From the Bookshelf of Clean Reads

The Hired Girl
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What Members Thought

Angie
Feb 16, 2018 rated it really liked it
Shelves: angie
This book is rather lengthy for the YA genre at 400 pages, but it never felt long or uninteresting. Something about the main character, Joan, reminded me of Anne Shirley, which is always a good thing. She is certainly flawed but heartwarmingly genuine, so I couldn’t help but like her, and even root for her. A rather large portion of the latter half of the book is taken up with her intense but immature crush on David, the son of the family she works for. I rather enjoyed reading about her associa ...more
Heather
I loved this intelligent, spunky, 14 year old (who ends up telling people she's 18), Joan Skraggs from a small farm in Pennsylvania. Her mother has just died and she is left to do all the work her mother had to do with her verbally abusive father and two brothers. Life is miserable and she would like to at least get some egg money for all her hard work, and having to drop out of school. Her father will hear non of that so she comes up with a plan to leave the farm and go to Baltimore. The train ...more
Melanie
Jan 07, 2023 rated it really liked it
I really enjoyed Joan's story! This is a young adult book, but honestly it was downright delightful. (That sounds like something my grandma would have said. 😅) But really, I didn't want it to end. ...more
Kristi Bell
3 1/2 stars. Set on a farm in 1911, Joan is a 14 year old girl who runs away from a terrible home life. Her mama has died and she lived with her 3 brothers and condescending father. Her father believed that women should stay in the home and cook and clean for the men. Her mother wanted more for Joan...to be educated and become a teacher. Joan runs away from home and a jewish family takes her in. Joan is Catholic and the differences between the religions are weighing on her. Written in diary form ...more
Sam
Feb 20, 2017 rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition
Man I loved this book. It's written journal-style by a hard working 14 year old Catholic girl. She's smart and brave and young and naive and good. Great read. ...more
Becky
Jan 21, 2016 rated it it was amazing
Absolutely could not put down! Poignant, thoughtful and had an old fashioned feel.
Michele
Jul 02, 2018 rated it really liked it
Shelves: 2018
She did such a good job with this book. Very engrossing. I really enjoyed it.
Camie
Dec 04, 2015 rated it liked it
Marlene
Dec 30, 2015 rated it really liked it
Shelves: 2016
Julia
Jan 06, 2016 marked it as to-read
Lori Johnson
Mar 20, 2019 rated it really liked it
Cara
Mar 28, 2016 marked it as to-read
Margaret
May 18, 2016 rated it really liked it
Sandy
Jun 14, 2016 rated it liked it
Shelves: books-i-own
Chantre'
Jun 17, 2016 marked it as to-read
Christin
Jul 10, 2016 marked it as to-read
Angie
Nov 20, 2016 rated it liked it
Nicole Morton
Aug 24, 2016 rated it liked it
Soquel
Jan 02, 2017 rated it really liked it
Jennie
Jan 12, 2017 rated it liked it
Connie
Jun 22, 2017 rated it really liked it
Amber
Sep 17, 2017 rated it liked it
Allison
Oct 30, 2017 marked it as to-read
Kara
Jan 10, 2018 marked it as to-read
Amber
Mar 19, 2018 rated it really liked it
Cindy
Jun 26, 2018 rated it really liked it
Shelves: young-adult
Becki
Aug 14, 2018 marked it as to-read
Holley
Apr 29, 2019 rated it liked it
Lisa
Aug 25, 2019 marked it as to-read
Andrea
Jan 08, 2020 marked it as to-read