Education Expert Reviews Historical Fiction for Youth and Older

THE BALLAD OF JESSIE PEARL
Author: Hitchcock, Shannon
Author's website: http://shannonhitchcockwriter.blogspot.com

Publisher: Namelos
Pages: 131
Price ( Hardcover ): $18.95
Publication Date: February 1, 2013
ISBN ( Hardcover ): 978-1-60898-141-0
Category: Fiction (ages 10 - up)
Review Rating: Five stars

 

Reviewed by Diana Sharp originally for Amazon

Perfect for historical-fiction fans of books like Sarah, Plain and Tall and Our Only May Amelia, this tale of plucky and loyal Jessie Pearl is aimed at somewhat older readers and gives a taste of life in 1920's rural North Carolina, with details on everything from chicken and dumplings to Model Ts to "stink soup."

As Jessie grows from fourteen years old to sixteen, love with a childhood sweetheart remains innocent and heart-tugging, and her love for her family is as deep as the well where she winds her water. Faith in God is an undercurrent throughout the story as this church-going family struggles with survival in a world where tuberculosis claimed the lives of many. There's no offensive language, and the romance is deftly written to be appropriate for all ages, making this one of those hard-to-find books about teenage life that don't require a parental advisory for younger, advanced readers. Book clubs (especially mother-daughter book clubs) will no doubt find the ending both satisfying and open-ended enough for good discussions about how Jessie's later life may unfold.

About the Reviewer:
 

Diana Sharp, Ph.D.

Consulting, Development, and Writing Services

for Educational Pioneers

diana@DianaSharp.com

http://www.dianasharp.com

 

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