Sanctuary tells the story of how Kip Tiernan created Rosie’s Place in Boston, the first shelter just for women in America. As a child during the great depression, Kip had watched her grandmother share whatever she had with strangers, from food to shoes. She practiced those values as she grew up, and in the late 1960’s, inspired by the movement for social change as well as her own personal struggles – and because at that time shelters only served men (homelessness was not considered a “woman’s problem”), she pestered officials in the city of Boston until they provided space for her proposed shelter. She imagined a space where women were safe and cared for, listened to and respected – and she achieved it.

This book is a truly beautiful homage to a woman who made a lasting difference to women in Boston, and provided inspiration for other shelters like it across the country. McDonnell’s text is simple, moving, and personal; Tentler-Krylov’s watercolor and digital illustrations evoke a pitch-perfect visual counterpoint to the written word.

Endnotes provide more historical information and context about Kip, the great depression, and the many factors that can cause or impact homelessness, allowing for more discussion with older children. This is an inspiring story that will stay with readers.

Reviewed by Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library, Augusta