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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
3.25 stars (I think this one really does fall between my 3 star reads in the series and 3.5 star reads)
I initially had trouble getting into this book, and it took me a long time to pick it up again and finish it. I'm not really sure why. What makes it really interesting is that a 15-year-old actually wrote this entry in the series; apparently there had been a contest and the prize was publication. I'm incredibly impressed by Janke's writing skills and the depth of her research. She set the diary in the same town where she was growing up and clearly dove into its history to explore how the Dust Bowl and Depression impacted people's lives.
Despite the terrible conditions Grace's family endures, this book somewhat lacks suspense, so it's a bit of a bland read. I just don't have a lot to say about it. I enjoyed seeing Grace's budding interest in nursing, and as annoying as I find it irritating when the narrator winds up with like . . . the only boy she talks to in the book, I actually thought it felt earned this time. The romance definitely was a subplot and far from Grace's only interest. And I think Janke did a really nice job in showing a true friendship develop between the two first. So many "romances" in this series are forced, and it's a little ironic that a teenage girl wrote about love more successfully than many of the seasoned authors.
As is often typical of these books, the dad makes what seem like boneheaded decisions. Some of the commentary on accepting government assistance felt a little wishy-washy. We're clearly meant to admire Mr. Edwards's refusal to accept aid, but then the girls are reminded never to look down on those who do . . . I wasn't really looking for nuance in a YA book written by a teen, but it seems like the underlying message still was that it was better to be self sufficient than accept aid, and it just kind of makes Mr. Edwards look extremely proud (for no real reason). And he pledges that he'll never leave the town, but it's like . . . maybe you should have? Admittedly, though, Janke also did excellent research to show that those who left for what they thought would be a surplus of jobs in California were sorely mistaken.
It doesn't appear that Janke wrote anything else, but I'd be really curious to know what career path she chose.
I initially had trouble getting into this book, and it took me a long time to pick it up again and finish it. I'm not really sure why. What makes it really interesting is that a 15-year-old actually wrote this entry in the series; apparently there had been a contest and the prize was publication. I'm incredibly impressed by Janke's writing skills and the depth of her research. She set the diary in the same town where she was growing up and clearly dove into its history to explore how the Dust Bowl and Depression impacted people's lives.
Despite the terrible conditions Grace's family endures, this book somewhat lacks suspense, so it's a bit of a bland read. I just don't have a lot to say about it. I enjoyed seeing Grace's budding interest in nursing, and as annoying as I find it irritating when the narrator winds up with like . . . the only boy she talks to in the book, I actually thought it felt earned this time. The romance definitely was a subplot and far from Grace's only interest. And I think Janke did a really nice job in showing a true friendship develop between the two first. So many "romances" in this series are forced, and it's a little ironic that a teenage girl wrote about love more successfully than many of the seasoned authors.
As is often typical of these books, the dad makes what seem like boneheaded decisions. Some of the commentary on accepting government assistance felt a little wishy-washy. We're clearly meant to admire Mr. Edwards's refusal to accept aid, but then the girls are reminded never to look down on those who do . . . I wasn't really looking for nuance in a YA book written by a teen, but it seems like the underlying message still was that it was better to be self sufficient than accept aid, and it just kind of makes Mr. Edwards look extremely proud (for no real reason). And he pledges that he'll never leave the town, but it's like . . . maybe you should have? Admittedly, though, Janke also did excellent research to show that those who left for what they thought would be a surplus of jobs in California were sorely mistaken.
It doesn't appear that Janke wrote anything else, but I'd be really curious to know what career path she chose.
9yo really enjoyed this one. It's a bit slow, but you do get attached to the character and the harshness of the life she lived.
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Grief, Fire/Fire injury
Despite popular belief, it was not a big football tournament in the 1930s.
Crazy.
Crazy.
A quality look at life during the time of the Dust Bowl.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
These are just as interesting and fun as I remember. I really liked getting to know the main character and her family and friends while also learning about this historical event. For the most part it is light hearted but there is some serious things discussed. I also think some very good life lessons for children to learn. I also like that at the end of the book there is a more concise history and some pictures.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
I think this one nailed it for a book about this topic, especially for its target age demographic. It’s a little simplistic, but as many of the best books in this series does, it highlights the life in a time where it would be easy to fixate on the dark parts. In the Great Depression, and especially in the Dust Bowl, it would be easy to tell a story about the terror and misery of the endless dust, the desperation of families, the brutal choices they faced and things they did without. This story included all those things, but also school competitions, new friends, the excitement of a new dress, and regular farm antics. Would absolutely recommend to any middle reader!
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
