The Hired Girl Hardcover – September 8, 2015

Laura Amy Schlitz’ new book, The Hired Girl, once again is a different story and voice than her previous work. She seems able to reinvent herself, with each new book adopting categorically different elements. Readers expecting the magic or fantastical elements present in some earlier works will not find them here. What they will find instead is a gratifying mix of romantic fantasies, earnest questions about faith and religious truth, and the development of a young, determined personality to create her future, assisted by help and love from unexpected sources.Schlitz creates a wholly human character in Joan Skrags, a 14 year old girl in 1911 thirsting for the learning, culture and knowledge to which she had only brief exposure through her mother and an insightful teacher, but which is cut short by her harsh and intimidating father after her mother’s untimely death. As a “big, ugly ox of a girl”, she is condemned to a life of drudgery on a hard scrabble farm, unappreciated by her father and 3 brothers. It is a telling sign about Joan that it is the burning of her 3 romantic novels, Jane Eyre, Ivanhoe and Dombey and Son that give Joan the resolve to flee her family and seek a new life.Joan ends up in Baltimore at night, lost with no place to stay after fleeing a man who tried to take liberties with her. By lucky chance she is taken in by the Rosenbachs, a prosperous Jewish family, and the real story of Joan’s education and personal growth begins.This is a delightful story, narrated by Joan through her diary in which she can put down her most intimate thoughts, confusions, and fantasies. To gain work as a hired girl in the Rosenbach household, Joan pretends to be 18, forcing her to behave as she imagines an 18 year old would. Her physical development makes this somewhat believable but she still possesses a more childish mind and personality, albeit a very quick one capable of learning and insight. Joan considers herself an earnest Catholic, the faith of her mother to whose memory Joan is very loyal. While she comes to respect, and even love, the Rosenbachs she is also trying fervently to deepen her Catholic faith with the help of a local priest. The conflict and resolution this engenders is an important lesson for Joan, as for us all.Joan also creates a number of conflicts of her own within the Rosenbach family through her well-intentioned naïve efforts to help them. Despite the near term humiliations and embarrassments she experiences as a result, the ultimate results are happy ones and Joan learns from each event.It is not easy to show the growth of a character like Joan, but Schlitz’ own experience as a librarian/teacher has shown her the truth of such things and she develops Joan in a very believable manner. Furthermore, all the other characters are also well developed and believable. I felt I knew and understood them all by the end of the book. The lessons Joan learns are those that all young persons should learn, and even many adults.This book is another masterpiece from Schlitz. I can’t wait to see in what new direction she’ll head next!

I completely understand. Who would want to read a diary written by a 14-year-old girl living on a farm in 1911? Take my word when I say, you do.I understand the slow nature of life in 1911 is an obvious no thank you for most readers, but Laura Amy Schlitz wasn't looking for ecstatic adventures. She was looking for the real, normal moments of life back in 1911.Our main character is Joan Skraggs, a naive but empowered young girl looking to give a name for herself as a teacher. After she is given a journal by her favorite teacher, she vows to fill it to the brim with words and knowledge. Of course there are hiccups along the way, some that land her in a Jewish household as an almost Catholic hired girl.Throughout the summer of 1911, she covers her pages in eloquent writing and comical but stressful events that will leave you laughing and tearing your hair out. It's the main reason why this is an important read. The diary pages are smothered in the life of a girl dealing with sexism and religious tension, which are all problems that we still deal with today. This novel is a magic mirror, and our world is staring right into it. But Joan's growth throughout pushes these boundaries down. This is especially true as her relationship with the Rosenbachs takes two steps forward and a step and a half back.Take a moment or two to really dive into this novel. You'll be laughing and wondering why the past seems to repeat itself.

Loved this book

What a fun read!The story begins with Joan’s dreary existence on a farm, but soon, “The Hired Girl” starts out on a journey that will completely change her life. I loved how this Catholic girl learns to live with her new Jewish family. I enjoyed looking up the meaning of several Yiddish words used in the household. I also enjoyed learning about Joan’s love for classic novels and this piqued my interest in reading them myself. Joan’s penchant for creating awkward situations was very amusing.I really loved this book!!!

I loved "The Hired Girl." The story starts off strong, the middle sags a bit and the ending does not disappoint. The writing, the characters and the dialogue were superb throughout the novel. Written in diary form, Jan Skraggs, a fourteen year old with literary aspirations, runs away from her father's farm in Penn. and finds work in Baltimore with a family as a hired girl.Joan's voice is strong and authentic throughout the novel. The prose at times is lush and quite lyrical. Life in early 1900's Baltimore is replete with details that make this time period come to life. The struggles with identity, religious differences and prejudice, the pain of young love, a class system hard to escape are all interwoven in this novel.I also loved all the literary allusions to such works as "Jane Eyre" and Charles Dickens appropriate for the time period."The Hired Girl" in my opinion, ranks alongside "A Northern Light" by Jennifer Connelly and Carolyn Meyer's "Harvey Girls." Highly recommended!

Delightful and captivating. I tend to turn up my adult nose at most YA fiction, but when I assigned this to an independent study student I felt compelled to read along. I’m really glad I did. I learned so much about both Judaism and Catholicism. I also loved the local-ish connection to Lancaster and Baltimore. One of the best historical YA novels I’ve read. Most appropriate for younger teens (13-14) I’d say.

This is a fantastic book - if you are a fan of Anne of Green Gables or Alias Grace, this book is well worth reading. It's very like those two books; like Anne, Joan is precocious and hot-tempered, but charming and without guile. But like in Alias Grace, she's an unusual housemaid who often surprises and frightens her employers although she is completely within their power.

Joan leaves her family farm and becomes a hired girl which we would call a servant in Baltimore. Considering it was over 350 pages long the story never lost its impetuous and I found it was similar to My Fair Lady the musical. She compares her catholic faith with that of the Jewish people she works for and learns about life in the process.

Very enjoyable, well written and engaging. An interesting insight into a different time and the perspective of many ways the world is experienced.

This was such a great read! --- well written---fabulous story ---- probably the best bookI've read in ages! I loved it!---Lynda Young

An amazing book I couldn't put down.