Judy's journey
Lois Lenski
Paperback
(Dell, Aug. 16, 1966)
Ten-year-ole Judy, with her fierce loyalty and quick temper, is part of a family of migrant workers who are forced to move from one place to another to earn a meager living. Although they struggle long and hard for a small piece of land of their own, Judy manages to find her journey full of fun and adventure. Judy's Journey by Lois Lenski is a book that is so much more than a story about a young girl and her travels with her family in search of a better life. It is a study in History, Social Studies,Economics,Geography, and Human Psychology all rolled up into one; it is interesting enough for adults, and highly accessible for growing children in the upper Grade school ages. No study of the Depression, or the Dust Bowl, or the Migrant Worker could be complete without seeing these experiences through the eyes of the bright, but disenfranchised visionary Judy. Prejudices born out of economic and class disparities can be experienced by people of any skin color as evidenced in Lenski's story, which can readily fit into the Historical Fiction classification. This is a wonderful read that you cannot put down, and Judy is an unforgettable young girl.
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