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Description[]

Francie is a historical fiction novel written by Karen English, and published in 1999. It is set during the Truman administration (1945–1953).

12-year-old Francie lives with her mother and younger brother, Prez, in rural Alabama, where all three work and wait. Francie's father is trying to get settled in Chicago so he can move his family up North. Unfortunately, he's made promises he hasn't kept, and Francie painfully learns that her dreams of starting junior high school in an integrated urban classroom will go unfulfilled.

Amid the day-to-day grind of working odd jobs for wealthy white folks on the other side of town, Francie becomes involved in helping a framed young black man to escape arrest — a brave gesture, but one that puts the entire black community in danger. In this vivid portrait of a girl in the pre-Civil Rights era South, first-time novelist Karen English completes Francie's world using lively vernacular and a wide array of flesh-and-blood characters.

Reader's Reviews[]

1[]

This book was AMAZING! I almost cried. It truly is a brilliant book it even won an award. I can honestly say if you come out and say you didn't LOVE this book! You'd be down-right crazy.

2[]

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Parental Guidance[]

  • Reading Age: 11+
  • Reading Aloud Age: 10+

In the book there are references to a lot of things or words you may not know. Also, once the word "retarded" is mentioned in the book but at the time this book took place (during the Truman administration) it was normal and not mean to call someone like that.

If you like this you might like[]

  • Other books written by Karen English.

External Links[]

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