Ginny Rose and her family left Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl when the bank foreclosed on their 80-acre farm; for several summers in a row, Ginny Rose worked on Peggy Simmons' family's peach orchard in California. Her existence was transient for many years after that, but now, at seventeen, Ginny Rose has returned with her family: father, mother, and three younger sisters. The mother, especially, is haunted by the death of their two sons, and Ginny Rose hatches a plan to try to help her: with her earnings from the peach cannery, she will buy a cemetery plot for the boys, drive to where they're buried, dig them up, and bring them home.

Peggy, a good friend, agrees to help with Ginny Rose's plan. Peggy is confronting her own crossroads, when she learns from her older sister that their brother will inherit the farm - the daughters get nothing. And Peggy's friend Lisette, a banker's daughter, begins to open her eyes to the realities of the world as well, partly due to slick Rodney St. Clair and partly because her father has announced the family is moving into a house his bank foreclosed on - the house belonging to a (former) friend.

Chapters alternate between Ginny Rose's and Peggy's first-person narration. All characters are white, except for mention of the Mexican braceros.

Teen readers are much more likely to connect with this than The Grapes of Wrath.

See also: A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly, Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Quotes

Maybe some stories are left unspoken. Even for me, talkin' about those times feels like it's put a leak inside me. A leak I'm not sure how to plug. (Ginny Rose, 31)

So...what did I want?
And why hadn't I ever thought about what I wanted instead of what the family needed? (Peggy, 91)

"Think about what you want. Don't just react." (Peggy's mother, 126)

"I guess it's hard to see things when you're standing too close." (Peggy to Ginny Rose, 166)

"People do not forget, Lisette. They may go quiet, but they do not forget." (Peggy, 216)

"I guess there's nothing like having the hatred thrown right at you to make you understand how it feels." (Lisette to Ginny Rose, 369)

We come from such different worlds. (Ginny Rose, 372)

For the first time in my life, I wasn't just frustrated with not being listened to - I truly felt I was worth being heard. (Peggy, 380)

"...people ask, 'How could God do this to two little boys so full of life and love?' But let me ask you in return: How could we do this to one another?" (Reverend Poole, 398-399) ( )

“And as I reseat the tire and pump it full of air, I start thinkin’ about how a tire is like life itself. When it springs a leak, you can moan about the flat, or you can patch it, pump it full of air again, then get back on and ride. ’Course people don’t usually see the patches of your inner tube, which is how a tire and life are different.” --Ginny Rose from The Peach Rebellion

The ultra-gifted and talented writer, Wendelin Van Draanen, treats her reading audience to an extraordinary historical novel via the authentic, alternating voices of two courageous, unbreakable teenagers during post World War II California.

This story will captivate you from the heartrending Prologue to the insightful, inspiring words on the last page. It's definitely worthy of reading, re-reading, and will make a fantastic discussion book when it debuts in the spring. In my humble opinion, this one has award winner written all over it.

The timeless themes of friendship, forgiveness, family, social injustices, heartbreak, healing, and love will resonate loudly with readers of all ages and backgrounds. However, what drives this compelling story is the character development of three complicated, multi-faceted teenagers: Ginny Rose, a migrant from Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl, Peggy, a peach farmer's daughter, and Lisette, a banker's daughter. Each girl's story comes with very unique family dynamics.

This spirited trio must find a way to forget their differences and come together to right a wrong and bring peace and closure to a broken family. In the process, these three resilient young ladies discover how strong and unstoppable they are as they unite for a common purpose. It will take them on a wild, heart-stopping adventure that will lead them down a path toward binding up the wounds of the past and embracing a promising future.

No one captures the pain, anguish, failures, joys, triumphs, hopes, and dreams of her characters quite like Wendelin Van Draanen. She has an uncanny ability to articulate, with her impeccable language skills, the essence of who they are and what motivates them to action.

The signature element of Wendelin Van Draanen’s writing is the way she engages her readers and brings them into the heart of her story with her descriptive, powerful words and fast-paced storylines.

This master weaver of stories creates breathtaking, satisfying conclusions. The one for The Peach Rebellion may be the best yet, leaving you very uplifted and possibly in tears.

As a longtime school librarian and proud fourth generation native Oklahoman, I invite you to pre-order The Peach Rebellion, available in bookstores and online in May, 2022. It will be a reading experience that will live long in your heart, soul, and memory as it will in mine. ( )