The Green Coat: A Tale from the Dust Bowl Years [Paperback]

Rosemary McDunn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2007

The universal appeal of The Green Coat is due to Mrs. McDunn's mastery of historical events, excellent dialogue, rich characters, and her tribute to the human spirit. Young readers are captivated by the harrowing events in which Tressa and older brother Will find themselves while adults are drawn to the emphasis of such traits as perseverance and loyalty. "The Green Coat" is a wonderful family book as well as a great classroom book.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Even though written for young people, I would rate this novel an excellent read for any age. The characters are real and multi-dimensional, and the historical details are vibrant and descriptive. I could almost feel the gritty dust between my teeth as I read about the dust storms. It is convincingly told from the point of view of a twelve-year-old girl, who is able to surmount her own very real suffering and grow in compassion and concern for others. I would recommend it very highly for children, both as an entertaining story and an educational tool for teaching history. --An Amazon Customer

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Bezalel Books; Revised edition (April 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979225876
• ISBN-13: 978-0979225871
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #311,696 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Fiction - Educational and Entertaining, April 25, 2007

By 

Lisa M. Hendey "Mom, Blogger, Podcaster, Author" (Fresno, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Green Coat: A Tale from the Dust Bowl Years (Paperback)

One of the most fantastic ways to teach children about history is through the art of storytelling. Topics which may appear dry and uninteresting in a textbook can truly come to life if they are conveyed with character and style.

The Green Coat: A Tale from the Dust Bowl Years is doubly successful as a work of fiction in that it instructs about an important period in our country's history while sharing a story that is both heartwarming and inspirational. This novel by first time author and Michigan educator Rosemary McDunn will appeal to a broad audience ranging from middle school readers to adults.

Set in the 1930s in the Great Plains state of North Dakota, The Green Coat introduces us in its earliest pages to twelve year old Tressa Bauer. Hailing from the humble farming town of Dazey, Tressa appears to be a bit of a "Daddy's girl". What her family lacks in financial resources, they seem to make up for in familial bonds.

But shortly after the celebration of her twelfth birthday, Tressa is forced to deal with some very grown up news - owing to losses suffered from a lingering drought, her parents are on the verge of losing the family farm. As auctioneers eventually sell all of their land and property, Tressa's parents are forced to make a horrible decision in order to survive.

Tressa and her older brother Will, the two youngest of the four Bauer siblings, are sent to live in the home of Doctor Heileman near Fargo, ninety miles from the place her parents have found jobs and temporary shelter. Upon her arrival in the Heileman home, Tressa must deal with her new reality. In exchange for their room and board, Tressa and Will become domestic servants in a formerly genteel home that has been ravaged by dust storms. Tressa quickly realizes that the mentally ill Mrs. Heileman is unable to cope with her domestic duties or care for her two year old son, Ben. In addition, Tressa must contend with Claire, the Heileman's daughter who is near Tressa's age but is unkind to her from the start. Tressa longs for nothing more than to leave this place and be reunited with her parents.

"I didn't sleep that night. I swayed between silent fits of rage and fear gripped me so hard that my breathing became labored. Why would God do this to us? I wondered. Ma always said God had a plan. What kind of cruel plan is this?"

While readers of all ages will be drawn to the storyline and personalities presented in The Green Coat, teachers of middle school readers should specifically consider using the text to compliment language arts and social studies curricula. Author McDunn, an experienced educator, has provided an excellent educational resource at the conclusion of the book. For each chapter, a broad cross section of vocabulary words and relevant reflection and discussion questions are provided. An additional section looks at effective tools of figurative language and provides a "treasure hunt" for young readers to spot examples of this literary technique.

A quite stream of spirituality runs throughout The Green Coat as Tressa develops an active prayer life, calling on God to help her overcome what she feels are insurmountable obstacles. Ultimately, Tressa learns to draw on her own reserves of strength to endure and ultimately triumph in her newfound circumstances. What follows is a wonderful coming of age tale where life lessons are learned, tragedies are overcome, and lifelong friendships are forged. The relationships at the center of The Green Coat, those between Tressa and her brother Will and between the two siblings and a young married couple also in great need of healing, make this book a wonderful journey. Along the way, readers young and old will learn about customs and circumstances in a part of our history that differ greatly from today's world. For its wonderful character development, compelling plot, and attention to historical detail, I give The Green Coat my highest recommendation.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heartwarming Story for All Ages!, July 20, 2006

By 

Patty Hopcian (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Green Coat: A Tale from the Dust Bowl Years (Paperback)

History comes alive and captures our hearts in Rosemary McDunn's novel, The Green Coat. Glimpses of life during the Dust Bowl era of the 1930's are skillfully woven into the tale of a family devastated by its fury. The reader journeys with twelve year old Tressa, who, along with her brother, are forced to be separated from their parents. Though struggling with fear and loneliness, Tressa finds a deep inner strength to meet the many challenges she faces at a young age. The story is colored with wonderful detail and descriptive language that make it educational and inspiring. Readers of all ages will truly enjoy this heartwarming story, and find it to be a tribute to the power of the human spirit.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A hearwarming tale of family struggles, July 19, 2006

By 

J. Berger (Woodbridge, Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Green Coat: A Tale from the Dust Bowl Years (Paperback)

Ms. McDunn's wonderful tale of a young brother and sister that were sent away from home for financial reasons tugs at the heart. Ms. McDunn's literary style creates vivid images of life during the most trying times in midwest American history and re-ignites a yearning for the family values of self-sacrifice and action for the common good that are often missing in modern families. This book is an excellent read for both middle school readers and adults. Ms. McDunn, please tell us more about these remarkable siblings.