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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
Either I love books by Karen Hesse or not so much. I love 'Letters from Rifka." It's post-WWI in Russia and Europe, so a period not as often covered in historical juvenile fiction. The plot keeps moving, lots of conflict to push the MC into growth. Rifka is not a glamorous MC (that wicked case of ringworm! Typhus!), but she's plucky and you want things to work out for her. A coming-of-age story that has real obstacles!
I'm going to be on the lookout for a copy of this for my classroom library.
I'm going to be on the lookout for a copy of this for my classroom library.
emotional
reflective
The story is keeping my interest, however, I found it very difficult to get into. I think that it would take a lot of patience and help to get my students started, as the whole epistolary format doesn't really go with the style of narration very well (no one writes letters with full dialogue and with such detail--you forget they're letters and then when you're reminded that they are, the whole thing seems implausible-credibility suffers). That aside, the narrative is compelling.
On page 56...
Okay, I'm used to the style now. Rifka's character should inspire young readers: avid readers and writers to try to write their own poetry & prose; girls who don't think they can get by on looks alone to cherish their intelligence; any young adult to handle new and intimidating experiences with grace and courage. Rifka is definitely a real-life hero and she inspired me to be more selfless. I especially loved how Rifka never gave thought to the fact that all of her troubles were a result of one poor choice and she NEVER blamed the Polish peasant girl---I was constantly dwelling on that fact, but Rifka never did; a true testimony in favor of positive thinking in the face of adversity.
It took me longer than it should have to read it, however, which indicates to me that it didn't hold my interest as much as I'd have liked.
On page 56...
Okay, I'm used to the style now. Rifka's character should inspire young readers: avid readers and writers to try to write their own poetry & prose; girls who don't think they can get by on looks alone to cherish their intelligence; any young adult to handle new and intimidating experiences with grace and courage. Rifka is definitely a real-life hero and she inspired me to be more selfless. I especially loved how Rifka never gave thought to the fact that all of her troubles were a result of one poor choice and she NEVER blamed the Polish peasant girl---I was constantly dwelling on that fact, but Rifka never did; a true testimony in favor of positive thinking in the face of adversity.
It took me longer than it should have to read it, however, which indicates to me that it didn't hold my interest as much as I'd have liked.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is book is amazing it's the only book I've ever read more then twic3ce and it's so good [not 4 every1 but still amazing ]
This book follows Rifka and her family as they attempt to emigrate from Russia to the US. I enjoyed the brief look into history and learning about the struggles that immigrants had to go through to arrive in the US. Parts of my own family emigrated from Russia to the US around the same time for similar reasons, so it was interesting to read about what that journey might have looked like for my ancestors.
Diary of a young Russian Jewish girl and her struggles while immigrating to the United States in the 1910s. The entries are written in the borders and blank areas of a book of poetry.
First read when I was in sixth or seventh grade.
First read when I was in sixth or seventh grade.
challenging
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
After how much I loved Phoenix Rising by the same author, I found myself disappointed with this book. Hesse did not write a bad book. This was just not a book for me. I knew that from the start when I discovered that Hesse wrote the book using an epistolary format. I think that this format can work but it really rubs me the wrong way when the letters do not take actual letter form. By that I mean, the letters become a story. They take on the format of a regular narrative with the paragraph structure and dialogue and thought narration. People do not write letters like this. People do not write diaries like this. I read a lot of the "Diary of America" books which take this format and while I enjoyed them, I also had the same difficulty with it.
In the end, I just did not connect with Rifka which made this a difficult book to love. However, Hesse does portray a true story, a story based on the life of one of her family members, which kept the events of the narrative grounded in reality and redeemed the choice of an epistolary format.
In the end, I just did not connect with Rifka which made this a difficult book to love. However, Hesse does portray a true story, a story based on the life of one of her family members, which kept the events of the narrative grounded in reality and redeemed the choice of an epistolary format.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I'm not a fan of epistolary fiction, but this cross between diary and correspondence isn't bad. Hesse does a good job of capturing Rifka's age (12-13) and the contradictions of childishness and impending adulthood. She also does well showing the challenge of adjusting to a culture different from that one has grown up in and giving a little of the history of immigration to the US from Russia and eastern Europe during the early 20th century.
medium-paced
Forgot I had read this until I found an old book report while rummaging through some stuff!