The Girl with Spunk

by Judith St. George

As the first Woman's Rights Convention, in Seneca Falls, New York, draws near, hired girl Josie Dexter, initially uninterested in the convention, takes an eventful steamboat ride on Seneca Lake

Genres: Historical

143 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I'm having a meeting in the morning, and Josie has agreed to help me,", Mrs. McClintock explained. "Four ladies are coming to my house. Maybe thou has heard of one of them, Mrs. Lucretia Mott of Philadelphia."
- Judith St. George, The Girl with Spunk


This book -- a little jewel of a book -- is among my all time favorites.

That's why it bothers me that it has so few reviews. If you like my review and like what you read about the story, if you think this book interests you, please give it a read and post a review. It's far too good to have such few reviews.

First off -- it's short. You'll finish it, most likely in a day.


I first read this book as a child. It is, after all, a children's book BUT anyone of ANY age can read it.

And given what's going on in our country right now, I think you'll want to read it -- perhaps give it to a daughter or a grandaughter to also read.

The story is about Josephine, "Josie" Dexter, a young woman growing up in an extremely troubled household.

This book takes place at the beginning of the women's Suffrage movement. This is the book that fueled a passion in me to know more.

How many souls did this book -- and Josephine Dexter -- fire up?

How many children, young girls read this book and felt an understanding, a slice of sunlight, of gratitude because after all, WE can vote? WE have Suffrage?

For how long?

I do not mean to be hyperbolic. But I do worry sometimes. I worry a lot of the time.

I think of the women before me, before US.

I think of the bravery, the fires in their souls, the young fictional girl who was Josephine Dexter. (The character of Josie is fictional but other characters are not.)


For all her life, Josie has been taught not to question, to do as she is told. Still things never seem to go smoothly for her. In this story, Josie meets many people and gradually becomes aware that life does not have to be the way she always thought it did and that she can make her own choices.

I am really shocked by how few reviews there are of this book.

It is one of my earliest readings and this book, along with many others, inspired my love of reading.

I also became a political animal and political writer. I think about women in this country. I worry about them.

I worry about the changes that have come to this country and the changes some would like to make.

I worry about the lack of respect I sometimes see toward women, from unlikely places even, on TV, even from some who are supposed to be the "good guys."

The girl with Spunk WAS and is loved. I love it. I imagine I am not the only one who loves it.

Josie Dexter is part of me. I would like to see her become part of you too. I would like to see this book, this trinket, continue to be passed down, loved, and admired for years to come.

I'd like to see it read and adored forever.

[Elisa Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as a child and read it more than once. I remember loving it. I will be buying this book so I can have it forever.

[Kimber · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for the memory of this book in my preteen (?) years. I loved this book which really was my introduction to the women's rights movement. I felt very inspired by Josie--inspired to be independent as a woman and to be a working girl (both came true). It was a tough read in some ways, the violence. But it was necessary for the story. I recommend this for young women interested in the Woman's Rights Convention era of history. I enjoyed it as a story on its own: I still remember little details like the way she burnt the toast employed as a server girl and had to smear extra jam onto the burnt parts. That was a vivid picture for me: we all make mistakes and mistakes can be corrected.

TW: domestic violence

[Cass · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read this book twice, the second because I could not really remember the first. Both times I left feeling a bit like the author had mislead me, which I failed to remember until after I had finished reading the second time.

The books ends by explaining that the nation's first Woman's Rights Convetion was held in Seneca Falls, New York in July 19 and 20, 1848 and further that the main character is typical of farm girls and working girls everywhere who eyes were opened by the convention to a realization of how their lives could be improved..

While I have no problem with an author using a story to educate society in an area that the author feels is needed. I prefer the author to write a story, which generally consists of a beginning, a middle and an end.

This book lacks an end. The author does not deign to write it, simply ending with an epilogue explaining that woman did indeed suffer in this way.

We never learn what became of Josie Dexter. Her story was simply that she had a hard life (beginning), had a rough day and unfairly lost her job (middle)... and then we skip to the epilogue which does not form part of the story. What happened to Josie? Did she get another job? Did she like the convention? Did she marry the boy? Did her life change?

Likewise with the plight of women's rights (the central theme of the story). We learn that women are treated unfairly and have no rights (beginning), that a bunch of woman are holding a conference in order to fight for more rights (middle)... and the we skip to the epilogue which does not form part of the story. Did the woman make an immediate difference? What else did they do beside holding a conference? When did they win the struggle?

It is like the author just could not be bothered writing those bits.

[Bridget · Rating 1 out of 5]

While the concept has merit, in general it's written poorly, is filled with tortured metaphors and is kind've boring. I would, however like to give it credit for the fact it shows what things were like sometimes for people years ago. I can't imagine not being allowed to read books because I'm female and it's made me feel really grateful for that, which is nice.

[Gayle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to put this one in. I read it in year 4 and it is the only book I have ever totally abandoned in my life. I even managed to get to the end of Twilight, so that says a lot. The fact that I remember this also says a lot!!