The Hired Girl

 Module 5 Book 2

Bibliography

Laura Amy Schlitz. (2015). The Hired Girl. Candlewick Press.

ISBN: 9780763679439

Plot Summary

Joan Skraggs is a 14-year-old girl whose life at home is all about chores of being on a farm and not getting love from her father. Her father hates and blames her for the death of her mother; this hate and abuse give Joan the strength to leave home for a new life. Joan reinvents herself as Janet Lovelace, an 18-year-old who wants to be a hired girl in Baltimore. With luck, she finds work with a Jewish family. She struggles with learning the rules of a new faith, yet staying true to her own. She falls in love and learns that she needs to know what true love is.

Critical Analysis

Laura Amy Schlitz tells Joan/Janet’s story through her journal entries. Joan is the narrator through out the whole book. Through her entries the reader watches her growth emotionally, intellectually and her morals shine. We see at the beginning that her father and brothers play no role in making her be the girl who she is. Her mother and after her mothers death Miss. Chandler helped mold her into a bright young girl. Each woman that steps into Joan’s life plays a significant role. Miss Chandler nurtures her love of learning and reading. Malka teaches Joan about the Jewish faith, hard work, traditions and how important it is to her to understand. Mrs. Rosenbach is what Joan in a way strives to be, she teaches Joan about womanhood, family importance and being a leader.
The historical references in this story are detailed enough to where the reader is able to picture what it would have looked like. The culture of the 1910s was easily explained to where it brought it to life. Ms. Sclitz details about the fashion, literature, domestic life had me looking up exactly what she was talking about so I could picture it correctly. Joan/Janet’s shopping trip really had me thinking about the prices of then to now and the amount of clothes women had to wear. This is something I would love for students to look more into. 
Overall the book was good, but I did have a hard time keeping focused on it. I had to keep reminding myself that Joan was 14 and at times she was excited and always curious. I think these emotions made her wordy and showed her love of writing and detail in her journal. I know that a lot of great pre-lesson could be taught in preparation to read this book to help make it relatable and stick, but I would need to find ways to keep student's interest throughout it.

Review Excerpts

“Schlitz has crafted another exquisite literary gem, one told entirely via Joan’s vivid, humorous, and emotionally resonant diary entries.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Awards and Recognitions

• 2015 National Jewish Book Award Winner, Young Adult

• Capitol Choices 2016

• Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books of 2015, Young Adult

• Booklist 2015 Top 10 Books for Youth, Religion and Spirituality

• Horn Book Fanfare List: Best Books of 2015, Fiction

• The New York Times Notable Children’s Books of 2015, Young Adult

• Booklist Best Young Adult Books of 2015

• Booklist Editor’s Choice 2015, Fiction

• New York Public Library Best Books for Teens 2015

• ALA Notable Books for Children 2016, Older Readers

• 2016 Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner, Older Readers

• YALSA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults 2016

• 2016 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 6–8

• 2015 Cybils Awards Nomination, Young Adult Fiction

• Los Angeles Times Book Prize, 2015 Finalist, Young Adult Literature

• Booklist Top 10 Books for Youth 2016, Historical Fiction

• 2016 Scott O’Dell Award Winner

• 2016 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor, Fiction

Connections

• Have students learn more about women's rights and women's expectations in society. 

• Have students learn more about the struggles of Jewish communities. 

• Learn more about the women that Joan talked about like Jane Eyre, Louisa May Alcott and Joan of Arc and how they were ahead of their time. 

• Have students write about who influences them and why.

• Women’s History Month would be a great time to reference the importance of role models. Have students write an important woman figure in their life.