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R My Name Is Rachel
Rachel, Cassie, and Joey live in the city with their Pop, until Pop's search for work lands the family on a run down farm. Dreamy Rachel loves to read, and doesn't know much about the country. Times are hard there, too—the school and library are closed. When Pop gets work near Canada, he has to leave the children on the farm alone. For two months! But Rachel's the oldest, and she'll make sure they're all right. Somehow.
166 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
9 people are currently reading
399 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Reilly Giff
211 books464 followersPatricia Reilly Giff was the author of many beloved books for children, including the Kids of the Polk Street School books, the Friends and Amigos books, and the Polka Dot Private Eye books. Several of her novels for older readers have been chosen as ALA-ALSC Notable Books and ALA-YALSA Best Books for Young Adults. They include The Gift of the Pirate Queen; All the Way Home; Water Street; Nory Ryan's Song, a Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Golden Kite Honor Book for Fiction; and the Newbery Honor Books Lily's Crossing and Pictures of Hollis Woods. Lily's Crossing was also chosen as a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
January 11, 2021
A light look at the hard times of the Great Depression. Rachel and her siblings exhibit a remarkable resourcefulness befitting the time, which perhaps allows them to adapt relatively quickly to their new life. But there is no other option, they must carry on as best they can, trusting that better times will come. A decent introduction to the time period, although overall the storyline is a little too pat and optimistic leaning.
November 12, 2019
Well and indeed this novel's intense realism and that the pressures and the socioeconomic consequences of the Depression are presented with both pathos and a sense of understated humanity truly are R My Name is Rachel's strongest points. And yet Patricia Reilly Griff does paint a subtle portrait, presenting the harshness of Rachel and her family's existence whilst also not exaggerating, whilst also tempering negativity with hope and optimism (that Rachel and her siblings are home alone because the father must somehow find work and the only work to be had is road construction near the Canadian border, that food and money are getting ever more scarce, but that the family is also lucky in so far that fishing is plentiful for brother Joey, and that there are people willing to help out as much as they themselves can). And while I do find the entire Miss Mitzi scenario a bit tacked on and not all that well incorporated into the text, into the plot line, it does lead to an emotional and sweet ending (a predictable but satisfying conclusion that is definitely suitable for the intended age group).
That being said, I do wish that the often intense and nasty sibling rivalry between Rachel and Cassie had been a bit more clearly structured and explained. I know that R My Name is Rachel is presented from Rachel's point of view and in Rachel's voice, so I guess we are generally only reading, only being cognicant of her side of the arguments, but still, the squabbles, the frictions between her and younger sister Cassie often seem rather thrown together at random, with background reasons and developments that appear awkward and almost painfully deliberate (at times bordeing on the artifical). And this salient fact actually leads to my main personal issue with this novel, namely that Patricia Reilly Griff's textual stylistics leave (at least for me) a bit to be desired. The general flow of the narrative has the unfortunate tendency to at times vacillate between being somewhat dragging, monotonous and then in turn suddenly presenting scenarios and events that seem to just and almost literally materialise out of nowhere, jumping from one episode to another at seemigly random (with transitions I find distracting, even frustrating).
And thus, while I do strongly believe that R My Name is Rachel is generally an engaging, evocative and informative read (especially for preteen girls from around ages nine to twelve), issues with textual stylistics, with general narrative flow, prevent it from being and likely ever becoming a personal favourite, remaining a mildly enjoyable three star novel (one that works well for a one or perhaps two time perusal, but is definitely not memorable enough for multiple, for repeated rereads).
That being said, I do wish that the often intense and nasty sibling rivalry between Rachel and Cassie had been a bit more clearly structured and explained. I know that R My Name is Rachel is presented from Rachel's point of view and in Rachel's voice, so I guess we are generally only reading, only being cognicant of her side of the arguments, but still, the squabbles, the frictions between her and younger sister Cassie often seem rather thrown together at random, with background reasons and developments that appear awkward and almost painfully deliberate (at times bordeing on the artifical). And this salient fact actually leads to my main personal issue with this novel, namely that Patricia Reilly Griff's textual stylistics leave (at least for me) a bit to be desired. The general flow of the narrative has the unfortunate tendency to at times vacillate between being somewhat dragging, monotonous and then in turn suddenly presenting scenarios and events that seem to just and almost literally materialise out of nowhere, jumping from one episode to another at seemigly random (with transitions I find distracting, even frustrating).
And thus, while I do strongly believe that R My Name is Rachel is generally an engaging, evocative and informative read (especially for preteen girls from around ages nine to twelve), issues with textual stylistics, with general narrative flow, prevent it from being and likely ever becoming a personal favourite, remaining a mildly enjoyable three star novel (one that works well for a one or perhaps two time perusal, but is definitely not memorable enough for multiple, for repeated rereads).
April 13, 2022
Oh that was very nice. Heartfelt. Will look for more of her books.
April 18, 2012
Sometimes I feel that Patricia Reilly Giff is overlooked in conversations about excellent authors of juvenile fiction. Maybe it's just that her first name belongs to so many other superb writers for young readers: Patricia MacLachlan, Patricia Polacco, Patricia Hermes, Patricia Lauber, Patricia McCormick, Patricia C. McKissack... and the list doesn't end there. It's my opinion, though, that Patricia Reilly Giff should be able to hold her own in comparison to any group of writers, even ones not named Patricia, and R My Name Is Rachel is a good example of what she does right as an author of historical fiction.
The scene is 1930s America, and new president Franklin Delano Roosevelt has just been sworn into office as the man with a plan to set America back onto its prosperous former course and save it from the throes of the Great Depression. Rachel and her family, which consists of a sister named Cassie, a brother named Joey and their father, are hoping to see a quick change in their financial security with the advent of the FDR administration, but there are still some hard times to be had before the ailing economy begins to recover. In hopes of landing a job with a bank in another city, Rachel's father moves the family away from the only home they've ever known, away even from Miss Mitzi, the woman that Rachel and her siblings had been hoping their father would eventually marry. Rachel dutifully follows her father to the new town, where her family has nothing and no one to rely on but each other, hoping that the depression will have to end eventually and prosperity could be just around the next corner.
Unlike today, when we can look back on the Great Depression and identify its approximate beginning and ending, Rachel has no idea when the difficult economic times may end. They could continue forever, as far as she knows, just becoming worse and worse until even the wealthy in America are depleted of funds. But there's no good to be had in stewing on tomorrow's trouble, so she tries her best to carry her weight in the household. She maintains a brave outlook even when she learns that the only school in town is closed because there wasn't enough money to pay the teachers, and there isn't even any library nearby so that she can renew her supply of reading materials and keep her mind sharp until the school is reopened. The decision to leave their home seems even more dubious when Rachel's father isn't given the banking job that was the whole reason behind the move. Just to make ends meet, he must accept work in another city far from where they live now and reside there indefinitely... and worst of all, he must go alone. Rachel, Cassie and Joey will be left by themselves in the new house until their father can come back, in a town that they still hardly know and without any neighbors that live closer than a few miles away.
It's never easy to live with uncertainty, but it's even harder when you're all alone and don't have the ones you love in close proximity. Fortunately, Rachel has her correspondence by mail with Miss Mitzi, who faithfully writes back to Rachel with words of affection and encouragement, and gives her advice when she's facing decisions that she's not sure how to make. The hard times of a country in major financial crisis only add to the strife as Rachel tries to figure out what to do to keep her satellite family intact until her father's return. She has to manage the household budget flawlessly, and save up all of the money she possibly can for when the rent is due at the end of the month. As the days stretch into weeks and there's still no word from her father, Rachel wonders if there is ever going to be an end to the waiting. Will her family ever get the chance to start their new life?
Patricia Reilly Giff's every word in this book conveys a remarkable sensitivity to her characters, particularly Rachel. There's the type of desolation that occurs during an economic depression, and then there's the kind that comes about when one loses hope, and Patricia Reilly Giff understands that the latter is far worse than the former. Because Rachel never gives up, she's always prepared to improvise and shift things around and figure a way out of trouble, so that no unexpected vexation need ever be viewed as insurmountable. She's ready and willing to do whatever it takes for the sake of her family until it is whole again, so it's not surprising that she finds a way to manage things until reinforcements arrive. In a depression, whether it be financial or otherwise, I suppose that one's greatest asset is always hope, and a win is never out of the question as long as it remains intact.
I would give at least two and a half stars to R My Name Is Rachel. The story is well-written and the characters reflect the old-fashioned tenacity and instinct for family togetherness of their times. I believe that readers will be able to learn quite a bit from Rachel and the trials she overcomes, and that's a pretty good reason to read any book.
The scene is 1930s America, and new president Franklin Delano Roosevelt has just been sworn into office as the man with a plan to set America back onto its prosperous former course and save it from the throes of the Great Depression. Rachel and her family, which consists of a sister named Cassie, a brother named Joey and their father, are hoping to see a quick change in their financial security with the advent of the FDR administration, but there are still some hard times to be had before the ailing economy begins to recover. In hopes of landing a job with a bank in another city, Rachel's father moves the family away from the only home they've ever known, away even from Miss Mitzi, the woman that Rachel and her siblings had been hoping their father would eventually marry. Rachel dutifully follows her father to the new town, where her family has nothing and no one to rely on but each other, hoping that the depression will have to end eventually and prosperity could be just around the next corner.
Unlike today, when we can look back on the Great Depression and identify its approximate beginning and ending, Rachel has no idea when the difficult economic times may end. They could continue forever, as far as she knows, just becoming worse and worse until even the wealthy in America are depleted of funds. But there's no good to be had in stewing on tomorrow's trouble, so she tries her best to carry her weight in the household. She maintains a brave outlook even when she learns that the only school in town is closed because there wasn't enough money to pay the teachers, and there isn't even any library nearby so that she can renew her supply of reading materials and keep her mind sharp until the school is reopened. The decision to leave their home seems even more dubious when Rachel's father isn't given the banking job that was the whole reason behind the move. Just to make ends meet, he must accept work in another city far from where they live now and reside there indefinitely... and worst of all, he must go alone. Rachel, Cassie and Joey will be left by themselves in the new house until their father can come back, in a town that they still hardly know and without any neighbors that live closer than a few miles away.
It's never easy to live with uncertainty, but it's even harder when you're all alone and don't have the ones you love in close proximity. Fortunately, Rachel has her correspondence by mail with Miss Mitzi, who faithfully writes back to Rachel with words of affection and encouragement, and gives her advice when she's facing decisions that she's not sure how to make. The hard times of a country in major financial crisis only add to the strife as Rachel tries to figure out what to do to keep her satellite family intact until her father's return. She has to manage the household budget flawlessly, and save up all of the money she possibly can for when the rent is due at the end of the month. As the days stretch into weeks and there's still no word from her father, Rachel wonders if there is ever going to be an end to the waiting. Will her family ever get the chance to start their new life?
Patricia Reilly Giff's every word in this book conveys a remarkable sensitivity to her characters, particularly Rachel. There's the type of desolation that occurs during an economic depression, and then there's the kind that comes about when one loses hope, and Patricia Reilly Giff understands that the latter is far worse than the former. Because Rachel never gives up, she's always prepared to improvise and shift things around and figure a way out of trouble, so that no unexpected vexation need ever be viewed as insurmountable. She's ready and willing to do whatever it takes for the sake of her family until it is whole again, so it's not surprising that she finds a way to manage things until reinforcements arrive. In a depression, whether it be financial or otherwise, I suppose that one's greatest asset is always hope, and a win is never out of the question as long as it remains intact.
I would give at least two and a half stars to R My Name Is Rachel. The story is well-written and the characters reflect the old-fashioned tenacity and instinct for family togetherness of their times. I believe that readers will be able to learn quite a bit from Rachel and the trials she overcomes, and that's a pretty good reason to read any book.
September 28, 2011
For a book that describes the realistic consequences of the Depression on the life of an average American family, this story fits the bill. It outlines the sacrifices that families had to make to simply survive - experienced and educated career professionals abandoned all pretense to get any paying job available. Children had no choice but to make do with what they had - cutting the toes off shoes so that they could wear them longer, adding inches of cloth to pants and skirts for the same reason, and experiencing school, library and store closures.
Rachel is a strong, independent girl whose constant pursuit of knowledge helps her remain level-headed when hard times upset her family's situation. A great story!
Rachel is a strong, independent girl whose constant pursuit of knowledge helps her remain level-headed when hard times upset her family's situation. A great story!
August 23, 2015
"No library? That idea is too big for tears."
Mr. Roosevelt took office in March. Rachel and Miss Mitzi even danced and sang Happy Days are Here Again. So why aren't things getting better. Why isn't President Roosevelt ending this depression?
Rachel can't understand why things keep getting worse. Now Papa is telling her they have to move to the country to live on a farm. How can she leave her school? And her best friend, Miss Mitzi, who she secretly hopes to hook up with her widowed father. But move they must to a strange new place, where the school and library is closed and the first kid Rachel meets tells her she doesn't belong there. Things move from bad to worse when Clarence, the cat, runs off and then Papa says he has to leave. Now Rachel and siblings Cassie and Joey must survive on the farm while their father goes north to help build roads.
A quick read with interesting details from the time period. I love the letters that Rachel and Miss Mitzi write to famous people. Things work out a little too neatly perhaps, but a good introduction to the time period for younger students.
Mr. Roosevelt took office in March. Rachel and Miss Mitzi even danced and sang Happy Days are Here Again. So why aren't things getting better. Why isn't President Roosevelt ending this depression?
Rachel can't understand why things keep getting worse. Now Papa is telling her they have to move to the country to live on a farm. How can she leave her school? And her best friend, Miss Mitzi, who she secretly hopes to hook up with her widowed father. But move they must to a strange new place, where the school and library is closed and the first kid Rachel meets tells her she doesn't belong there. Things move from bad to worse when Clarence, the cat, runs off and then Papa says he has to leave. Now Rachel and siblings Cassie and Joey must survive on the farm while their father goes north to help build roads.
A quick read with interesting details from the time period. I love the letters that Rachel and Miss Mitzi write to famous people. Things work out a little too neatly perhaps, but a good introduction to the time period for younger students.
June 12, 2012
12-year-old Rachel, her 11-year-old brother Joey and her bossy 10-year-old sister Cassie move from the city to an old farmhouse so their widowed father, Pop, can locate work at a bank due to losing his previous job because of the Depression. Rachel exchanges letters with the family's special friend Miss Mitzi as she and her siblings adjust to country life. When their Pop is unable to find work, he hears about one farther north that will require him to be gone for a month or 2. The children have to help one another survive with the cooking, gardening, livestock, and financial budget for rent and food while he's away. It's over a month before they receive a letter from their Pop who promises to send them money once he's paid. Eventually Miss Mitzi returns to the farm to marry Pop who comes home after 2 months and he gets a job closer to them. The ending is predictable and overall the novel demonstrates believable facts of the difficulties the family has to face. I think readers will enjoy this historical story showing struggles, determination and strength.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2012
I'm a big fan of families moving out into the country into rundown houses, and growing vegetables to make end meet. Especialy when, as is the case here, the children are left on their own for much of the book. And Giff's story of a family in the Great Depression hit all those notes, so I was predispossed in its favor. I just wish she had given us More--more actual work on the house, more time with the mysterious boy who lives nearby, more harvesting and housecleaning, more of the sibling releationships. It felt too short.
July 22, 2014
Gr 3-5; BL: 3.7
Historical fiction. Set in 1932 in the throes of the depression a family of three kids moves from the city out to the country to save money on rent. Rachel is the eldest and the story is told from her viewpoint. The father goes off in search of work with CCC; leaving the three kids to fend for themselves on the farm they just moved to. The three kids have different strengths and they work on getting along and making do while on their own. Of course there is a crisis but in the end all turns out well and the dad comes home.
Recommend
Historical fiction. Set in 1932 in the throes of the depression a family of three kids moves from the city out to the country to save money on rent. Rachel is the eldest and the story is told from her viewpoint. The father goes off in search of work with CCC; leaving the three kids to fend for themselves on the farm they just moved to. The three kids have different strengths and they work on getting along and making do while on their own. Of course there is a crisis but in the end all turns out well and the dad comes home.
Recommend
June 4, 2015
I read this based on a recommendation from my 9 year old niece and her friend. Patricia Reilly Giff is under appreciated as an author for juvenile fiction. Although her Polk Street Kids series is silly, her historical fiction books are well done. R My Name is Rachel is the story of family barely surviving during the Depression. I think young readers will have a better understanding of how children their own age survived during difficult times and they will like Rachel and will relate to her.
July 14, 2017
166 pages. Great realistic historical fiction set in the depression. A family moves from the city to rural area due to dad losing his bank job. There are many hardships and dad ends up going to build roads. The kids don't know when he will return of if they will have enough money to keep renting the run-down place they are trying to live in. It shows a great view of how people survived during the depression era. Also, it shows how determinate and a strong family can get you through anything. Highly recommended for ES. Gr. 3-5.
June 14, 2011
As always, Giff understands the longings of a young girl who wants her family to be safe during a time of uncertainty. It's the depression and Rachel's father moves his children to a small farm in the hope of finding work. Rachel and her two siblings leave behind a city, with friends and a way of life they understand, for a lonely farmhouse, a goat and eventually, a chance to have a better life.
April 3, 2012
An endearing tale of courage in the lives of three children and their father as they face extreme hardship during the Great Depression, Rachel is not perfect but her strength and love of books and poeple endure and she is complemented by the character strengths in her siblings.
December 19, 2011
A quiet book. A pleasant read, with insights into the time period of the depression, the do-it-myself attitude, the doing-without. A happy ending.
February 11, 2019
I was so glued to it! It was hard to get into, I started it months ago, and I almost returned it to the library but then decided to read a little more & suddenly it had me glued! So glad I didn't give up on this one, it's a favorite now. Historical, moving to a farm, character named Rachel (my name) who loves books and words, family... some of the parts of it that I liked. Also mentioned dandelions and chipmunks and Anne of Green Gables and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and tea... I like little details like that.
June 28, 2019
We listened to the audiobook version and we loved it. It is a wonderful story set in the Great Depression. My children now have a better understanding of that time, what families experienced, and the sacrifices made by all members of a family. The story is interesting and we all enjoyed our car rides because of Rachel, Joey, and Cassie.
June 3, 2018
This was okay.
Read it to meet a challenge task that had me stumped for months.
Read it to meet a challenge task that had me stumped for months.
June 10, 2013
My 9- or 10-year-old self would have read this book literally to shreds, & loved every minute of it. I think the reason for this has to do with the fact that a good chunk of it reads like "The Boxcar Children," except that this book deals with history & a real situation that children of the era could have faced.
Rachel is a girl who loves nothing as much as reading & words, & loves going to her Brooklyn school to learn about both. She also shares this love with a special family friend, Miss Mitzie, who owns a local flower shop. But things are about to change completely for Rachel, thanks to the Great Depression. Her widowed father has lost his job at the local bank, & the family can't continue living in their apartment. Rachel, her younger brother Joey, & younger sister, Cassie, are horrified to learn that they're going to be moving to a farm near North Lake, where they will struggle to make ends meet & her father can hopefully get another job in a bank.
Soon, however, events that can't be controlled lead to the three kids living in the decrepit farmhouse by themselves , attempting to keep themselves together & get the farm up & running - all without any money or adults. It's tough, but all three kids learn a lot about themselves - including how much they love each other. Really well written in Giff's usual spare prose. I hope she writes this kind of American historical fiction for a long time to come.
Rachel is a girl who loves nothing as much as reading & words, & loves going to her Brooklyn school to learn about both. She also shares this love with a special family friend, Miss Mitzie, who owns a local flower shop. But things are about to change completely for Rachel, thanks to the Great Depression. Her widowed father has lost his job at the local bank, & the family can't continue living in their apartment. Rachel, her younger brother Joey, & younger sister, Cassie, are horrified to learn that they're going to be moving to a farm near North Lake, where they will struggle to make ends meet & her father can hopefully get another job in a bank.
Soon, however, events that can't be controlled lead to the three kids living in the decrepit farmhouse by themselves , attempting to keep themselves together & get the farm up & running - all without any money or adults. It's tough, but all three kids learn a lot about themselves - including how much they love each other. Really well written in Giff's usual spare prose. I hope she writes this kind of American historical fiction for a long time to come.
January 8, 2013
A gentle Depression story. Rachel's father loses his job and the family is forced to move from New York City to a derelict farm close to a job lead. When the job falls through, Rachel's father is forced to help build a railroad, taking him away from the family. Rachel and her siblings are left alone to fend for themselves, where they have to overcome their differences for their very survival. Rachel must deal with the fact that the school and library are closed, leaving her with no books to read, along with worrying about how they will pay the rent on the farm if their father doesn't send them money in time. While the story is exactly what you'd expect from this author, I thought the city kids adapted a bit too easily to farm life, and they are quite competent tweens taking care of themselves (although kids of that era were much more self-reliant than modern kids are).
August 29, 2015
I really enjoyed this story. It's a quick read, though I could fit in only a few chapters at a time in order to read it this week.
A depression era read from the viewpoint of 12 yr old Rachel, the eldest of 3 children. The family, father and 3 children, leave the city and move to a far away farm in hopes of finding work for the father. Work eventually comes in the form of him leaving the children on their own with a meager ration of food and just enough money to get by.
Children of this era were required to grow up quickly and learn to fend for themselves to help make ends meet and eventually, if left to their own devises, money and food would run out requiring them to become inventive.
A depression era read from the viewpoint of 12 yr old Rachel, the eldest of 3 children. The family, father and 3 children, leave the city and move to a far away farm in hopes of finding work for the father. Work eventually comes in the form of him leaving the children on their own with a meager ration of food and just enough money to get by.
Children of this era were required to grow up quickly and learn to fend for themselves to help make ends meet and eventually, if left to their own devises, money and food would run out requiring them to become inventive.
October 24, 2012
Thank you Kathy for this recommendation! I loved it!
December 24, 2018
Rachel's family is struggling to survive the Great Depression. Her mother deceased, Rachel lives with her father, brother, and sister in the city, but the cost of things is getting to be too much of a struggle. Her father hears of a possible job offer at a bank in the country, so the family packs up their meager belongings and takes up residence in a run-down farmhouse. Unfortunately that also means leaving behind good family friend Miss Mitzi, who runs a flower shop in the city, a woman who has served as a kind of surrogate mother to Rachel since her biological mother's death.
The transition from urban to rural life is tough on the kids, even more so when Rachel is left to look after her siblings when that bank job offer falls through and their father has to set out to find work even farther away. With no other adults regularly around, the children find themselves having to be resourceful in finding means to feed and care for themselves. Rachel's sister, Cassie, grows into a bit of an infuriatingly selfish princess (but does have growth in a more positive direction later on). As a way to vent, Rachel writes to Miss Mitzi of all the things giving her anxiety.
As another form of escapism from daily stress, Rachel also enjoys reading and learning as much as she can, but with the Great Depression came the closure of most schools and libraries (not enough money to go around to pay for salaries). The one book Rachel has to make due with is a copy of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, a going-away gift from a former teacher. She means to space out the reading of it, only intending to read 3 pages a day to make the story last, but thanks to a snowstorm Rachel burns through 53 pages in the first day! All of us bookworms have been there!
Just as in Winter Sky, Giff writes of a girl struggling to grow up without a mother. Also like Winter Sky, our main character finds herself caring for a stray animal who naturally becomes the family pet. The story here is stronger, more compelling than Winter Sky. While this novel may be historical fiction, the themes are universal... the struggles of life situations unfortunately forcing you to grow up quick, the complicated beauty of family bonds, those important, moving times --- even in a family that chronically argues --- where differences are set aside and you come together for the good of the whole group rather than the individual. The bookish aspects of Rachel's personality are an extra fun element that keeps the story moving along nicely and instantly warms you to her.
The transition from urban to rural life is tough on the kids, even more so when Rachel is left to look after her siblings when that bank job offer falls through and their father has to set out to find work even farther away. With no other adults regularly around, the children find themselves having to be resourceful in finding means to feed and care for themselves. Rachel's sister, Cassie, grows into a bit of an infuriatingly selfish princess (but does have growth in a more positive direction later on). As a way to vent, Rachel writes to Miss Mitzi of all the things giving her anxiety.
As another form of escapism from daily stress, Rachel also enjoys reading and learning as much as she can, but with the Great Depression came the closure of most schools and libraries (not enough money to go around to pay for salaries). The one book Rachel has to make due with is a copy of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, a going-away gift from a former teacher. She means to space out the reading of it, only intending to read 3 pages a day to make the story last, but thanks to a snowstorm Rachel burns through 53 pages in the first day! All of us bookworms have been there!
Just as in Winter Sky, Giff writes of a girl struggling to grow up without a mother. Also like Winter Sky, our main character finds herself caring for a stray animal who naturally becomes the family pet. The story here is stronger, more compelling than Winter Sky. While this novel may be historical fiction, the themes are universal... the struggles of life situations unfortunately forcing you to grow up quick, the complicated beauty of family bonds, those important, moving times --- even in a family that chronically argues --- where differences are set aside and you come together for the good of the whole group rather than the individual. The bookish aspects of Rachel's personality are an extra fun element that keeps the story moving along nicely and instantly warms you to her.
October 17, 2018
Sometimes you need reminded that kids' lives haven't always been the "everyone gets a trophy", enabled lifestyle that a lot of youngsters expect today. There was a time when siblings had to fend for themselves when parents had to travel abroad for work to support the family. There was a time when an indoor hand pump was exciting because it meant you didn't have to walk to the creek in freezing temperatures to get water. There was a time when a goat eating the seedlings in your garden was literally a matter of life or death for your survival. Fortunately, there is always hope. Rachel and her two younger siblings experience all of these things during the Great Depression. A good reminder of how things WERE, and how fortunate we are in this great country, despite all the craziness!
May 14, 2018
A young girl growing up during the depression charts her families activities through a move from the city to the country and her father having to leave the family for work. Like the honest struggles without them being overwhelmingly depressing. A good introduction to the depression for kids. Upper elementary
April 4, 2025
This was a sweet children’s book about the effects of the depression on a family. By the end of the book, I wanted more—maybe a whole series about this family and what happens to them in the future. Unfortunately, the author has passed away.
September 4, 2025
What an incredibly sweet story. Many unexpected twists. Just perfect
January 19, 2014
Lexile Level: 550
Pages: 166 p.
Summary:
It's beginning of the New Era. The Great Depression has created hard times for everyone, but with election of a new president, 12 year-old Rachel is hopeful that things will change for her family. Her father will get his job back at the bank, there will be plenty of food for everyone, and times will be easier. However, things usually have to get worse before they get better. There is word of a bank job up north and Pop decides that this could be his chance. This means Rachel, her brother Joey, and sister Cassie (Rachel's mom died long ago), have to leave the city and the life they knew and move to a farm in North Lake. North Lake, a town that has fallen on even harder times than the city. Schools are closed, roadside shacks show communities of homeless drifters, and a farmhouse with holes in the ceiling and no electricity is waiting for Rachel and her family. The job Pop had hoped for is gone and they are back to square one but without the comforts of home including Miss Mitzi, the nurturing co-owner of the flower shop Rachel's mom once owned. Down to their last dime, Pop hears word of a job near the Canadian border but this means leaving the three children at home. There is enough money to last for food and rent while pop is gone and the children need to make it last. Will Pop send money in time? Will Rachel and her sister be able to get along well enough to work together? Can Rachel ever feel the love and security she once felt? Will all three children be able to make it through on their own?
Recommendations or Comments:
I've read several of Reilly Giff's books and have enjoyed the stories and the main characters of each one. This one is no different. The characters are likeable and relatable almost immediately. The story and theme is one of hope and survival, but the light version. As a historical fiction book I feel that it lightly touches upon the time period's historical facts but really gives the reader a sense of what it must have been like for someone so young. With a low lexile score I can see someone as young as 8 or 9 enjoying this book, all they way up to 12 as a quick read. The letters between Miss Mitzi and Rachel break up the story and the look into each characters emotions from Rachel's point of view make the story thoughtful and sweet.
Stars: 4 out of 5
Reviewed By: Shannon Kazmierczak
Pages: 166 p.
Summary:
It's beginning of the New Era. The Great Depression has created hard times for everyone, but with election of a new president, 12 year-old Rachel is hopeful that things will change for her family. Her father will get his job back at the bank, there will be plenty of food for everyone, and times will be easier. However, things usually have to get worse before they get better. There is word of a bank job up north and Pop decides that this could be his chance. This means Rachel, her brother Joey, and sister Cassie (Rachel's mom died long ago), have to leave the city and the life they knew and move to a farm in North Lake. North Lake, a town that has fallen on even harder times than the city. Schools are closed, roadside shacks show communities of homeless drifters, and a farmhouse with holes in the ceiling and no electricity is waiting for Rachel and her family. The job Pop had hoped for is gone and they are back to square one but without the comforts of home including Miss Mitzi, the nurturing co-owner of the flower shop Rachel's mom once owned. Down to their last dime, Pop hears word of a job near the Canadian border but this means leaving the three children at home. There is enough money to last for food and rent while pop is gone and the children need to make it last. Will Pop send money in time? Will Rachel and her sister be able to get along well enough to work together? Can Rachel ever feel the love and security she once felt? Will all three children be able to make it through on their own?
Recommendations or Comments:
I've read several of Reilly Giff's books and have enjoyed the stories and the main characters of each one. This one is no different. The characters are likeable and relatable almost immediately. The story and theme is one of hope and survival, but the light version. As a historical fiction book I feel that it lightly touches upon the time period's historical facts but really gives the reader a sense of what it must have been like for someone so young. With a low lexile score I can see someone as young as 8 or 9 enjoying this book, all they way up to 12 as a quick read. The letters between Miss Mitzi and Rachel break up the story and the look into each characters emotions from Rachel's point of view make the story thoughtful and sweet.
Stars: 4 out of 5
Reviewed By: Shannon Kazmierczak
June 17, 2017
I was introduced to this author when I read Pictures of Hollis Woods about ten years ago, when I was still teaching (hmm, that makes it more like 12 years ago). It was a captivating book.
This falls into the classification of Young Adult fiction. It's set during the Depression, so I could see it fitting in during such a unit in school. It wasn't as gripping as Pictures of Hollis Woods, but students especially could connect with the characters and it would make that time period more alive to them.
This falls into the classification of Young Adult fiction. It's set during the Depression, so I could see it fitting in during such a unit in school. It wasn't as gripping as Pictures of Hollis Woods, but students especially could connect with the characters and it would make that time period more alive to them.
December 27, 2016
Ugh. I'm pretty sure that listening to the audio book brought the rating down for me. Cynthia Holloway's voice was not pleasant to listen to, especially when she did Cassie, the younger sister. No matter what Cassie said, she sounded like a crabby old woman with a nasal voice.
Another thing that made the audio version difficult is that Rachel narrates the story, plus she writes letters to two different characters, and often talks or thinks to herself. It was sometimes hard to keep track of what she was actually saying out loud to other characters.
But also the story didn't flow well. It was choppy at times. I've recently read a few other novels set in the Great Depression and would recommend The Mighty Miss Malone, Turtle in Paradise, or The Journal of C. J. Jackson, a Dust Bowl Migrant, Oklahoma to California, 1935 instead of R My Name is Rachel.
Another thing that made the audio version difficult is that Rachel narrates the story, plus she writes letters to two different characters, and often talks or thinks to herself. It was sometimes hard to keep track of what she was actually saying out loud to other characters.
But also the story didn't flow well. It was choppy at times. I've recently read a few other novels set in the Great Depression and would recommend The Mighty Miss Malone, Turtle in Paradise, or The Journal of C. J. Jackson, a Dust Bowl Migrant, Oklahoma to California, 1935 instead of R My Name is Rachel.
September 4, 2014
This is the story of 12 yr old Rachel. She and her family live a city in 1936. They are dirt poor. There mother died long ago. It is just Rachel, her sister Cassie, her brother Joey & their father. One day her father tells them that they are going to move to the country because there is a farm they can stay at & he has a job at a bank. They move & the farm is in pretty terrible condition. But they are trying to make the best of it. It snows & their father can't make it to the city for the job & he loses out on it. He has to do something to make some money. He ends up going to work on a road far away & leaving the kids at the farm. They struggle to plant crops & pay the rent, especially after Cassie loses all the money they have. But they work hard to make the farm work while their father is gone. In the end, they come up with some of the rent money, but Cassie also writes to a woman they call Miss Mitzi. She has been like a mother to them. She comes & their father returns. All turns out well. It is a good look at how hard it was to survive during the great depression.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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