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Katerina's Wish
by
Jeannie Mobley (Goodreads Author)
In this moving debut, an immigrant girl discovers that hard work and determination can make dreams come true.Katerina has a dream. It’s her papa’s dream, too. Her family came to America to buy their own farm. But a year later, Papa is still working in the dangerous coal mine. Each day, the farm seems farther away.
Then Katerina is reminded of the carp that granted three wis...more
Then Katerina is reminded of the carp that granted three wis...more
Hardcover, 246 pages
Published
August 28th 2012
by Margaret K. McElderry Books
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This had such promise: a Czech immigrant family in the Colorado minefields, living in what is clearly a company town, struggles to survive the clash between their dreams of a better life in America and the reality of what they've found, intermixed with classic fairy/folk tales that highlight and illustrate their situation (which is, when you think about it, what fairy/folk tales were supposed to do!). Where this falls apart is the lack of realization about what their situation really is. If farm...more
The saddest thing about this book is that it ended. I started out planning to 'savor' it and read it a little at a time. However, that did not happen. Once the action started, I just could not put it down. The characters drew me in and kept me interested. The story line was well done, showing that the author put much thought into development as well as obvious research on the project overall.
The hope is, there will be a sequel! The story starts off slowly (but don't confuse that with boredom!) a...more
The hope is, there will be a sequel! The story starts off slowly (but don't confuse that with boredom!) a...more
Jan 01, 2013
Barbara
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
animals,
community,
bullies,
cultural-identity,
families,
folk-tales,
immigration,
death,
languages,
jobs,
poverty,
rural-life,
romance,
strong-women,
ncbla2013
Thirteen-year-old Czech Katerina hates living in the Colorado mining town where her family tries to eke out a living. Her dearest wish is to return home while her father longs for a farm of his own rather than the dangerous mining job he has taken in order to provide for the family. But Katerina decides to do what she can to help her father's wish come true. (After hearing a folktale about a magical carp that granted three wishes, she happened to see a carp in a nearby stream.) Good luck seems t...more
Life in a Colorado mining town in the early 1900s is rough for Katerina's Bohemian immigrant family. They never seem to be able to save enough money to buy a farm, and everyone is unhappy about how hard life is. Katerina makes a wish for a farm, but it is her hard work that brings the family closer to making this happen. She starts a garden, raises chickens, and makes a deal with a merchant in a nearby town to undercut the company store and turn a profit. When an accident in the mine affects man...more
I really liked this book. The setting in colorado's mining country was unique, and I enjoyed zooming in on the fascinating culture of this time. Katerina was such an unusual character. She was spunky, determined, but very grounded. I really enjoy it when I read about characters that have many different sides. The whole time I was reading, I was scared by Katerina's mother's influence on her. It seemed like at any time that Katerina would succumb to the pragmatic philosophy of so many people arou...more
Loved this book. It had my favorite elements... historical fiction, with a touch of magic. We meet Katerina as a discouraged young 13 year old immigrant whose family is working in a Colorado coal mine. Then a hint of magic and the power of storytelling flood her with hope. The push and pull of possibility, reality, disappointment, and rekindled hope kept me turning the pages and wishing that I could keep reading all day. The romance seemed believable for it's time, and I felt that Mark was going...more
I've started reading YA books because I am teaching some enchanting YA girls at the moment. That and the fact that Jeannie Mobley and I are on a mutual writer's group was a catalyst to checking this book out of library.
It is enchanting, sturdily and whimsically told, light seamless prose filled with substance, unexpected tales, and just about perfect in my estimation.
Don't want to suggest plot or anything but it is a warm and gently humored book, all the while the reader experiences a clutch in...more
It is enchanting, sturdily and whimsically told, light seamless prose filled with substance, unexpected tales, and just about perfect in my estimation.
Don't want to suggest plot or anything but it is a warm and gently humored book, all the while the reader experiences a clutch in...more
Katerina's Wish by Jeannie Mobley is an excellent book that captures the setting and emotions of the characters with pristine clarity.
While the book takes its time with the set-up, once the plot begins moving, it moves. It is a sweet story in the beginning about a family trying to adjust to life after immigrating to America from Bohemia. All of the pertinent characters are introduced early and prove to be likable.
There is a lot to like about this book, and at this point in time, I can't think o...more
While the book takes its time with the set-up, once the plot begins moving, it moves. It is a sweet story in the beginning about a family trying to adjust to life after immigrating to America from Bohemia. All of the pertinent characters are introduced early and prove to be likable.
There is a lot to like about this book, and at this point in time, I can't think o...more
From August 2012 School Library Journal:
Gr 4-7:�Katerina's father's dreams of a better life brought the family of five from Bohemia to America, but now, in the spring of 1901, instead of the prosperous farm he envisioned, they are in a coal-mining camp in southern Colorado, and his wages are barely enough to eke out a living. Katerina, 13, is a pragmatist like her mother, but when she sees a carp in the creek, she is reminded of the folktale her grandmother told her in which a fish granted an ol...more
Gr 4-7:�Katerina's father's dreams of a better life brought the family of five from Bohemia to America, but now, in the spring of 1901, instead of the prosperous farm he envisioned, they are in a coal-mining camp in southern Colorado, and his wages are barely enough to eke out a living. Katerina, 13, is a pragmatist like her mother, but when she sees a carp in the creek, she is reminded of the folktale her grandmother told her in which a fish granted an ol...more
I mostly liked this book. It's an historical fiction book that (mostly) stays true to the sensibilities of the time. Except, of course, the girl isn't content to settle down and get married. The book takes place in 1901 in a coal mining camp in Colorado, and follows Katerina, who wishes to buy a farm for her family. The different hardships of life in that era seem to be realistically portrayed, and I liked the main character. Good historical fiction for teens.
This uplifting and hopeful tale of Czech immigrants working in a coal mining town in the early 1900s has an authentic setting and a magical feel. It took a while to warm up to the characters, but by the end, I was definitely rooting for Trina and her family. While the author's note does a good job of clarifying historical facts, some of the fairy tales included throughout the novel are credited as "versions...found on the internet." That is about as specific as saying "I found the information in...more
Nov 19, 2012
Wendy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Wendy by:
Laura Resau
Shelves:
2012-award-possibilities
A sweet, well-written story with a great sense of place. I liked this book best in the first third or so, when it seemed more like magical realism woven into a commonplace historical fiction plot, with plenty of Czech ethnic details and stories; the details of the mining community and the family's real-life struggles were less interesting to me. Katerina's growth during the book is both significant and realistic-seeming, and the romance is sweet without being dumb; I thought the author did a gre...more
Historic fiction with a touch of magic thrown in. The author said she was inspired partly by 'My Antonia' to write this mid-grade novel of a girl growing up in a Colorado coal mining camp. Katerina dreams of a better life and her neighbor tells her old folk tales from Bavaria that share lessons of wishes that come true. What Katerina discovers is that dreams sometimes need a little hard work and determination to work.
Oct 01, 2012
Sandy
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
communities,
dealing-with-death,
family,
fears,
friendship,
mg-fiction,
multi-cultural,
historical-fiction
Blending traditional old world tales with the historical experiences of immigrants dreaming of land and a bountiful homesteads but trapped in the vicious circle of mining labor, scraping by, facing death, who wouldn't want to believe in wishes? Firmly anchored in the personalities of her parents, younger sisters, neighbors, and suitor, this story transcends its era and begs for a sequel.
Quite simply, I adored this book. It reminded me of the very best historical fiction I read as a kid, in that I didn't feel like I was learning a history lesson at all--I just felt totally immersed in the world of the story and invested in the fate of the main character's family as forces beyond their control threatened to crush them.
With skeptical-yet-hopeful Katerina, the author creates a wonderful character to guide us through life in a turn-of-the-century coal camp. She concocts various sche...more
With skeptical-yet-hopeful Katerina, the author creates a wonderful character to guide us through life in a turn-of-the-century coal camp. She concocts various sche...more
Katerina's family immigrated to the US to have a farm of their own but so far all they have is hard, hard work in a company controlled mining town. They cannot seem to save up any money to get ahead. Katerina must use her wits and follow her heart to help her family as she tries to stay true to herself despite many setbacks.
There was so much to like about this book - the characters, the plot, the setting (a Colorado coal camp in the 1900s), the use of Eastern European fairy tales weaved throughout the story and a little bit of first love romance. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys middle grade historical fiction.
I loved how the author wove Czech folktales into the story of this immigrant family. Lots of information about the coal mining life in the early 1900s. And the focus on working to turn your wishes and dreams into reality is a lesson we all need to learn.
Coming to the United States has not gone quite the way Katerina and her family thought it would. Katerina soon finds out that a wish
with a lot of work can change many things.
I support Independent bookstores - use this link to find a store near you or to order KATERINA'S WISH - http://www.indiebound.org/book/978144...
with a lot of work can change many things.
I support Independent bookstores - use this link to find a store near you or to order KATERINA'S WISH - http://www.indiebound.org/book/978144...
An exquisite debut novel that manages to encompass all of America and its dreams in Katerina, a thoughtful, clever, hard-working and honorable thirteen-year-old living in a coal miners camp in 1900.
I love the integration of folk tales in this story of a teenage immigrant girl in a 1900s Colorado mining camp. Will make a better middle school book than elementary.
Historical fiction based on coal mines in Colorado 1900. And the power of working for family and your dreams.
Cute! A bit unexpected- there were lots of lesser known fairy tales sprinkled throughout the book.
This grew on me- an immigrant tale- Bohemians in Colorado early 1900's.
A story of friendship and family bonding.
Excellent historical fiction on a little-known subject in American history. Dragged a bit in spots and felt like more could have been developed with characters.
For booklist "Stranger in a Strange Land."
Kind of a slow-burner, but well-written and interesting historical fiction.
E
Great historical fiction read and bonus points for the ending.
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