This one was a great book to introduce kids to Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls. The women who ran the switchboards for General Pershing, on the front lines of France. This was something I didn't learn about in school. I only heard about Grace and the girls last year in a historical fiction book, and I wanted to learn more.

An interesting bit of history. Their contribution to the war effort is important, of course, but little more than an anecdote. It is the lack of acknowledgement of that contribution that makes the story.

'Grace banker and her hello call girls' teach us about how important women were during world war I. I am disappointed to say that I don't recall learning about her when I was in school. This story shows how brave these women were and how vital they were in ending the war. I loved reading their story and I truly hope this book is shared with all children.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

I thought that this young reader's book was very interesting and educational. I didn't know much about the topic beforehand, so I went into this reading it like I was its intended audience to be fair!! What drew me to this book was 1) the topic, 2) the attractive cover, and 3) the female focus. I think its really important to have more books about various untold stories in history or fiction, so I thought this would be a good addition to the bookshelf.

As an elementary school library, I love finding short, interesting histories of relatively unknown individuals and sharing them with my students. My struggling readers aren't intimidated by the length of the text, and my fluent readers are gaining new knowledge. Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls Answer the Call is one I will definitely purchase for my library. This book touches on both World War I, Women's History, and could also possibly be tied into a lesson on the history of long-distance communication. The engaging illustrations supplement the text perfectly and provide scaffolding for those readers that are in need. The text is engaging both in the word choice and in visual style. The fact that Grace Banker's words are added in blue to supplement the author's text is also a bonus. Overall, this is a well-done story of a group of women who have long deserved recognition for the role they played during World War I.

I absolutely loved learning about Grace Banker and the other Hello Girls. These were women I didn't learn about in school, and it was great getting to know this piece of history.

The book does a good job with detailing the events of the switchboard operators in World War I, and how important these ladies were. The illustrations were great, and a lot of care and research went into creating this book.

Though it is geared towards younger readers, it's very informative for adults as well. Especially if your school failed to teach about these tremendous women.

I love the bright images that instill a sense of female strength through the hardship of war. Grace Banker proves how women fought and served during the war and displays inspiration for the next generation.

Grace Banker and her Hello Girls Answer the Call is a beautiful tribute dedicated to the service of some really amazing women. Grace and her Hello Girls served diligently from the front lines. They worked every day to transfer the thousands of messages from the frontlines of WWI. They never stopped in times of danger. Instead, they bravely served their country as they pressed forward.

I received an electronic ARC from Astra Publishing House through NetGalley.
Friddell offers a close up look at Grace Banker and her life during World War I. She led a team of Signal Corps women (yes, they were called girls then) near the frontlines for much of the war. Through the illustrations and text, readers will feel they are part of the action as Friddell shows what their life and commitment to their roles was like. The artwork clearly shows facial expressions and captures the action taking place around the characters. The characters themselves seem to be in continual motion to show how much needed to be done at the same time.
The information is provided at an upper elementary level to offer younger readers a first look at this part of history. This serves as a springboard for further research if a reader chooses. Informative text including a timeline of Banker's life, further info on switchboard operators, and a bibliography are included at the end.

I like the illustrations, but I felt this book suffered from too much information. I wanted more of a story, a narrative, rather than just the facts.

I'm not all that much for war stories, but this is a story of bravery, adventure, duty, patriotism, girl-power, and justice, all set during WWI. I've never actually heard of the Signal Corps males, let alone the all-female Hello Girls, who relayed orders from commanders in headquarters to troops on the battlefields.

Concise, clear writing; awesome and accessible quotations from Grace Banker herself; careful, dramatic illustrations in a color palette that fits the era; and fascinating backmatter--they all combine to make this book a winner. And I learned a lot, too!

Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This lovely picture book about a highly unknown group of women in WWI was a delight to read. I had never heard of these women who helped out as phone operators during WWI, unsung heroes. The book is so extensively researched and well written, and is bound to keep young girls or boys interested throughout until the end.

It is worth mentioning that EA Baddeley's artwork is appealing in a graphic common book style, with some spreads having three or more panels on a page. Also, the use of direct quotes from Grace throughout the text is interesting. I would recommend for kids, a bit older than the usual pb age, as this historical story might be better suited for upper elementary readers.

Did you know that women were called to serve in the US Army's first telephone operators unit in France during WWI? Before women were even allowed to vote? I didn't either! This nonfiction picture book brings a little known piece of history to children of all ages. The author and illustrator researched archives and artifacts and collaborated with Grace Banker's granddaughter to share the story of the "Hello Girls" in World War 1. The narrative moves along at a good pace, without overwhelming younger readers. Scattered throughout are quotes from Grace's diaries and interviews, which lends a personal touch to the story. The illustrations are detailed and historically accurate, yet subdued, using tones from only a few colors, which fits very well with the time period of the early 1900s. The book includes an afterword, a timeline, further information, a bibliography, and even a short note from the artist. These extra components add additional information in helping the young reader further their understanding of the story, people, and time period involved in this snapshot of WWI. Most intriguing is what happened to Grace and her fellow "Hello GIrls" after the war and their return home. Read to the very end to find out! Overall, this is an excellent American history resource for children of all ages - showing that regular people living regular lives (men and women both!) served our country with honor and integrity, helping to defend our country and win the war.
The publisher and NetGalley provided me with an advanced reader's copy. This review and opinions are entirely my own.

This is a great informational book about Grace Banker and the call girls who helped connect messages on WWI battlefields. This would be a great addition to a collection on WWI heroes. I enjoyed this!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
I love historical fiction picture books. It's an excellent bridge for young readers. This bordered on the style of a graphic novel which I loved. Really well done overall.

A few years ago, when some of my friends and I toured a World War I exhibit at a history museum, one of the artifacts that impressed us the most was a battlefield telephone. It was beautifully designed and decorated, and we talked about how amazing it is that humans design such lovely items, even when they are intended for a deadly grim context.

Until now, that experience was my only knowledge of and exposure to WWI telephoning. I enjoyed reading this picture book biography to learn more, and found it absolutely fascinating. It celebrates the history of Grace Banker and other young women who worked as telephone operators during the war, and I found it both educational and inspiring.

The illustrations are vibrant, colorful, and historically accurate, and the text is clear and easy to read. It also incorporates direct quotes from Grace Banker, and that is what elevated this to a five-star book for me. It was already great, but I absolutely loved the inclusion of her words and thoughts. This is a great book for anyone who is interested in WWI history, the adventures of little-known historical women, or the history of the telephone. I would recommend this to both children and adults.

Grace Banker and her Hello Girls is an entertaining and well-researched book that takes another look at the valuable role of women in fighting World War I. Grace was college-educated, could speak French, and had experience as a telephone operator. When the call went out for operators to assist with the war effort in France, Grace was a natural for the job. Once overseas, she and the other operators dealt with the same difficult conditions as the soldiers. She ultimately became the Chief Operator of her unit and received the Army’s Distinguished Service Medal.

Grace Banker and her Hello Girls is a step above many nonfiction books. It includes quotes from Grace’s personal diary that help bring her to life. The appendix of the book includes a number of educational tools including photographs, a timeline, and a description of the telephone operator’s craft. This book is an excellent choice for public and elementary school libraries.

"Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls Answer the Call" is a well-researched and beautiful illustrated book about the women serving as phone call operators during World War I. There is never a dull moment in this picture book and despite being informative, it doesn't read like a textbook. This would be a great book to read in a classroom or library setting.

I read this with my 8 year old daughter and we both learned something new about World War I. This is a great book for kids ages 8-12. It does get a bit repetitive but has good information.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review.

I love that there seem to be lesser-known figures and events coming to the forefront of Children's Picture books. This book is packed with information about Grace and the telephone operators of World War I, it is also really fitting that I read it on 11/11. I will definitely be recommending this to teachers librarians looking for biographies!
Thank you for the early read!