Emily Makes a Difference: A Time of Progress and Problems

Reviewed by Genna Chatel (age 8) for Reader Views (9/08) "Emily Makes a Difference" is about a girl who is trying to learn to be a young lady, but Emily makes mistakes. Emily is a good-spirited person and she wants to help the poor. She learns that being a lady can be as hard as helping others. This was a fun book because Emily always gets in trouble and falls over things. There are also some sad parts in the book. I learned some things too. In the 1890s, there were a lot of new things like: trains and railways, cars, electricity, the Pledge of Allegiance and World's Fair, banks and bank runs, stock markets and investing. I also learned about some people in history like Thomas Edison and Houdini. My favorite part in this book was learning about scientists in 1893. My mom and I read it together and we talked about all these things and people. I would recommend this book to artists, scientists and people who are interested in the old days. Mom's note: This book is recommended for ages 8-12. Genna is only 8. We read it aloud together. I'm not sure, Genna would have been able to read it alone, not because of the language, but because of the difficult concepts such as the stock market. However, reading it together was a wonderful experience because "Emily Makes a Difference" by Joann A. Grote opened up discussions about all these topics.

The year is 1893. Twelve-year-old Emily Allerton, the daughter of a doctor, is a prominent member of society in Minneapolis; unfortunately, her clumsiness and constant mistakes and mishaps make her seem like nothing more than your typical commoner, and drive her mother up the wall. Emily, however, is unconcerned about her behavior. The only thing she can possibly think about is visiting Chicago's World Fair with her best friend and cousin, Ted Keller. The summer couldn't be dragging by slowly enough. In the past, Emily and Ted were content with spending their days reading, exploring the town that they have grown to love, and visiting friends, but this summer is different. At the end of July they'll embark on a trip to Chicago's World Fair. And when the day finally comes, the excitement can be felt miles away. At Chicago's World Fair, the cousins have the opportunity to see all the new technology that will soon be entering their lives - from automobiles to trains that go 100 miles per hour, and so much more. Each day is full of education, learning, fun, and food. But perhaps the most important thing the two see is not while they are at Chicago's World Fair, but, rather, in their own town when they arrive back home. The economy has slowed down considerably over the past few months, resulting in bank runs, and thousands of people losing their jobs. Suddenly, people of all ages are finding themselves homeless and hungry. Emily can't bear to stand seeing these innocent people suffering, and just knows that God wants her to do something to assist those in need. The only problem is that she has no idea how she, a twelve-year-old, can do something to help so many people. It is only when she uses the very spiritedness and energy that her mother constantly admonishes, that Emily's brain begins working faster, and putting together the tools that she'll need to make a change - with a little help from Ted, and a new friend named Erik. A few year's ago I read JoAnn A. Grote's ANNA'S FIGHT FOR HOPE, and enjoyed it considerably, so I was very excited to delve into another one of her SISTERS IN TIME books. EMILY MAKES A DIFFERENCE continues Grote's journey through history. Emily is a fun character, whose clumsiness actually makes her more enchanting, as it illustrates a flaw that is extremely relatable. I don't feel that we ever get the chance to view her as more than skin deep, however, perhaps because the spotlight is often stolen by her cousin, Ted; so, even though I enjoyed her character, in a way, I feel as if I didn't get to know her as much as I would have liked. The backdrop of Chicago's World Fair was intoxicating, though I found it overwhelming at times - which, I'm sure, those who attended Chicago's World Fair felt as well. The inclusion of such historical greats as Edison, and Susan B. Anthony, among others, was an interesting addition to the story, and truly peaks the readers interest. At times, I found the constant scoldings Emily received from h