KidsBrain

Katerina’s Wish

By Jeannie Mobley

In this historical fiction book about immigrant life in a Colorado mining camp in the early 1900s, we meet Katerina, a spirited 13 year old who is struggling with the difficulty of her family’s life in America.  They came here because her father dreams of owning a farm someday but her mother believes that dreams will only let you down.  Katerina wants a farm, too, but she also misses her old life and often wishes that they had never come to America. 

 One day while doing the laundry at the river, Katerina sees a fish that reminds her of a magic fish in an old folk tale.  Could her fish be magic?  Would she be granted 3 wishes like in the folk tale? When wishes seem to be coming true, Katerina must decide what to do.  Should she use the 3^rd wish to go back home to Bohemia, or to get the farm her dad wants?

 I love the way Eastern European folk tales told by Old Jan, a neighbor, have moral lessons and are seamlessly blended with both the blossoming romance and the challenges in Katerina’s life throughout the story.  The book is well written and paints a realistic picture of life for coal mining families in the early 1900s.  The characters are well-developed and interesting, though not all are particularly nice.

I found myself completely immersed in Katerina’s world. What an engaging history lesson!  I would highly recommend this book for older elementary age children.  Happy reading!

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