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Book Summary and Reviews of The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz

The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz

The Hired Girl

by Laura Amy Schlitz

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  • Published:
  • Sep 2015, 400 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

Newbery Medalist Laura Amy Schlitz brings her delicious wit and keen eye to early twentieth-century America in a moving yet comedic tour de force.

Fourteen-year-old Joan Skraggs, just like the heroines in her beloved novels, yearns for real life and true love. But what hope is there for adventure, beauty, or art on a hardscrabble farm in Pennsylvania where the work never ends? Over the summer of 1911, Joan pours her heart out into her diary as she seeks a new, better life for herself - because maybe, just maybe, a hired girl cleaning and cooking for six dollars a week can become what a farm girl could only dream of - a woman with a future. Newbery Medalist Laura Amy Schlitz relates Joan's journey from the muck of the chicken coop to the comforts of a society household in Baltimore (Electricity! Carpet sweepers! Sending out the laundry!), taking readers on an exploration of feminism and housework; religion and literature; love and loyalty; cats, hats, and bunions.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Starred Review. A memorable novel from a captivating storyteller." - Booklist

"Starred Review. A wonderful look into the life of strong girl who learns that she needs the love of others to truly grow up. Grade 6-9." - School Library Journal

"Starred Review. The diary format allows Joan's romantic tendencies full rein, as well as narrative latitude for a few highly improbable scenarios and wildly silly passion. Tons of period details, especially about clothing, round out a highly satisfying and smart breast-clutcher from this Newbery-winning author." - Kirkus

"Starred Review. Joan is reminiscent of heroines like Anne Shirley, Jo March, Cassandra Mortmain, and her own favorite character, Jane Eyre...Her overactive imagination, passions, and impulsive disregard for propriety often get Joan into trouble, but these same qualities will endear her to readers everywhere." - Publishers Weekly

This information about The Hired Girl was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

Reader Reviews

Write your own reviewwrite your own review

BeckyH

Volumes of wisdom
There are volumes of wisdom contained in this young adult novel. Joan, 14, is abused and over worked by her father so she leaves home to seek her fortune. Along the way she comes in contact with a young Jewish man who “rescues” her, a Catholic priest who teaches about her own religion, an old woman who teaches her she is worthwhile, a young boy who teaches her she has talent and a family that both welcomes and chastises her.
Well written, with engaging and true-to-life characters, conversation and incidents, THE HIRED GIRL is well worth reading and even re-reading. You will find nuggets of wisdom on almost every page, but the novel never preaches. The world of 1911 Baltimore is clearly shown, especially the world of the well-to-do and the servants who ease their way. Hard work is rewarded, education is valued, love is sought after, faith is paramount, toleration is expected and desired, patience is a virtue, and hope is ever present.
Book groups of varying ages will find plenty to discuss here. Mother-daughter groups will find themselves agreeing that this is an excellent book.
5 of 5 stars

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Author Information

Laura Amy Schlitz Author Biography

She received the 2008 Newbery Medal for her children's book entitled Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village, and the 2013 Newbery Honor for her children's book, Splendors and Glooms.She also won the 2016 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, the 2016 National Jewish Book Award, and the Sydney Taylor Book Award for her young adult book, The Hired Girl. Her other published books are The Hero Schliemann: The Dreamer Who Dug For Troy (2006), A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama (2006), which won a Cybils Award that year, The Bearskinner: A Tale of the Brothers Grimm (2007), The Night Fairy (2010), and Princess Cora and the Crocodile (2017).

Author Interview

Other books by Laura Amy Schlitz at BookBrowse
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