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The Shy One
The arrival of relatives, Jewish refugees from Russia, in her small Oregon town of 1921 sets off a chain of events which help 11-year-old Dorothy overcome her painful shyness.
178 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1966
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 6, 2022
I really enjoyed this read aloud. Having it set in 1921 Oregon and recognizing a lot of the locations increased my enjoyment. It was also really interesting to see a perspective of what getting a bicycle and a motorcar was like when they weren't common as they are now. We essentially read it in two sittings, the first 6 chapters at the beginning, and the rest of the book the next time we picked it up. We didn't want to stop reading either time, it was engaging and interesting.
In chapter 8 I loved the section about picking candy at the train station, it was descriptive and very enjoyable reading it aloud. The end of chapter 16 had us laughing out loud in shock and amusement, I don't know if I'll ever see pot roast the same way again.
I liked the family interactions, highlighting the children interacting with both father and mother. I related multiple times to the mother and felt the story showed her growth, in particular her adjustment to change, as well as Dorothy's growth from being shy to having more confidence. In particular at the end of chapter 13 with the argument/discussion between the parents regarding Dorothy's piano lessons and how the mother handles this.
The recipe for courage from Mr. Vancouver in chapter 15 was simple and yet powerful. "If you're full of fears, you're no different from anybody else,...I don't suppose there's a creature on earth who lives without fear. In a way, it doesn't matter whether the terror is about death on a battlefield or shadows dancing on a wall, because the recipe for courage is the same. A brave person is just an ordinary soul like you or me who decides he wants to face his fears and control them."
Minor annoyances: I think the blurb on the back about her Uncle Max being put in her classroom is misleading as he is only in her classroom for one day.
The cover shows Dorothy (age 10) with black and gray hair with her younger sister Annabelle (age 8) having black hair when the text states Dorothy has brown hair while Annabelle's is reddish.
The illustrations (by Carolyn Cather) showing Max do not look like a 14 year old boy, rather a young adult. The illustration on page 85 in particular isn't anything like the description of "a tiny little lady" for the grandma.
I want to know where "Prince" went! Is it Miss Cole's dog?
I didn't want them to move, I kept hoping it wouldn't happen. However, Dorothy handles it really well and it highlights her growth from the beginning of the book. Her actions with Raggedy Ann really hit me because part of me ached for the girl she was and it was bittersweet knowing she was growing up.
In chapter 8 I loved the section about picking candy at the train station, it was descriptive and very enjoyable reading it aloud. The end of chapter 16 had us laughing out loud in shock and amusement, I don't know if I'll ever see pot roast the same way again.
I liked the family interactions, highlighting the children interacting with both father and mother. I related multiple times to the mother and felt the story showed her growth, in particular her adjustment to change, as well as Dorothy's growth from being shy to having more confidence. In particular at the end of chapter 13 with the argument/discussion between the parents regarding Dorothy's piano lessons and how the mother handles this.
The recipe for courage from Mr. Vancouver in chapter 15 was simple and yet powerful. "If you're full of fears, you're no different from anybody else,...I don't suppose there's a creature on earth who lives without fear. In a way, it doesn't matter whether the terror is about death on a battlefield or shadows dancing on a wall, because the recipe for courage is the same. A brave person is just an ordinary soul like you or me who decides he wants to face his fears and control them."
Minor annoyances: I think the blurb on the back about her Uncle Max being put in her classroom is misleading as he is only in her classroom for one day.
The cover shows Dorothy (age 10) with black and gray hair with her younger sister Annabelle (age 8) having black hair when the text states Dorothy has brown hair while Annabelle's is reddish.
The illustrations (by Carolyn Cather) showing Max do not look like a 14 year old boy, rather a young adult. The illustration on page 85 in particular isn't anything like the description of "a tiny little lady" for the grandma.
I want to know where "Prince" went! Is it Miss Cole's dog?
I didn't want them to move, I kept hoping it wouldn't happen. However, Dorothy handles it really well and it highlights her growth from the beginning of the book. Her actions with Raggedy Ann really hit me because part of me ached for the girl she was and it was bittersweet knowing she was growing up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2019
I don't really know how to classify this book, as I think it was presented as fiction but seems to very closely mirror the author's own life.
Useful both from a light-historical reality context and a broadening of vocabulary and speaking styles for kids, this is a nice, though not particularly striking, story for tween readers.
Useful both from a light-historical reality context and a broadening of vocabulary and speaking styles for kids, this is a nice, though not particularly striking, story for tween readers.
July 17, 2022
I really enjoyed this book for many reasons. It was a really good window into life in general back in 1921, but moreso - it's the life of a 1st generation American family, and it's here in Oregon, and most of all - to read about a Russian family in Woodburn Oregon 101 years ago.
In 2022 (and for many decades), Woodburn has a sizable Russian population, probably the highest concentration of Russians in the northwest. So, it was really interesting to read about when a family was the only Russian family in town at that time. (It didn't give any insight to the boom of Russians that came later.)
The historic value is immense. I loved reading about the mix of cars and horse-drawn carriages, wooden sidewalks, unpaved roads, as well as the characters' stereotypes about who should ride a bicycle. I also liked the descriptions of kitchen appliances, the telephone, and phonograph.
One of my favorite parts of the book is how it describes her unmet expectation when Dorothy meets her uncle and grandma. I related to this experience. I remember when I was a kid, being anxious to meet relatives when they first came to the US. I hadn't thought to realize that they only spoke Spanish and I wasn't really able to communicate with them yet. It was really neat to read about this similar experience.
Content considerations: one instance of taking the Lord's name in vain.
In 2022 (and for many decades), Woodburn has a sizable Russian population, probably the highest concentration of Russians in the northwest. So, it was really interesting to read about when a family was the only Russian family in town at that time. (It didn't give any insight to the boom of Russians that came later.)
The historic value is immense. I loved reading about the mix of cars and horse-drawn carriages, wooden sidewalks, unpaved roads, as well as the characters' stereotypes about who should ride a bicycle. I also liked the descriptions of kitchen appliances, the telephone, and phonograph.
One of my favorite parts of the book is how it describes her unmet expectation when Dorothy meets her uncle and grandma. I related to this experience. I remember when I was a kid, being anxious to meet relatives when they first came to the US. I hadn't thought to realize that they only spoke Spanish and I wasn't really able to communicate with them yet. It was really neat to read about this similar experience.
Content considerations: one instance of taking the Lord's name in vain.
September 21, 2014
I had to give this a 5, not because it's a great literary masterpiece, but because it was the first "real book" I ever read. I was 11 and discovered the joy of reading with this book. That same summer I went into read The Diary of Anne Frank and The Shining!
August 20, 2021
I chose to reread this book as my "Childhood Favorite" selection on my 2021 reading challenge. Set in the 20's in Oregon, Dorothy is a very shy child of a Russian immigrant family. I remember my mom reading it to me as a child because my grandmother was shy and also named Dorothy. For that reason, I love it. I'm not sure it would make an impression on anyone else though. It's very well written. It's just a little outdated.
July 21, 2017
Young girl at the turn of the century learns to embrace her heritage, grows up a little. A very sweet children's book!
I grew up reading my mother's copy, and I ended up buying an inexpensive, 75th-hand one from Amazon (same edition!).
I grew up reading my mother's copy, and I ended up buying an inexpensive, 75th-hand one from Amazon (same edition!).
January 29, 2011
My parents brought it to me from the library at home so I had to re-read it. It's a sweet book that I bought and read when I was a girl. Told when cars were a new luxury, and people were still immigrating to get away from the wartorn Europe. The main character is painfully shy. As her character develops, she learns the key for finding courage.
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June 12, 2009The shy one by Dorothy Nathan (1966)
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews