligence to benefit her country in an unexpected way. An absorbing look at one woman's achievements during World War I. — Kirkus Reviews

This picture book should hold strong appeal for both independent readers and middle grade listeners, making it an excellent selection for curricular use. —Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books

Already a college graduate and an instructor at a switchboard operators' school, Grace Banker...was named chief operator of the first-ever unit of women soldiers. Friddell's narrow focus on Banker's twenty months of service highlights an inspiring, little-known story of everyday 'girls' stepping up to heroically serve their country—despite gender injustices—and making history. —The Horn Book