Book Review: The Hired Girl

THE HIRED GIRL by Laura Amy Schlitz is an engaging work of historical fiction aimed at tweens.

Set in 1911, fourteen-year old Joan runs away from her oppressive home in rural Pennsylvania hoping to reinvent herself as a hired girl in the city of Baltimore. Pretending to be an eighteen-year-old named Janet Lovelace, she lands a job as a housekeeper in a Jewish home. As she strives to learn more about her Catholic heritage, she also becomes familiar with Jewish tradition.

Most young readers will enjoy the conversational style of the diary format. With a hint of flirty romance and a focus on period clothing, librarians will find that the book is of more interest to girls than boys. However, it will have a wide readership among youth who enjoy reading the classics and are attracted to a protagonist who has a passion for reading.

Many works of fiction for youth avoid conversations about religion, however this novel is filled with thought-provoking discussions of culture, philosophy, and religion including concerns about anti-semitism and the role of religion in society.

Published by Candlewick on September 8, 2015.

Book Review: The Rat with the Human Face

THE RAT WITH THE HUMAN FACE by Tom Angleberger is the second silly adventure in The QuikPick Papers series.

In a followup to the infamous Poop Fountain incident, the Qwikpick Adventure Society trio investigate an abandoned research facility looking for a rumored rat with a human face. The story is told as a semi-official report detailing their exploits along with the consequences.

The book’s scrapbook appearance with taped in photos, drawings, typewritten pages, handwritten notes, and other visually interesting elements will be popular with young readers.

Fans of Tom Angleberger who enjoy tales of harmless troublemaking will be eager to jump into his latest, fast-paced adventure. However, young readers looking for literary depth won’t get past the title and first few pages. With the popularity of the first title in this series as well as the Origami Yoda books, librarians are sure to find readers for this book. The combination of light realism and humor are perfect for reluctant readers.

To learn more about the author and his books, go to http://origamiyoda.com/.

Published by Amulet Books on April 21, 2015. ARC courtesy of NetGalley.