This is one of those books that you read and immediately wonder why you hadn't heard of it before. Maybe I'm in the minority but I wasn't familiar with the book nor the author. Thankfully I came across the book at a thrift store and bought it for the title and front cover alone. I didn't even read a synopsis.

Louise Meriwether does an incredible job of bring the Harlem of the 1930's to life. She does not use one extra, unneeded word to describe the sights, sounds and smells of Francie's neighbor More...

this book takes place in Harlem and shows once again the struggles of African American families that live in poverty. Francine has a dad who runs numbers, which is illegal and sees her family crumple in front of her because of the lack of money. Her brother becomes a gang banger and her other smart brother drops out of school. Life for her is tough especially since she is so young and there are people who try to take advantage of her. Then there family reunites at the end. In all these books the More...

I think alot of the time, we write about what we know. and in reading this book I come to ask myself... what exactly does Louise know? her writing is so simply complex... which seems odd but it is a perfect sense of what is happening and why it is happening and why you don't want it to happen.. but you will it to happen along with her words on the next few pages

until the next few becomes the rest of the book. I love it

This was one of those coming of age books like Brown Girl Brownstone. Some other author I read, mentioned having found the novel in her parents library so i was intrigued. The fact that James Baldwin wrote the introduction solidified it as a good book. I was never disappointed with the character development, plot, or speed of the action.

This book, when I read it as a child sometime in the early 70's, changed my life. I didn't know, before then, that there was such a thing as a novel with a little black girl as a protagonist. I decided right then and there: I wanted to be a writer, tell my own little-girl story.

Well written portrait of a family in Harlem NY in the 1930s told through the eyes of a 11 year old girl. PG13 because of language and content. Having lived and worked in inner Baltimore for 5 years, I saw the events as painfully real.

I read this book when I was 10, this book taught me a lot about life.I also met the author about 10 years ago I was at awe very good book for teens and adults.

This is a childhood favorite but it is a YA book and not a children's book. I last read it in 2008 but the first time I perused it was in 1974 (11 years old).

Read this book before you were born. Interesting that you would pick it up now. Insight into old time Harlem.

About a 12 year old African American girl growing up in depression era Harlem. Depressing at times but hopeful as well.

I read this book in high school and really enjoyed it. It's a real look at life in Harlem during the 1930s.

I read this book when I was in public school, and has always remained dear to me.

Highly recommended.

Amazing- semi-autobiographical novel about growing up Black and female in Harlem during the depression. Interesting themes both about the constancy of sexual abuse by adult men in the lives of teenage girls and the relationship between Black residents and white Jews as shop-keepers.

Well written story of a girl growing up in a big city. Can't remember details as it has been a while since reading, but certain scenes still stick in my mind like, so it must be good!

Harlem during the Great Depression. Although I didn't really know it when I added it to my list, this book is almost to the level of a classic. Really well written.

This is SUCH an overlooked book. It's a great American coming of age story on par with Catcher in the Rye. Can't say enough about it.

Nice book. Very vividly told. Reminded me a lot of "Beale Street" by Baldwin also.

Harlem life as seen through an adolescent girl's eyes in the 1930's. Really good.

Powerful depression era coming of age in harlem. Amazing.