The Keeping Days

I’ve loved this book since I first read it in 6th grade, 30+ years ago. I even named my first child Bronwyn, after one of the characters. Beautifully written; highly recommend.

I read this book when I was in middle school and then gave it (and it's sequel, "Glory in the Flower") to my own daughter when she turned 12. Now I am ordering it for my niece on the occassion of her 12th birthday. This is the story of a family in Yonkers, New York, at the turn of the last century. Althought circumstances have changed a great deal in the past hundred years, human nature, needs and nuances have not and the author beautifully captures the hopes and fears of young women on the verge of their lives as she describes the daily comings and goings of Tish, her sisters and brothers. I actually named my first child after one of the characters in this story (the other got her name from "And Ladies of the Club," but that is the topic for another review!) If you are looking for thoughtful, thought provoking, realistic quality piece of literature, look no further.

I never enjoyed reading as a child, but found this book to be so engaging and heart felt. I couldn't wait for each of the books in the series to come out. If you can get a hold of them I would highly recommend it! I always felt these books would make a wonderful television series (if they kept with the integrity of the books).

The entire series is wonderful, and its a crime that they are out of print. "Keeping Days" and "Flower" are on a lot of school reading lists, and rightfully so. Ranks right up there with the "Little House" series-Tish Sterling is a wonderful heroine!

Handles coming of age more realistically than Little Women, and much more intelligently than the modern teenage series. I don't know how Johnston remembered what it's like when everyone else forgets, but The Keeping Days, its sequel Glory in the Flower, and also the Johnston's Bridget Vandever books spoke directly to me when I was about 12 or 13. It's comforting when *someone* else in the world goes through the same things, even if she is fictional.

This novel, and its sequel, Glory in the Flower, spoke deeply to me when I was 14 (a scant 6 years ago), and are still worth reading. It is compelling without melodrama and familial without schmaltz. Buy this for any bat mitzvah, confirmation, or junior high graduation. Better than Little Women, even.