In this stunning photo-documentary, Russell Freedman takes an unflinching look at America’s Great Depression and its smallest and youngest victims. Upper elementary and secondary students today, many of whom live in an atmosphere of conspicuous consumerism, cannot begin to imagine what life must have been like during this time. Scores of stark black and white photos make it abundantly clear. Freedman incorporates anecdotes and quotes from those who experienced these hard times, and, with the photos, creates multiple opportunities to discuss with youngsters this difficult time in American history. Children went unwashed, not because they were ignorant or lazy, but because water was scarce in the migrant camps. People wore ragged clothes because there were no materials available to patch them up, and certainly no money to replace them. Children died of malnutrition because there simply was no food.

Freedman covers a lot of ground, from boxcar kids (not the cute children that come to mind, but hard-luck young men and women who had no choice but to ride the rails or be a burden to their families), to the Dust Bowl and farm evictions leading to migrant work, to the movie and radio shows that attempted to bolster America’s spirits with stories of pure-hearted heroes and heroines, plucky orphans, and cliff-hanger plots. He also takes aim at the difficulties children faced in getting an education, as labor and the menial pay it afforded was more important to the family than learning to read and write.

Perhaps the most poignant of all are the excerpts from letters children wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt, explaining in plain terms the struggles they faced, and in their naivete asking her for money, books, a radio, or other simple items on their very short wish lists.

I highly recommend this 118-page book, and feel it is appropriate to a wide age-range of readers. It includes an index which refers to both text and photos. 2005 Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction

Recommended by Jane Behrens, Librarian