Ivy M. (Luvbug) -
Helpful Score: 1
Written in diary format...I felt like I was right there with Mary as she went through the hard and good times. I felt sad when she lost track of Sean and happy when she found out that Alice was being taken care of. Very good book that teaches you a bit about the history of that era in such a way that you don't realize that you are learning some history as you read.
Char M. (thezookeeper) -
Helpful Score: 1
I enjoy the Dear America books and this is no exception. Historical information is peppered througout the book, and the journaling style makes you feel more intimate with the main character, Mary Driscoll. These are a good add-on for history lessons but don't have enough historical facts to stand alone as a curriculum.
Brenna B. (demiducky25) reviewed So Far From Home : The Diary of Mary Driscoll, an Irish Mill Girl, Lowell, Massachusetts, 1847 (Dear America) on + 161 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I have been getting these books for my classroom, but I've only read one of them before this one. They are very good and it is interesting how historical fact is incorporated into these fictional stories. They are written for middle schoolers but they are very attractive to adults as well. My Mom enjoys reading them too! :-P I've been able to take elements from the ones I've read and use them to enhance my lessons by relaying parts of the story. I also like the fact I can read them rather quickly. :-P This particular one was about an Irish Mill girl in 1847 and how workers in the mills were not treated well and the discrimination the Irish faced in the 1840s.
