A Crop Farmer's Daughter

by Ioni Goldstein, Catarina Granater

Based on a remarkable true story.

Winter, 1969. Since she was a little girl, Catarina learned not to ask for much. Born to a family of corn farmers in rural south Brazil, she was happiest when she was surrounded by sprawling fields and burly, familial farmhands—until her family was driven out of the land they had worked diligently for years, and Catarina was sent to work for a wealthy family in São Paolo.

Only ten years old, Catarina becomes a housemaid—and the lifeline of her family. Far from everyone and everything she’d ever known, she discovers the shocking gap between her life in the country and the lives of her employers, who enjoy lavish dinners and luxuries while her family huddles for warmth in a crumbling home without running water.

But Catarina would not let it be her fate.

Impoverished yet full of hope, she vows to pursue a better life than what her parents destined for her. She knows the only way out is a proper education, but what school will accept a poor, uneducated girl? And then there is this boy, Rafael, whom she can’t keep out of her mind for long. Can Catarina take her fate into her own hands? Or is there nothing she can do to escape the life of a poor crop farmer’s daughter?

With a uniquely authentic voice, Ioni Goldstein tells a hopeful story of grit and resilience. If you love the works of Rachel Wesson and Delia Owens, you will be glued to this inspiring and unforgettable journey.

Genres: Historical Fiction, True Story

360 pages, Paperback

Published June 18, 2024

Reviews

[Kathryn Spurgeon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

This book kept my interest all the way through. Amazing details about the authors life from extreme poverty to Brazilian culture as she dug her way to a successful life.

[Píaras Cíonnaoíth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Touching Tale of Grit and Growth...

"A Crop Farmer's Daughter" by Ioni Goldstein and Catarina Granater is a poignant, true-life story of young Catarina's transition from rural poverty to urban servitude in 1960s Brazil. The authors effectively juxtapose agricultural life with the wealth of São Paulo, revealing significant socioeconomic differences. Catarina's fortitude shines through as she navigates her new profession as a housemaid at the age of eleven, becoming her family's lifeline. The story delves effectively into themes of family duty, personal development, and education as a tool of social mobility.

The book's sincerity is its most valuable attribute, providing a unique view into an often-overlooked life. Catarina's growing interest in Rafael brings a ray of optimism to her difficult circumstances. This riveting narrative of triumph over hardship is both a tragic depiction of societal inequity and an inspiring testimony to human tenacity. It is a must-read for everyone interested in personal growth stories and late-twentieth-century Brazilian culture. Highly recommended. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Lidia Esteves · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently read "The Crop Farmer's Daughter," and I found it to be an engaging experience. Written in simple English, the book was so captivating that I found myself almost unable to put it down. The fact that it’s a true story added an extra layer of intrigue that kept me turning the pages.

Set in Brazil, the setting immediately caught my attention, and the author’s storytelling made the culture come alive.

It has short chapters but many of them, this format made it easy to digest the story in bits and pieces. It kept me engaged without feeling overwhelmed.

I struggle to rate true stories but even so I do recommend this book and give it 4 stars.

[Dorothy Dillon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Story

Catarina you were so young and so brave ,but was cruelly robbed of your childhood..Your daughter was so beautiful and life was so bad for you both..Fantastic story,one I will always think of be proud of you for climbing out of all the squaller to become who you are today. God has surely look after you and blessed you..

[L's of Kauai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story of a girl/woman's journey from poverty in Brazil to
ending up in Israel.
PERSEVERANCE would seem to be the theme of this book.
The woman worked hard to overcome her circumstances
working at many demeaning jobs while trying to obtain
an education (mostly at night).
I highly recommend this book.

[Bridget Holbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

good

A great true story of the life of a young, poverty stricken Brazilian girl who grows up to rise above her poverty stricken family. The book started out kind of slow, setting the scene but soon took off where i had trouble putting it down.

[Lisa L. Hedstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of survival

As I read this it reminded me of how fortunate I was to be raised in a home with two loving parents, a warm safe home and enough food to eat. The author is an amazing, strong woman and I hope someday she writes a sequel to this.

[Diane Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. At the end I wanted more. Thank you Ioni Goldstein for sharing this extraordinary story.

[Stephanie Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of resilience

A candid view of a hard life, but definitely a story of resilience and triumph. The picture of Rebeca as well as Catarina’s Mom and Dad took my breath away

[Colette · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story about the life of a poor young girl and her struggles throughout her life

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t know why, but I found this book very slow and hard to get into -it took me nearly 6 weeks to finish it. I found that there’s a lot better books out there to read this.

[Sue Comba · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m no quitter

This story was too long and had a lot of unnecessary filler…Catarina’s story could have been told with a lot less!

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

I so wanted to like this but just couldn't get into it. Not sure why.

[Angel **Book Junkie** · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing true story and how Catarina went on to a very successful life.
Great read.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

very detailed. I'm sure all true

[Kimberly Cooley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was fascinating, 3 stars for the writing though

[Trudy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sad. It just seems she was never quite happy. I hope she finds wholeness.

[Sandra Bacon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t really enjoy it. Poorly written in my opinion. Not what I expected.

[Clover Maracle · Rating 5 out of 5]

ON KINDLE

[Hanna Popp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an incredible story. I really enjoyed this book and hearing about the authors experiences.

[loretta bossio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read!