Rachel's Roses

by Ferida Wolff, Margeaux Lucas (Illustrator)

Rachel Berger needs twenty-five cents to make her dream come true. But for Rachel, twenty-five cents is a fortune--and she's running out of time.

A Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable Title

Third-grader Rachel Berger longs to be different. At the very least, she'd like to be set apart from her copycat little sister, Hannah. The second Rachel spots the glass rose buttons at Mr. Solomon's button shop, her heart stops. They'll be the perfect, unique touch on the skirt her mother is making her for Rosh Hashanah. There's just one problem: Rachel can't afford them. With her focus set on earning enough to buy them before the holiday, will Rachel lose sight of what's really important?

Themes of sisterhood, sibling rivalry, and strong family values are organically woven in to this charmingly illustrated chapter book set on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in the early twentieth century.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Jewish, Childrens, New York, Chapter Books, Judaism, Family

112 pages, Hardcover

First published August 20, 2019

About the author

Ferida Wolff (née Mevorach) was born on July 7, 1946, in Brooklyn, New York. She grew up in Brooklyn and Queens, New York, where she enjoyed reading children's books from the public library and writing stories, letters, notes, and diaries. At age twelve, she decided she wanted to become a writer after excelling in a school writing assignment.

Ferida Mevorach married Michael L. Wolff on February 3, 1965. She earned a B.A. degree in 1967 and an M.S. degree in education in 1970, both from Queens College of the City University of New York. Wolff developed her writing by participating in an amateur writers' workshop in Medford, New Jersey, in the late 1970s. In 1980, she began contributing non-fiction pieces to several newspapers and magazines in New Jersey and Pennsylvania as a free-lance writer.

Wolff published her first book, Pink Slippers, Bat Mitzvah Blues, a young adult novel, in 1989. She drew on her daughter Stephanie's experiences as a dancer for the subject matter. Wolff has produced fourteen children's books in all, including three Halloween-themed books and four joke books that she co-authored with her neighbor and published poet, Dolores Kozielski. Listening Outside Listening Inside (1999), a book for adults on the importance of listening to personal messages, grew out of Wolff's long experience with yoga and other meditation techniques. She has taught yoga for almost thirty years and earned a Certificate in Holistic Studies from Rosemont College in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, in 1992.

Ferida Wolff lives with her husband in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and writes full time.

Source: https://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/degrum...

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This old-fashioned story of Rachel and the beautiful rose buttons is a timeless reminder of the "silk in the cupboard" as Rachel's Bubbie likes to remind her. Set in Manhattan's lower east side in the early 20th century, this book can also be a window into life as a young Jewish girl in those times. We learn about the preparation expected for school each day--Rachel gets a demerit and has to stay after school to clean the board. Forget cell phones. People do not even have their own telephones in their apartments. Rachel earns a penny as a tip when she fetches people for the phone calls that come for them at the neighborhood drugstore. The author notes her own cherished Rosh Hashanah memories are the foundation for the book. The black and white illustrations by Margeaux Lucas are the perfect complement to the text. I would heartily recommend this lovely book to fans of Betsy-Tacy.

[Margo Tanenbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely done short chapter book set in Manhattan's lower East Side at the beginning of the 20th century. Good for fans of old-fashioned books like All of a Kind Family or Betsy-Tacey. Charming black and white illustrations compliment the text. Good multicultural choice for school and public libraries.

[Sue Seligman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute early chapter book reminiscent of Sydney Taylor’s All of a Kind Family series and also Barbara Cohen’s Molly’s Pilgrim and Make a Wish, Molly. A little girl learns about the importance of family and tradition during the early 1900s in New York City’s Lower East Side. A very sweet story.

[Dee Dee G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book for elementary readers. Nice lesson for kids about what really matters.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel's Roses by Ferida Wolff, illustrated by Margeaux Lucas, 100 pages. Holiday House, 2019. $16. 9780823443659.

Language: G; Mature content: G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Rachel is excited to get new buttons for her Rosh Hashanah outfit but he money from Mother will only buy plain buttons. Rachel sees special rose buttons that cost more, and decides to work extra to earn the money she needs. But shortly after the buttons are in hand, Rachel loses them along with her little sister! The search for Hannah helps Rachel realize what the most important things in life are really about, and her rose buttons (once found!) help the family in other ways.

This was a nice and simple story aimed at younger female readers. I enjoyed the story, and the setting in the Lower East Side among Jewish New Yorkers made it a quality historical piece, too. The author includes a personal note at the back that added a bit to the story. Overall, I'd recommend this one to any young girls looking for a good book.

Reviewer: TC
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although she loves her little sister Hannah, Rachel Berger stifles at her little sister's cloying ways and how much she wants to copy her big sister. After her mother begins a new career as a dress designer, Rachel worries about the family's financial situation. But still, she feels loved even when she must make sacrifices. To ease Rachel's disappointment at not being able to have a new dress for Rosh Hashanah, her mother gives her five cents to spend on buttons. Rachel falls in love with three beautiful rose buttons, but she cannot afford them. She decides to earn money by running errands, delivering messages and other odd jobs, and finally has those buttons in hand. But when her little sister is lost, Rachel realizes what really matters in life, and finds a very different use for those much-wanted buttons. Family love and cultural heritage are found on every page of this sweet story, set in Manhattan during the early part of the twentieth century. I appreciated Rachel's grandmother's pithy words of advice even when Rachel didn't always understand them and relished the black and white illustrations that accompanied the text. The book captures the precariousness of many immigrants' economic situations at that time but also reminds readers that families offer the support that is needed when one dreams of more.

[Teresa Bateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's the early 1900's and Rachel and her Jewish family live in an immigrant neighborhood in New York City. Their family is poor, but happy. Rachel has a younger sister, Hannah, who is the bane of her existence. Hannah always tries to imitate her, and she never seems to be able to go anywhere without having to take Hannah along. Rosh Hashanah is coming up and all Rachel wants is something that will separate her from Hannah, but it looks like they'll be wearing identical skirts, refurbished for the holiday. She has a plan to make her skirt different, but sometimes priorities change. this is a sweet, short piece of historical fiction that should appeal to third and fourth graders.

[Michelle Gallegos · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is very heart warming. I think it did a good job at showing the economical stance of Rachel's home. I think many children can relate to or understand what it means to live in a low-income home through this book. I really like how it also shows what is really important in life, which is family. Young readers today having everything they want and they do not understand what really matters most in life. I think this a great chapter book that children can easily follow and enjoy the storyline, while also learning a life lesson.

[Mary Louise Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young readers, ready for chapter books, will be immersed in this turn of the century short story about a young Jewish girl discovering who she is. The setting is reminiscent of Sydney Taylor's All-Of-A-Kind Family series because it takes place on the lower east side of Manhattan.

The black and white illustrations are charming, as is the cover. The story opens the way to learn about Jewish religion and life in the city in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

[Barbara A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! A delightful,satisfying, well-plotted, early chapter book. Lovers of Taylor’s All of a Kind family will warm to this deeply appealing family story. Wonderful characterizations. Please tell me this will be a series?

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute little story. I originally picked it out because I was looking for Rosh Hashanah books but it wasn't all that much about Rosh Hashanah. I mean it was but it's definitely not a "teach non-Jews about Rosh Hashanah" kind of book.

[Andréa]

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher at ALA Annual 2019.

[Babs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy, sweet read of family coming together

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story. Good historical fiction selection for grades 2-4.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet historical fiction, strong message about the importance of family and caring. Wonderful book for readers that prefer a shorter story.

[Eve Lyons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as All of a Kind family but in the same vein. Somehow the historical voice doesn’t feel as authentic in this one, but its still interesting.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very sweet book about a Jewish family in the early 1900s in New York City. Rachel is in 3rd grade; her little sister is around 5. She adores Rachel and wants to do everything with her; Rachel - not so much. She thinks her little sister is a pest. Rosh Hashanah is quickly approaching and Rachel wants a new skirt. Money is scarce so - maybe some new buttons? But Rachel wants something different from her sister. She decides to work hard to earn the money she needs to pay for what she wants. Mom and dad are both present and accounted for along with a very wise grandmother.
The book is short - with short chapters - which makes it a nice addition to historical fiction for children transitioning to chapter books. It would also make a lovely family read-aloud.