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14th out of 43 books
—
131 voters
Christmas After All: The Great Depression Diary of Minnie Swift, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1932 (Dear America)
At the age of twelve, Minnie Swift is living through one of the toughest times in America's history, The Great Depression. She keeps a detailed diary over the span of one Christmas month. Reflecting the sadness but also the optimism that characterized the time, this is an intimate portrait of a Midwestern family's days and nights, ups and downs, triumphs and losses. It's t...more
Hardcover, 182 pages
Published
November 1st 2001
by Scholastic Inc.
(first published 2001)
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Jan 14, 2008
**♥bEcCa♥**
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
People who like history or like reading about personal experiences and about life.
The book "Christmas After All," was a very good book. I felt that the book deserved a five star rating. This book is about an eleven year old girl named Minnie Swift who tells about her life in 1932 during the Great Depression. The Swifts invite a young girl named Willie Faye to stay with them. This story is mainly about Willie Faye helping the Swift family through some tough times, while the Swift family helps Willie Faye as well. I personally love the plot of this book. I felt like the author...more
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Christmas After All is the diary of 12 year old Minnie Swift detailing her families experiences during the Great Depression. Everyone in America was affected, poor and rich alike. The Swift family was more fortunate than others because the father maintained his job longer than most but after a while lost it. In her diary Minnie Swift retells her daily struggles leading up to Christmas, 1932. Willie Faye, an orphan moves in with the Swifts after her parents die. She and Minnie become the best of...more
I am a huge fan of the entire "Dear America" series but Christmas After All is one of my absolute favorite historical fiction books ever. It tells an intimate and personal story of a young girl and her family during the Great Depression. I first read this when I was in Elementary school so I was not fully educated on what the Great Depression was but this book gave me a relevant and personal view of what it was like for a young girl in the 1930's. This book follows the main character, Minnie, th...more
Response: Even though the times are tough this is a very humorous and heartwarming book. I read several books from this series when I was in middle school and absolutely loved them. I was afraid that I would not like them as much now that I am older, but that was not the case. This is a great book for young girls. While looking for this book I found this series for boys as well. Instead of diaries written from a girl’s perspective they are journals written from a boy’s perspective. Even though t...more
This diary of Minnie Swift at Christmastime during the great depression was amazing. This book took place in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1932. To stretch food the mother would add flour and cheese, they closed alot of the rooms in the house to save money. The girls made their own clothes and special Christmas gifts. With not having alot of money they went to see movies, ice skated, sled rides and listened to Buck Rogers and Charlie Chan on the radio for entertainment. Times were hard back then but...more
The Great depression was the worst period of american history, from Hovervilles to Soup Kitchens, Hoboes to Lack of money. Minnie Swift is a 12-year old girl from Indianapolis, Indiana. She explains much of the month of december from Thanksgiving to Christmas. She Describes things from the Auto Company closing, to papa leaving their house, and delivering things to the Hooverville (They Called it Curtisville Bottom after the vice president)
I think this book is very great, because it is about a 1...more
I think this book is very great, because it is about a 1...more
This book was about a famil that lived in the time of the great deppresion. People were very poor and had no money. as a matter of fact the whole country of america didn't have any money! This was very bad for our nation and this was very bad for our nation because we had no money for anything. This book explained why it was bad for the depression.
I would connect this book to the people that suffered alot just like Minnie Swift and her family. The great depresstion toke many lives and was very...more
I would connect this book to the people that suffered alot just like Minnie Swift and her family. The great depresstion toke many lives and was very...more
I enjoyed this Dear America novel. The book is set in November and December of 1932. The heroine, Minnie Swift, is one of many in her large family. The Depression has changed things for her family, sacrifices are having to be made, but Minnie is learning to change and adapt with those times. One of the biggest changes is welcoming in an orphan cousin, Willie Faye. This novel does have heart. I enjoyed seeing these two cousins become close; it also works as a nice coming-of-age story for Minnie....more
This book is great. You might be thinking, "Oh, it's a Dear America book, I SO don't read that." Well, don't. This book is amazing. It showcases Minnie, a girl growing up at the height of the Great Depression. When her mysterious cousin blows in from the American Dust Bowl, her father loses his job, their family has to find a way to support six kids, and her father disappears, anything can happen! Minnie writes in her diary, discribing all the events going on. Honestly, there's no way I can disc...more
Delightful and charming! Even though this is a children's book it speaks at an adult level! I REALLY liked this story and Minnie Swift. Lots of interesting details and a real flavor of the era.
One of my favorite parts:
One of my favorite parts:
"Radio is funny. You can't ever see the people but you do see them in your imagination. In one way you know they aren't real, but in another way you kind of believe they are. And it is just by believing in them, real or not, that it somehow changes you inside. It's kind of like re...more
Jan 25, 2011
Ash E.
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
young historical fiction readers
Recommended to Ash by:
Cori Johnson
Shelves:
young-historical-fiction,
review-complete
REVIEW COMPLETE
The Dear America books are easily-accessible historical fiction for young readers, especially girls (the My Name is America books, I've been told, are very similar, only for boys).
Christmas After All is informative without being boring in the way that many historical fiction novels are. Readers learn the struggle and hardships that people living during the Great Depression experienced, through the eyes of Minnie Swift, a young girl who suddenly finds herself needing to sacrifice t...more
The Dear America books are easily-accessible historical fiction for young readers, especially girls (the My Name is America books, I've been told, are very similar, only for boys).
Christmas After All is informative without being boring in the way that many historical fiction novels are. Readers learn the struggle and hardships that people living during the Great Depression experienced, through the eyes of Minnie Swift, a young girl who suddenly finds herself needing to sacrifice t...more
Christmas After All (The Great Depression) / 0-439-21943-4
"Christmas After All" brings us both the best and worst views of the American Great Depression, showing us the kindness and strength of the people who lived through this difficult period, but never holding back the despair and troubles of the homeless, the suicidal, and the starving.
There's a great deal of good to be had here. Minnie's rather large family is hit badly by the Depression and the layouts and business closures. They are furth...more
"Christmas After All" brings us both the best and worst views of the American Great Depression, showing us the kindness and strength of the people who lived through this difficult period, but never holding back the despair and troubles of the homeless, the suicidal, and the starving.
There's a great deal of good to be had here. Minnie's rather large family is hit badly by the Depression and the layouts and business closures. They are furth...more
This was another book that my son read for his book reports in 5th grade. He had to cover many genre's this past year, this book was read for his historical fiction report.
I like reading books on how people might feel during certain times or about certain things. I think these Dear America diaries are really a great depiction of how things might have been from a child's viewpoint. They move along smoothly and I thought the epilogue at the end was great.
There is a bit in the back of the book ab...more
I like reading books on how people might feel during certain times or about certain things. I think these Dear America diaries are really a great depiction of how things might have been from a child's viewpoint. They move along smoothly and I thought the epilogue at the end was great.
There is a bit in the back of the book ab...more
It's late November, 1932, and the entire nation is feeling the effects of the Great Depression. Christmas is nearing, but for many families, it will be a joyless holiday. Eleven-year-old Minnie Swift fears that will be the case for her family. Although her father still has a job, he hasn't been making much money. Life changes for the whole family, however, when Minnie's orphaned cousin, Willie Faye, comes to live with the family. Eleven-year-old Willie Faye is the same age as Minnie, but she is...more
This book was the up most GREATEST book i have EVER read in my whole life i love great books about history not like the Aztec or Inca like good books bassed on what had happened to someone a long time ago! I love reading dear America books because it is truly the most AMAZING books i have ever read in a long time im buying this book at Barns-N-Nobles and im going home and reading all the time i loved this book read it and you will two!
It was interesting to read about a fictional girl living in the depression and her opinions on cheap food (she rates the food on her vomitron scale), fashion and the changes she sees in her town due to lack of jobs and money.
I thought it was interesting how the author's views on politics, what caused and what would cure, the depression came out through the novel.
It makes me think I should journal more, or maybe finally start that blog I've been thinking about.
I thought it was interesting how the author's views on politics, what caused and what would cure, the depression came out through the novel.
It makes me think I should journal more, or maybe finally start that blog I've been thinking about.
Dec 04, 2009
Carly
is currently reading it
Recommends it for:
all ages.
Recommended to Carly by:
Teacher.
A historical-fiction diary of a young girl named Minerva ( Minnie ) Swift who's childhood occurs in the times of the Great Depression. When a young girl from Heart's Bend Texas arrives at their city's train station, things change. Minnie makes a new friend, her father loses her job, and many other events happen.
Great book for those who enjoy the historical-fiction genre.
Great book for those who enjoy the historical-fiction genre.
Short novel for children. I checked it out for Lauren at the library but I read it first to check for appropriateness. It is a very nice little story told from the point of view of a little girl's diary. Her family is going through the Depression at Christmas time. There are some adult themes like suicide that I thought would not be right for Lauren right now.
Nov 24, 2008
Dianna
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
some seals who can read....or just...you guys....
Recommended to Dianna by:
my favorite librarian (that would be eva)
haha, i read this book in eventh grade for the 2007 book challenge. actually not so much my style, this dear america stuff, but the book was really awesome. i read it around christmas time, which was cool to compare my christmas with minnie's. then only thing i really remember from the book is that she ate some peaches...and there were hobos...yes.
Oct 25, 2011
Catherine
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
Yeah I know, a Christmas story in the middle of October. I needed something to read though. The Dear America books are always neat. Was this this girl's actual diary or was it a fictional story based on her life? I couldn't tell or didn't catch it or something. A good book over all. These books are always my back up if I don't know what else to read.
Well, it wasn't Appalachia, but is was Depression Era, so I checked it our of Oakland's Library (Thanks, Marge for displaying it!) It's a children's/young teen book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Guess I like reading about how folks coped during that terrible time. Maybe get pointers for our current economic condition!!
Read this at Christmas with my daughter. We didn't realize this at the time, but the author is the same as the one who wrote the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series which my daughter loves. We really enjoyed this book. The author does a wonderful job of capturing a young girl's voice with poignancy, humor and honesty.
Dec 30, 2012
Jolie Rolie Polie :D
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
not-my-favorite
ummmmm...it had a pretty nice message, but the whole story overall was VERY bland. NOT KIDDING-there was almost maybe 5 descriptive words in the whole book. It was okay, though. i would not recommend this book if you are bored easily. (or if you HATE books without description).
This was a cute one; very up-beat. This was also the second time I had heard about growing pumpkins with milk. Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder was the first time I had heard it.
The great depression diary of Minnie Swift. Good read of depression era trouble of the Swift famly. An orphaned cousin Willie Faye comes to enlighten all of the family around her while they deal w/little money, loss of employment by Mr Swift & his sudden disappearance.
I think I will be reading more books from the Dear America series. Really liked it. Nice way to start the Christmas season with a sweet, thoughtful book about Christmas during the depression. Pictures and more information about the depression in the back of the book as well as a recipe for Molasses Crinkles.
I stumbled across this book and have been reading it this Christmas season. And I'm so glad I did. I loved it. It is the story of the author's mother's family. It took place in 1932. I might want to read this every year. Loved it>
Liked this one more than I thought I would. A Scholastic book, so a quick read, but the main character/narrator is cute and enjoyable as well as the other main characters. A fun, Christmas-spirity book. (yes, I did just make up a word)
I thought this was a charming Christmas story with the setting being Indianapolis during The Great Deptession.
This large family endures all the problems families faced during this period. each character had its own way of dealing with their strained existence.
This large family endures all the problems families faced during this period. each character had its own way of dealing with their strained existence.
I love Depression Era, and this book did a good job at capturing the time. The main character was spunky and fun, and the book had a great feel to it. I really enjoyed this one.
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Kathryn Lasky is the American author of many critically acclaimed books, including several Dear America books, several Royal Diaries books, 1984 Newbery Honor winning Sugaring Time, The Night Journey, and the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her latest book, Guardians of Ga'Hoole Book 15: The War of the Ember, was released on November 1, 2008. Guardians of Gahoo...more
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