Looking For Me in this great big family by Besty Rosenthal
From Goodreads: One of 12 siblings growing up in depression-era Baltimore, Edith isn’t quite sure of who she is. Between working at her father’s diner, taking care of her younger siblings, and living in the shadow of her more mature sisters, Edith feels lost in a sea of siblings. When a kind teacher encourages Edith to be a teacher herself one day, Edith sees prospects for a future all her own.
Looking For Me was such an enjoyable book. Edith is a really likable girl who seems to get short shrift in her family. It’s a memoir in verse of Betsy’s mother’s childhood growing up in a very large Jewish family. Edith really struggles to find her place and make her parents see her. There are also a lot of expectations put on her. She helps care for all the younger children because she is “the little mother”. This is a role she doesn’t necessarily mind, but she also resents having it be expected of her and having it be the only role her family sees her in. She also must work in the family restaurant after school everyday until nearly midnight. But she’s usually a happy kid with good perspective.
I am always looking for books that feature Jews, but not the holocaust. Why are all books with Jews about the holocaust?! Here the family is loud and boisterous and always short on money. They run a diner and barely keep a lid on all their children in the best possible way (I sort of imagine my dad’s childhood was a little like this, actually, running a bit feral with all his siblings). Their faith doesn’t play into the book too much, which I appreciated in that I am not looking for Jewish Books, but books with people who happen to be Jewish. Where the Judaism infuses their lives, but isn’t front and center.
A warning, one of Edith’s younger brothers dies. It’s a bit dramatic, but not detailed or gory. He comes down with what, at the time, was a fairly common childhood disease (I’m sorry I can’t remember what it is right now) and is whisked off to the hospital.
While appropriate for an elementary library, it seems better suited to middle schoolers who are really grappling with who they are. I think I have a few fifth graders who might enjoy this and they could certainly read it, I just worry that these glimpses into everyday life are not quite what they willingly pick up. I would give it to fans of Marilyn Nelson’s How I Discovered Poetry. Both are memoirs in verse and feature themes of self discovery. This would make a great addition to a classroom library as well. And I hate to give it the kiss of death, but it would be a good class read. I’m still undecided on whether or not I will purchase for our library.
athomelibrarian 