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Summary
Summary
When the first star twinkles in the evening sky, Margaret squeezes her eyes shut and makes three wishes-one, for a sister; two, for a dog; and three, the most important of all, that Mama will let her study medicine. But Margaret knows it will take more than wishing on stars to change her mother's mind. "Doctoring's no kind of life for a woman," Mama says. "It's too hard and dangerous." Margaret's papa is the only doctor in the whole Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, and he works long, hard hours and faces countless perils every day. Still, Margaret holds tight to her dream...until a terrible virus breaks out, threatening Margaret's dream, her community, and, worst of all, her family. Suddenly it's up to her to make the right choice.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-A fine beginning chapter book. Margaret is the strong, smart daughter of a Vermont family doctor in 1918. She accompanies her father on his rounds as he visits neighbors and is paid for his services in chickens and apples. The 11-year-old loves to help her Papa, and wants to be a doctor when she grows up. Unfortunately, Mama does not agree that this is an attainable goal for a girl, and so discourages her daughter. The family is also affected by World War I when Uncle Owen is called into service. Margaret and her younger brother enjoy life as children, even with the news of the world and the hardships of life going on around them. The influenza epidemic, which hits their community, also brings drama to this tale. Good suspense and believable characters are the hallmarks of this short but well-written story. A good, easy choice for any collection.-JoAnn Jonas, Chula Vista Public Library, San Diego, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Sugaring, haying, and mud season are a few of the distinctive experiences the author shares with her readers as she reminisces about growing up on a Vermont family farm. Mary Azarian's vibrant woodcuts, hand tinted with watercolors, accentuate the rural aspects of these northern New England events. From HORN BOOK Fall 2002, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
In a brief episode exploring the theme of challenging gender roles that is loosely based on local history, the devastating flu epidemic of 1918 tests a Vermont child's resolution to become a country doctor like her father. Resisting her mother's insistence that it's no job for a woman, Margaret cajoles her father at last into allowing her to accompany him on house calls. She proves an able assistant-but needs all her skills and stomach later that winter when, on the way to a remote relative's with her little brother, she comes upon a farmhouse with a nearly dead dog outside, and inside only a small child shivering among the bodies of her stricken family. In a quick final chapter, Margaret grows up to achieve her heart's desire, and even to see her own little daughter show early signs of continuing the family profession. Kinsey-Warnock (Lumber Camp Library, below, etc.) folds in a subplot involving a beloved uncle who comes back from the war deeply depressed and minus an arm, slips in a snippet about Elizabeth Blackwell for further role-modeling, and closes with a historical note. Young readers will be engrossed, following this plucky but vulnerable child through a time of hardship and widespread tragedy. Illustrations not seen. (Fiction. 9-11)
Booklist Review
Gr. 2-4. Margaret's dream of becoming a doctor like her father is put to the test in 1918 in rural Vermont. Her wishes for a sister, a dog, and for Mama to allow her to study medicine are set aside when Uncle Owen is declared missing in the war in France, and a deadly flu epidemic threatens the entire state. Margaret must use her wits and what she learned from watching her father at work to protect herself and her brother and save a young girl's life. Plot driven, the short chapters read quickly, conveying the conditions of the time and place. The ending is tidy and the characterizations are superficial, but the impact of a remote war, the strong family ties, and a girl's determination to follow her dream are clearly drawn. Margaret gets her wishes along with an understanding of human nature and an affirmation of her ambition. An easy read for historical context. --Julie Cummins