The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz

The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz
  1. Bibliography
Schlitz, Laura Amy. The Hired Girl. Candlewick Press, 2017. ISBN 0763694509.
  1. Plot Summary
Fed up with the mistreatment and being overworked by her father and older brothers,
Joan decides to run away in search of a large house that she can find work as a maid.
Shortly off the train, in Baltimore, Joan stumbles upon Mr. Solomon, who offers her a job
in his family’s home. Joan takes Mr. Solomon up on his offer and finds herself in the midst
of a kind and loving family.  

  1. Critical Analysis
The juxtaposition between the wealthy Jewish family, the Rosenbachs, and the
Catholic religion of Joan is very fascinating. Joan is constantly asking the other
housekeeper ,Malka, questions about the Jewish religion.

 This is a coming of age story, in which Joan( or Janet) escapes from a difficult
home life and takes control of her circumstances. Joan learns  to fend for herself
and is able to discover who she is and what she stands for. 

This story is set up as journal entries Joan makes in her journal. Because of this
style of writing, readers are able to better understand Joan’s experiences through
her point of view. The reader is able to get to know Joan in a more intimate way, as
she reveals what is truly on her mind. 
  1. Review Excerpts
  • Winner of the 2016 Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction
  • 2016 Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Award Winner
  • The beauty of this novel is that it dares to go beyond the school-is-cruel and
paranormal-dystopian-romance conventions and lets its adolescent heroine think on the
page about what makes a human being whole: art, love, faith, education, family, friendship.
—The New York Times Book Review
  1. Connections

  • Try holding a discussion over the roles of men and women during the early 1900s.
Ie. men went to work and provided for their family, while the women stayed home
and cooked, cleaned, and took care of the children. 

  • Also, try leading students in a discussion between the wealthy class and the poorer
class during the early 1900s. These are important themes found in this book. 

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