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90th out of 109 books
—
92 voters
The Miner's Daughter
Perhaps there is always a mark, when another person touches you, an invisible thread connecting you to them.
Backbreaking work, threadbare clothes, and black coal dust choking the air -- this is what a miner's daughter knows. Willa Lowell fears that this dust marks her to be nothing else, that she will never win against the constant struggle to survive. Even the fierce fla...more
Backbreaking work, threadbare clothes, and black coal dust choking the air -- this is what a miner's daughter knows. Willa Lowell fears that this dust marks her to be nothing else, that she will never win against the constant struggle to survive. Even the fierce fla...more
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published
February 6th 2007
by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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****3.5 stars****
In the Miner's Daughter, we are introduced to Willa and her family while they are suffering from the effects of the Great Depression. The Riley mines where Willa's father and brother work have been hit really hard and meanwhile, all the household has fallen onto Willa's shoulders; her mother is ill and pregnant. Willa yearns for a better life, one full of plenty, beautiful red dresses, tons of new books, and simply a chance to make a difference... Is she capable of leaving her f...more
In the Miner's Daughter, we are introduced to Willa and her family while they are suffering from the effects of the Great Depression. The Riley mines where Willa's father and brother work have been hit really hard and meanwhile, all the household has fallen onto Willa's shoulders; her mother is ill and pregnant. Willa yearns for a better life, one full of plenty, beautiful red dresses, tons of new books, and simply a chance to make a difference... Is she capable of leaving her f...more
Because our 8th grade team is doing a resource unit on coal in WVa, I picked up this book as a possible read for my 8th grade resource class. Nah, this isn't gonna do. First, because the main character is a girl, who despite dealing with horrendous hardships of poverty,hunger as well as the usual adolescent angst, just matter of factly deals with the situations.Second because the problem she solves is the government solution,the move to Arthurdale. Even though she must leave her best friend and...more
...The Miner's Daughter ... by Gretchen Moran Laskas is about the struggles and hardships that Willa Lowell and her family go through in the small town of Riley Mines. Willa is only sixteen, but already has so much on her mind. In the beginning of the book, her mother is pregnant, and her condition continually goes downhill until she goes into labor. Willa has to take on a lot of the work that was previously her mother's, which she is not used to. When her mother finally has her baby and recover...more
I appreciated this book for numerous reasons. Reason number one was its honesty. Willa is a poor girl, from rags to relative riches, but she finds herself dissatisfied with penny candy later in the book that at the beginning would have thrilled her and she is ashamed. Reason two, it was not predictable. I kept thinking oh the mother will die, she'll marry that boy, ect. but the book wouldn't go in that direction. It wasn't a plot twist, it just a new story line that's hard to find. Three, I am f...more
The Miner's Daughter by Gretchen Moran Laskas was an enjoyable story about a young girl who lived through the Great Depression. The story was also about the hope her and her family kept thourghout this rough time. It is about a girl named Willa who lives in a small mining town called Riley. The Depression hit Riley hard. The mines closed down and everyone was out of work. Willa's father and brother now cannot support their family of seven. To try to help with the money problems her father and br...more
I have been on a fantasy-science fiction kick for a few months now. I picked this book up from the library on a total whim, and then it sat and sat and sat in my to-read bin. I ran out of books to read on my snow day and opened this book as a last resort. (Scene: Me flopping on the couch with a major sigh, knowing that this isn't going to be worth it...)
BUT I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!!! It was just a sweet story of a young woman living life in the Depression. I really enjoyed it.
I always wonder af...more
BUT I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!!! It was just a sweet story of a young woman living life in the Depression. I really enjoyed it.
I always wonder af...more
EEEK I loved this book! After reading it I came away with such a good feeling. I wasn't really sure what to expect. It's part historical fiction, part love story, part about growing up in general, which is always hard to do no matter your circumstances and part sticking with your family even when that takes you far away from the place you call home. If you are looking for a feel good book look no further also I love it when authors write about somthing that could have actually happened in the re...more
Willa Lowell lives in a West Virginia mining camp during the Depression. She is a bright and motivated 16-year-old who wants more from life, but doesn’t know what “more” might offer. An altruistic young librarian introduces her to books, a neighbor falls in love with her, and Eleanor Roosevelt offers Willa’s family the opportunity to live at Arthurdale, a planned community for poor miners’ families. Laskas does a good job on period history through the details of Willa’s life, and gives us a well...more
This book is really great, it is talking about the hardships that people had to go through during The great Depresion. How everyone in the family has to pitch in some how and all work together.
Willa tried so hard to keep in touch with her father and her brother when they go off to hawks nest. Trying to keep the family running while finding a new friend to talk and hang out with(Ms Grace).
This book kept me at the edge of my seat, and always was wanting for more, couldnt put this one down!
its grea...more
Willa tried so hard to keep in touch with her father and her brother when they go off to hawks nest. Trying to keep the family running while finding a new friend to talk and hang out with(Ms Grace).
This book kept me at the edge of my seat, and always was wanting for more, couldnt put this one down!
its grea...more
The Miner's Daughter by Gretchen Moran Laskas
A book review by Ginger Dawn Harman
“Willa had never sounded out her whole name before, but she, too, liked the way it sounded when she said the whole thing, Willa Laura Lowell. She imagined going into a post office, or even the company store, where telegrams were sent and received. "Anything for Willa Laura Lowell?' she would ask. Why, she could be anyone at all, someone important, with a name like that."
Our local book club was recently given The Min...more
A book review by Ginger Dawn Harman
“Willa had never sounded out her whole name before, but she, too, liked the way it sounded when she said the whole thing, Willa Laura Lowell. She imagined going into a post office, or even the company store, where telegrams were sent and received. "Anything for Willa Laura Lowell?' she would ask. Why, she could be anyone at all, someone important, with a name like that."
Our local book club was recently given The Min...more
Reviewed by Safia Abdul for TeensReadToo.com
In this tenderly crafted novel, Willa is a struggling sixteen-year-old girl living during the hard times of The Great Depression. All of her life, Willa has lived in a mining camp where her father and older brother work as coal miners. As economic conditions worsen and the coal mine shuts down, Willa's father and brother leave home to find a new job. This leaves Willa responsible to take care of her younger siblings, her weakened mother, and the numero...more
In this tenderly crafted novel, Willa is a struggling sixteen-year-old girl living during the hard times of The Great Depression. All of her life, Willa has lived in a mining camp where her father and older brother work as coal miners. As economic conditions worsen and the coal mine shuts down, Willa's father and brother leave home to find a new job. This leaves Willa responsible to take care of her younger siblings, her weakened mother, and the numero...more
The story was written very simple, the hardships that Willa Laura Lowell endured,what caught my attention was the exposure to literature within a piece of literature! Where Willa met with Miss Grace and read all the books and poems she could ever wanted from the Mission. Though Willa and her family were struggling with the Depression, there was always light at the end of the tunnel. It's heart-warming and lovely, a must-read for those who have been hurt and in need of escape.
This was an interesting read, getting a look at the Great Depression from the perspective of a family of coal miners in a rural town. I liked Willa as a narrator for the most part, and I think the author did a good job of showing her growth as she matured into a young woman looking for a little more than what her life had to give up to that point. I liked that things weren't tied up into a neat little bow at the end - Willa still has a wide future before her, full of choices.
Historical fiction. Subjects: Depression, 1929, West Virginia; coal mines and mining; Arthurdale, WV. Tells the story of Willa Lowell, a coal miner's daughter. Oh my gosh--the horrible living conditions in the fictitious Riley Mines coal town especially after the mines are shut down. Willa befriends missionary, Miss Grace, who establishes a small library in the town. Through books and her writings, Willa imagines a life outside of the poverty of Riley Mines. This new life eventually comes to the...more
Even though it was sad to read about real life in the mining camps and all the hardships, this book was refreshing in that it stayed true to life's events. I was impressed to read how Mrs. Roosevelt got involved in the people's lives, not just being on a committee. She was an amazing woman. The characters in this book each wanted something different according to their age. It was a pleasure to see that no one was held back from their own dream.
Willa Laura Lowell (how can you not love that name?) is a 16-year-old girl living in a West Virginia coal mining town during the Depression. When the mine closes, her father and older brother find dangerous work that takes them away from home. Meanwhile, Willa goes to work herself disguised as a boy, although she doesn't deceive her brother's handsome friend. She also becomes friends with Miss Grace, an educated, well-dressed missionary lady who introduces Willa to novels and poetry. Thanks to M...more
This book was very good, and exciting. As one can tell from the title it is about a miner’s daughter living in a place for miners called: The Riley Mines. This book really caught my attention and made me not want to put it down because of its characters and their roles in the book. This book was non-fiction yet fiction in both ways, since the author was writing the book with half facts and making up the story. But at the same time the life of these people in general are true and realistic. I app...more
I enjoy books with strong female protagonists who go against the grain. However, I can't help but feel that I've read this story over and over again in my book discussion group selections. (Dirt-poor but whip-smart Appalachian girl meets up with a big-city female mentor who transforms her future into one of education and opportunity.)
Sixteen-year-old Willa, living in a Depression-era West Virginia mining town, works hard to help her family, experiences love and friendship, and finds an outlet for her writing when her family becomes part of the Arthurdale, West Virginia, community supported by Eleanor Roosevelt.
This book was just OK - I didn't like it as much as The Midwife's Tale. It seemed to be written more for younger readers - maybe the junior high age group? So: the good news is: it provided me with a great book to base my lesson plan on for the young adult literature course that I'm taking right now. It is a good homage to the plight of West Virginians, and it's pretty cool how it talks about actual places in north central WV.
An eye opener as to how difficult life was in Virginia for families who worked the coal mines.
I enjoyed the picture it painted of life for those in poverty and how families coped. I also liked the added part with Pres. Roosevelt's wife coming to see conditions and taking action to relieve the poor.
I enjoyed the book.
I enjoyed the picture it painted of life for those in poverty and how families coped. I also liked the added part with Pres. Roosevelt's wife coming to see conditions and taking action to relieve the poor.
I enjoyed the book.
Feb 19, 2011
Kim Beaumont
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Shelves:
ya-bliss-hist-fic-challenge-2011,
read-in-2011
I almost gave up on this book at about the halfway point. Not much happens and even though it does describe the hardships of a mining family, I never got a sense of how bad their suffering was. I never felt connected to the characters. It picks up a little toward the end, but things happen for the family unbelievably fast. The author even admits that in her notes. I've read other much more heart-wrenching stories about mining families.
I think that this is nice, very descriptive, and it's a historical fiction book which is on the topic of the Depression. It's very detailed and interesting to see it in the girl's point of view.
I love historical fiction and this one was not a let down. I really felt like I got to know the main character Willa and I loved how she turned out in the end.
Great description of mining town life. Personalities were a little too syrupy sweet for my taste, but otherwise a nice historical fiction read.
Jul 25, 2011
Tori
added it
2009- Better than I expecting, it tells about the Depression and its' effect on a coal miner's family. It did take a few chapters to get started though.
This book shows the effects of coal mining, not only for the men but for their daughters also.
Perhaps I’m not the best person (being a man and all) to give an equitable assessment of the quality of this book, but I can’t help feeling The Miner’s Daughter suffers from acute Jane Austin-itis: There’s an awful lot of talking … but not a whole lot happening.
The Miner's Daughter, by Gretchen Moran Laskas, is the story of Willa Lowell, a teenager in a coal mining camp town in West Virginia during the Great Depression. The various conflicts in her life (she loves to read and write, but lives in a world without books or opportunities for further education; she's fighting to keep her family together and financially afloat amidst great hardship; even good fortune is not without its blemishes) play out in a story that's somewhat simple, but still pleasing...more
Really loved this story.
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