During the Great Depression, Charlie Anne's widower father leaves home to go build roads with the CCC, leaving his children in the care of a distant cousin, Mirabel who is a fierce task-master. Their neighbor, Old Mr. Jolly, a childless widower, leaves for bit and returns home with a radically modern new wife, and an adopted daughter, just Charlie Anne's age, Phoebe, who is black.
Charlie Anne and Phoebe quickly become fast friends, much to Mirabel's chagrin. Almost no-one in the small town are happy to see Phoebe being treated as a family member by the Jolly's, but this being a YA novel, you know that things are likely going to turn around and be good in the end. That's one of the things I like about YA novels.
Generally, the most sympathetic character in a book told in first person is the narrator, but Charlie Anne is sometimes kind and likable, but sometimes head-strong, ornery and occasionally a bit mean. Little sister, Birdy, and Phoebe are the more sympathetic characters. But of course, deep down, Charlie Anne is good, and learns a handful of lessons herself during the course of the book. ( )

I really liked this book and the message behind it. It would be a good fit for a fourth or fifth grade girl, but I think boys can read it too. I hate to pigeon-hole books as "boy" or "girl" books. I most liked the friendship that developed between Charlie Anne and Phoebe. I also think Rosalyn, who adopted Phoebe after her mother (and Roselyn's childhood friend) was killed in an act of racism, is such a powerful mother figure for the motherless Phoebe.

I also love the transformation of Aunt Mirabel. She came off as this total hard-a$$ but in the end you could tell that she really did care about the kids. She was just overwhelmed. I think her eventual acceptance of Phoebe after the accident by the river was her turning point, but you also saw that she had a big heart when she went to the Morrell's and Thatcher's.

Her character, as well as Charlie Anne and Phoebe would spur great conversations! ( )

This Nutmeg nominee is a good example of historical fiction. It is set in the 1930's during the Depression in a rural area. Some of the themes that are covered are dealing with death and hard times, racism, and friendship. There are lots of strong female characters in this book as well and I would recommend it to fourth grade and up.

sweet book about a young girl in the rural south and how she changes those arounbd here when she befriends a local african american girl. 4th -5th grade readers.

I just finished this book over the long weekend. I found this to be an accessible book for a 4th to 5th grade reader. In fact I was book talking this one to a group of 4th graders last week in the library and one girl who raises and shows cows checked it out. She is in the middle of it and really loving it. Now I teach in a rural school and many of my students live on farms so this book has contextual appeal for them. The language is simple and the details of Charlie Anne’s circumstances are portrayed in language and manner that children can identify with despite the reach of history. I believe this to be one of the book’s strengths overall. Through Charlie Anne’s eyes you see how poverty, loss, hope, anger, and love look. These are timeless elements that cross history effectively. This straightforward story is also a simple transition into a standalone fiction book. The characters are well defined and the plot is definitive creating a positive reading experience for the young reader.