The Six Triple Eight
A True Story of the Black Woman Battalion of World War II
Published on 4. December 2025
Book
Hardback
40 pages
978-0-06-326576-9 (ISBN)
Description
A powerful and vibrantly illustrated account of the resilience and dedication of the unsung Black heroines who played a major role in World War II. Perfect for fans of Hidden Figures, Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free, and Tyler Perry's blockbuster film The Six Triple Eight.
In 1944, the United States was facing a unique wartime crisis-too much mail! Millions of letters and packages, stacked from floor to ceiling, sat unsent in cold, dark warehouses, with no one to sort through the backlog and no way to deliver mail to the troops.
Enter the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.
Formed of Black women who had advocated fiercely for their right to enlist in the U.S. military, the "Six Triple Eight" battalion had one special task: sort and send the mail. It wasn't easy, but the Six Triple Eight got to work!
Putting in long hours to send out each piece of mail in record time, they had a four-word motto that powered them through: "No mail, low morale!" As they helped deliver support to the soldiers on the frontlines, these women proved there was nothing they couldn't do!
Former teacher turned multigenre writer and editor Tonya Abari and debut illustrator Lance Evans honor these women with a stunning nonfiction picture book sure to educate and inspire future generations.
The Six Triple Eight is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!
In 1944, the United States was facing a unique wartime crisis-too much mail! Millions of letters and packages, stacked from floor to ceiling, sat unsent in cold, dark warehouses, with no one to sort through the backlog and no way to deliver mail to the troops.
Enter the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.
Formed of Black women who had advocated fiercely for their right to enlist in the U.S. military, the "Six Triple Eight" battalion had one special task: sort and send the mail. It wasn't easy, but the Six Triple Eight got to work!
Putting in long hours to send out each piece of mail in record time, they had a four-word motto that powered them through: "No mail, low morale!" As they helped deliver support to the soldiers on the frontlines, these women proved there was nothing they couldn't do!
Former teacher turned multigenre writer and editor Tonya Abari and debut illustrator Lance Evans honor these women with a stunning nonfiction picture book sure to educate and inspire future generations.
The Six Triple Eight is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!
Reviews / Votes
A worthy read that bears witness to the brave women of the Six Triple Eight. - Kirkus ReviewsA riveting readaloud. - Booklist
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers Inc
Target group
Children/juvenile
US School Grade: Preschool, Interest Age: From 4 to 8 years
Dimensions
Height: 223 mm
Width: 287 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
434 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-06-326576-9 (9780063265769)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Tonya Abari is a multigenre storyteller. She is the author of many celebrated books for children, including Locs, Not Dreads; Let's Celebrate Juneteenth; and My Hair, My Crown. Tonya's words for adults have appeared in USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Good Housekeeping, AARP, Parents, Essence, PBS Kids, and many more. Tonya lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she can be found reading, visiting historic landmarks, or frolicking in and around town with her spouse and children, all whose names also begin with "T."
Lance Evans is an illustrator based in New Jersey. Always having a passion for learning, he utilizes the techniques, processes, and history of art to create. His work includes fashion illustrations, editorial illustrations, graphics for clothing, record covers, and more. In his downtime he's either building Legos, rating movies on Letterboxd (Favorite Movie: Fantastic Mr. Fox), or appreciating the outside world.
Lance Evans is an illustrator based in New Jersey. Always having a passion for learning, he utilizes the techniques, processes, and history of art to create. His work includes fashion illustrations, editorial illustrations, graphics for clothing, record covers, and more. In his downtime he's either building Legos, rating movies on Letterboxd (Favorite Movie: Fantastic Mr. Fox), or appreciating the outside world.