LitPick Review
Gittel is a young Jewish girl, who came from Kishinev, Bessarabia in 1911 after being run out of her home, bringing her to the quaint, little country town of Little Creek, Michigan for a better life. Unfortunately, Gittel gets bullied for her Jewish religion, and school becomes the only place she really feels like a normal, happy girl. After losing her dear Zayde, Gittel tries to stay happy and rise up just as Zayde used to say. However, school only goes to eighth grade, and once she finishes, she has nothing else to help her rise up other than her Emily Dickinson poems. Using these poems to her advantage, Gittel performs a poem in front of the town. Still, she feels no one is accepting her other than her Papa who notices that her only happy place is school. He soon realizes she is more than a small town girl. She is the girl he will send to high school. So Papa does just that.
Opinion:
This book is a very good read, as humble as it is heartbreaking. Gittel is a very well-rounded character who goes through many losses, gains, frustrations, and depressions, giving the book more depth on an emotional level. It is also never dull. Even in such a small country town, there is always some drama somewhere, with family, friends, and even romantic interests . In my opinion, this is a must-read for book lovers who love the cozy, dramatic, small town, value-based books with a hint of romance. The book also teaches valuable lessons: hope is always there, we are not as different as we think, and do what makes you happiest. However, the only thing I would add would have to be clarification with Ole Karl and just how high school went. All in all, I would definitely recommend it to a friend.
