Agnes May Gleason: WALSENBURG, COLORADO, 1932 (American Diaries) [Paperback]

Kathleen Duey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1998 | Series: American Diaries (Book 11)

Walsenburg, Colorado -- June 6, 1933

Money! Is that all I ever think about? I will be so glad when these hard times are over.

Now that her older brother Ralph has left home, Agnes has to work harder than ever on her family's struggling dairy farm. But can she do a good enough job to please her demanding father?

When her father's accident leaves Agnes in charge, she has to decide whether to obey her parents and dump a whole day's worth of milk or take a chance that will save them precious money and keep their customers happy. When things go wrong, Agnes does her best, but will her bold plans make her father proud -- or angry?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-A swiftly moving novel set in small-town Colorado during the Great Depression. Twelve-year-old Agnes, her parents, and her younger brother and sister all do their part to keep the family dairy going as they struggle to make up for the loss of the oldest son who has run away to greener fields. Duey works in the mundane details of operating a small dairy and admirably conveys the emotional strain a family feels as bankruptcy looms over them. She also keeps the pages turning as events unfold in an almost melodramatic way: Mr. Gleason steps on a nail and has to go into town to the doctor; an elderly neighbor calls for help birthing a recalcitrant calf; and, when Agnes's parents must remain away overnight to tend to her father's injury, the girl decides that she and her siblings can bottle up and deliver the evening's milk with the wagon. Ingenuity and spunk almost turn into disaster when the horses get away from the children and gallop toward the center of town. Duey keeps Agnes's characterization in the forefront, even when the plot seems a bit too exciting to be likely. Add to this the unusual setting and well-drawn minor characters, and the result is a solid addition to historical-fiction collections.-
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Children's Book Review These exciting stories...are wonderful examples of how engrossing historical fiction can be in the hands of a writer who treats the past not only with respect, but imagination. -- Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (October 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689823290
• ISBN-13: 978-0689823299
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,044,178 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I have published over 80 books for children of all ages and YA/Adult readers. Many have won state and national awards and all of them have brought me the kind of fan mail that writers love to get.

Two from today's email (Jan 27 11)
Dear Ms. Duey,

I am 8 years old and I live in Catalonia (Spain). I just finished reading your book "Moonsilver" with my mom, and I really liked it. I want to ask you, what was your dream in 3rd grade? I'm asking you because at the end of the book, it says that the series of the Unicorn's Secret books is based on a dream you had in 3rd grade. I am in third grade right now, so I'm really curious!!!
Please tell me

(writer's name)



Dear Ms. Duey,

I loved your book the Unicorn's Secret. Me and my mom read it together. I like your books because I like unicorns and your story was very exciting. I like to draw unicorns. They are one of my favorite animals. I have two stuffed animal unicorns. One is named Sparkle. I sleep with her every night. Did you always want to be a writer? Have you ever seen a real unicorn? I am in 1st grade. I love to read. When I grow up I want to be a animal trainer and I want to train unicorns if I can find one.

LOVE , (writer's name)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YA readers are writing a lot, too. Most say something like this one:

I have been waiting for the third book in Skin Hunger trilogy forever. Ok not forever but it feels like it. When is it coming out? How long will you make me wait? I love these books and am really needing to know what happens to Sadima and Hahp!!!!!


I know, me, too. Please read below.
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If it is later than 6:30am PST, I am probably writing, even if I am on an airplane. I might be working on a faerie book or writing about unicorns for grade school kids, or I could be lost in something dark, detailed, and strange for YA/adult readers. The third book in the Resurrection of Magic Trilogy is dragging me through the woods. I am working on it every day, and am Skying instead of traveling to schools and libraries until I get it DONE. It's taking wild amazing turns and I love it.

If I am not working...I might be answering readers who contact me through my website: http://www.kathleenduey.com Thanks to everyone who gets in touch with me on Facebook, my blog, http://kathleenduey.blogspot.com/, Twitter, and all the other ways to reach me. I can't keep up anymore, but I try to answer questions and I send out signed bookplates when I can. It means so much to know that you like my books.

I appear at schools, bookstores, and teach at writers' conferences nationwide and internationally. There is a schedule on my website and I try to keep it current.
And more and more... I Skype. It's a wonderful way to meet readers in classrooms and at libraries, I love to drop in on book clubs and critique groups, then get back to work!

Book news: The Unicorn's Secret books are getting lovely new covers by Sandara Tang, an amazing artist based in Singapore. The fan mail astounds me.
Sandara is the cover artist for the new kid's series The Faerie's Promise, too. Excerpts from all my books are on http://www.kathleenduey.com

YA NOVEL ONLINE/IN PROGRESS: RUSSET fans: http://russet-one-wing.blogspot.com/
I am accumulating entries and will tag you all when there is more to read. Give me your contact info and I will add you to the alert list. kathleenduey at earthlink dot net

The third book of my YA/adult trilogy is in the works now. I don't have a release date yet because I still writing like MAD. But it will be ASAP, I promise. The story is taking amazing turns and dragging me through the woods the way the first two did. Thanks!!!! to the thousands of people asking when it will come out.

You have no idea how happy that makes me.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great new book in the American Diaries series., September 24, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Agnes May Gleason: WALSENBURG, COLORADO, 1932 (American Diaries) (Paperback)

Agnes May Gleason is almost thirteen, and she's living on her family's dairy farm near Walsenburg, Colorado, in 1933. Life has been hard for her family since the Depression started, and now Aggie's father has injured himself. When he must go to the hospital, Aggie is left alone to run the dairy with only her ten year old sister, Mary, and seven year old brother, Charles. If only her older brother Ralph hadn't left home! But it's up to Agnes now to make decisions, and pray that everything goes right. I highly reccomend this book.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A story about a girl living on a dairy farm in 1933., August 5, 2000

By 

Rebecca Herman (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Agnes May Gleason: WALSENBURG, COLORADO, 1932 (American Diaries) (Paperback)

When Agnes May Gleason's father is injured working on the family dairy farm, her mother must take him to the hospital, leaving Agnes charge. Things were already difficult because of the Depression, and now Agnes's parents tells them to dump the day's milk. They can't afford to do that with these hard times, and Agnes decides to disobey her parents and make the deliveries with the help of her little brother and sister. This was an inspiring story about a girl during a difficult time in this country's history and how she overcomes difficulties to help her family.