Review by Booklist Review
Kitty graduates from high school in 1926 with her heart set on college. Her family can't afford it, so she takes a job as a Harvey Girl, a waitress in one of the Harvey Eating House chain restaurants serving railroad passengers in the West. Young and determined, though rather timid, Kitty finds the work difficult at first, but she enjoys the companionship of her new friends, Cordelia, an accomplished musician, and Emmy, a quiet farm girl. They work together in Emporia, Kansas, and Belén, New Mexico. Written as Kitty's diary and illustrated with period photos, the well-researched narrative is packed with period details about the Harvey Girls' daily routine, the restaurant settings, and pop culture of the day. Romantic relationships provide some drama, but overall the story is rather bland. Still, readers with an interest in the period and place, which are not well represented in historical fiction for young people, will find Kitty's story quite readable and informative.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A suitable fit for American Girl series graduates, this diary-style historical novel follows the adventures of independent-minded 16-year-old Katherine "Kitty" Evans, who sets off on her own in 1926. It comes as a blow to Kitty when her parents announce that they don't have the funds to send her to college to pursue her dream of becoming a journalist. Instead of following her father's wishes for her to sell shoes, Kitty applies for and obtains a position as a "Harvey Girl," waitressing in one of the famous Harvey House restaurants situated in railroad towns across the West. The work is much more rigorous than Kitty imagined, and the rules of conduct for Harvey Girls is very strict. Still, Kitty finds time to make friends and absorb local culture while stationed in Kansas and New Mexico, never losing sight of her goal to be a writer. Kitty's diary entries express her growing confidence, her journalist's eye for detail, and her love of fun, and b&w period photographs bring additional ambiance to Meyer's (Beauty's Daughter) colorful portrait of a working girl. Ages 10-up. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 7-10-It is 1926, and Kitty Evans is looking forward to finishing high school and going to college to become a journalist. Unfortunately, her father informs her that there isn't enough money to educate both her and her brother and that she will have to get a job. With her dreams shattered, Kitty answers a newspaper ad for a Harvey Girl. After six weeks of training, she'll be transferred to one of many Harvey restaurants located along train lines in the western United States. Little does Kitty know that the rules and expectations of a Harvey Girl are very strict. She meets some new friends including Cordelia, a debutante from Philadelphia who wears short flapper dresses and bright red lipstick, and Emmy, another girl who hopes to make money to send back to her family. Cordelia encourages the girls to try new things, Emmy reminds them of the rules, and Kitty documents it all. The narrative is told through a series of diary entries in which Kitty notes her challenges-from the job interview and telling her parents about life-changing decision to making friends and meeting all kinds of characters. Kitty records interactions with everyone from railroaders to politicians to hobos. She also has many admirers and is asked to "go for walks" and to "save a dance" at local gatherings. Meyer includes primary-source photographs throughout to illustrate the Harvey buildings and train stations, as well as local people. Kitty encounters many travelers from around the world, hearing German, Spanish, and some local slang as she travels from Kansas to New Mexico. Readers will feel connected to Kitty and her group of girlfriends and hope for their success. VERDICT A fast and interesting read about a part of history of which many readers may be unaware.-Jessica Lorentz Smith, Bend Senior High School, OR (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In 1926, sixteen-year-old Kitty finds her college dreams dashed after financial troubles. She impulsively gets a job as a Harvey Girl, a waitress in restaurants along the railroad, which takes Kitty on an adventure far from home, proving useful fodder for her budding career in journalism. Meyer's historical drama is well crafted if dull at times. An author's note is appended. Bib. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Although more than a year too young for the position, almost-17-year-old Kitty takes a job as a Harvey Girl, one of the well-trained waitresses that staffed a national restaurant chain serving rail passengers from the late-19th to mid-20th centuries.Frustrated that her father no longer has the money to send her to college, budding journalist Kitty applies on a whim, defying family expectations, to become a Harvey Girl. She's chosen along with outgoing flapper Cordelia, and after a month of rigorous training, they're sent to work at the Harvey House in Beln, New Mexico. Kitty records her experiences in her diary, sometimes in too-extensive detail. In New Mexico, she slowly develops a romantic relationship with a railroad worker, Gus, and gets to know the Latino culture of the area. As her writing skills improve, she begins to sell articlesincluded in the textto the local newspaper. Kitty does a good job of describing the personalities of her co-workers, and because she is so descriptive, the erathe late 1920sis also neatly depicted. This effort is most likely to appeal to readers who have enjoyed but outgrown the Dear America and American Girl series, but other readers may find the tale lacks sufficient tension to sustain interest through the extended narrative. A smattering of period photographs add flavor. A slowly paced and occasionally even tedious depiction of a small slice of American railroad history. (Historical fiction. 10-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
