Author: Jackie French Koller
Rating: ** (2 stars out of 3 possible, "B")
Recommended
Audience: 7th grade and up
Set in New York City during the Great Depression, Nothing to Fear is narrated by 13 year old Danny Garvey, a first generation Irish Catholic. His family is hit hard by the Depression and his father leaves to find work while his mother takes in laundry. Their lot in life seems mild when compared to the Riley family next door: nine children and a father in jail.
Danny is sworn to honesty and hard work while his father is gone, but the reader will still encounter the harsh difficulties of the Depression: homelessness, unemployment, violence, hunger, prejudice. Koller offers believable characters and settings, including the curmudgeonly Jewish shopkeeper who has a heart of gold and Danny's fiesty, devout Catholic mother. Danny and his family display a strong sense of honor and integrity. Mature themes include adolescence (Danny and Mickey become attracted to Kitty and Maggie Riley), alcohol abuse, domestic violence (Mr. Riley is arrested after assaulting his family). From the standpoint of these characters and situations, President Franklin's New Deal is a much-needed and anticipated improvement, but faith in God and personal diligence is at least equally valued.
Readers are taken on a difficult, but captivating journey. Several plot climaxes have the reader wondering if life can get any worse for the Garvey and Riley families. But the human spirit is nothing if not intrepid and the characters are faithful to find joy and humor in the midst of hard times. This is an excellent choice in historical fiction, with convicting examples for our own families' comparatively comfortable lifestyles.
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