Really enjoyed this book. Great plot and engaging, believe characters. I was drawn right into the story. Would definitely recommend.

This was a sweet and easy read with an ending that brought wrapped everything and topped it with a bow! The characters were well-crafted but I think what really worked for this story is the dialogues in different accents which made the characters feel more realistic. The cultural differences between Miriam and Cissy were also well-explored and I think overall this was a solid middle-grade historical fiction!

I ultimately did not finish this book because the writing felt too young for me to keep interested in it, but from what I read I believe that this book will appeal to younger readers. This is also a good book to get young girls reading.

This book was sweet and uncomplicated. Deals gently with poignant themes of culture and friendship, and resolves everything without any need to resort to less than pure happiness for the ending.

Miriam has a secret, but if she tells anyone then she could get her new friend Cissy in trouble and most likely sent to an orphanage. In Miriam's Secret Debby Waldman introduces the friendship of two young girls learning about each others lives and beliefs. However, Miriam is not supposed to tell anyone about her new friends living conditions, but Miriam knows that the right thing to do is to help her friend by telling her Bubby and Zayde the truth about Cissy. A nice middle grade story about new friendships, learning to help each other and getting along despite different customs and beliefs.

I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Miriam's Secret is a tale of a young Jewish girl sent to live with her granparents. There she meets an orphan named Cassie. This is a book that will appeal to all ages and is well written.

This book will stay with you for years to come. Miriam is so sweet and kind and curious and Cissy is so spunky and cute yo just want to give them big hugs. I loved the writing, the plot, and the characters and I know readers of any age will love this book.
Highly recommend
5 Stars

I requested Miriam's Secret by Debby Waldman for my granddaughter in the 5th grade since she loves to read anything she can get her hands on. After she told me she finished the book I asked her how she liked it. "Grandpaw she said it was wonderful and a great book. She said it kept her interested to the end and would like to read more about Miriam's adventures. " So thanks Net Galley for the book. By the way I asked her how many stars she would give the book being the more the better and she said "To the moon Grandpaw, to the moon"

Miriam's Secret

by Debby Waldman

Orca Book Publishers

Historical Fiction , Middle Grade

Pub Date 17 Oct 2017

I am reviewing a copy of Miriam's Secret through Orca Book Publisher and Netgalley:

In 1930 Upstate New York Miriam is living with her grandparents who provide for her well, but she really has no playmates except for the kittens who were born in the barn. Before she had come to her grandparents farm she had lived in Brooklyn. In Brooklyn Miriam was in the sixth grade but at the farm she had school in the kitchen.

Soon Miriam discovers there is more than animals in the barn, but also a girl named Cissy. Cissy was orphaned after she lost her Mother and ran away so she didn't have to go to an orphanage.

Cissy and Miriam become fast friends, Miriam teaches Cissy about the Seder, and Passover. Soon Cissy realizes she has nothing to fear from Miriam's Grandparents when they welcome her to Seder dinner.

Miriam's Secret is a beautiful story of friendship and acceptance.

Five out of five stars.

Happy Reading!

After reading the first chapter, I felt as board as Miriam. I'm used to reading American Girl stories and didn't find this very interesting

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review!





I really enjoyed this middle-grade story about a Jewish girl spending time with her grandparents (her parents went to Europe to pick Miriam's uncle and cousins up and bring them to America). This is a historical fiction set in the time of the Great Depression, but the historical or economical background isn't emphasised - it's enough for the reader (child) to know that WWII is just around the corner to get the sense of things.

The first few chapters serve as an introduction to the main characters and Bubby and Zayde (grandma and grandpa), and their farm. Things start heating up when Miriam meets Cecilia, or Cissy, who is hiding in the barn loft. They quickly become fast friends, and their interactions were really fun to read - I especially liked the aspect of cultural exchange. Miriam and Cissy had different opinions and didn't see eye to eye about everything, but that didn't lessen their friendship; if anything, it made their bond stronger. The religious rhetoric was excellently executed - both girls put forward intriguing questions, and the whole religious overlay didn't have a preaching tone, nor did it put one religion above the other.

The novel carries a nice message about the importance of friendship, truth, and tolerance.

I enjoy historical fiction, and this sweet novel is great for middle grade children. It tells the story of Miriam, a young Jewish girl from Brooklyn, who has to stay with her Grandparents in the country during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Miriam's grandparents are constantly taking on farmhands, and Miriam's chats and learns about these men's histories as they work, and writes letters to her friends back in Brooklyn about her experiences. It seems like an almost idyllic existence, untroubled by the surrounding depression, until Cissy, a girl the same age as Miriam, turns up in the hayloft.

I enjoyed the relationship between Miriam, Cissy and Joe. I felt the novel was able to express the complex relationships and the hard times these people were facing in the sensitive way, that was also easy to explain to younger readers. It also handled the issue of Miriam's religion well - being Jewish was just a part of Miriam's character, but didn't define it. I liked the inclusion of some of the Jewish stories that Miriam tells Cissy and Joe too, and felt this was a good introduction for people such as myself, as well as a younger audience who may not be familiar with these stories.

I thought that this was a nice story with a great message about friendship, no matter what your religion, which is such a valid and important point to make in today's climate. The only reason this gets three stars is the lack of depth I sometimes felt in some of the characters aside from Miriam and Cissy, but this shouldn't distract from what really is a great story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* 'Miriam's Secret' is a sweet story that would be enjoyed by students in upper primary school. It tells the story of a young Jewish girl from Brooklyn, Miriam, who has to go and stay with her grandparents out in the country, whilst her parents are travelling to Europe. The book is set at the height of the Great Depression and Miriam's grandparents constantly open their doors to men in search of work, food and shelter. The novel is written in a manner that is easy to be understood by younger children, but at the same time, touches on important themes such as acceptance and trust.

What were your initial thoughts on the book?
My initial thoughts about the book were that this book was a totally different style and by a totally different author to what I usually read, which means that I may not like it, but I was wrong.

I really did enjoy the book more than I thought, it is one of my very favourites, and despite it having 25 long chapters I finished it in only 2 days. I wish I had cheeked how many chapters there were so I could have savoured each sentence carefully instead of reading for hours and hours like I always do!

Who was your favourite character and why?
I have two favourite characters, Mariam and Cissy, because they are both very easy to like. They are brave, kind and funny but their lives are very different. Mariam has a great life in a warm house with food to eat whenever she is hungry however not all of us have a home, food or water and one of these people in this book is Cissy.

Mariam and Cissy might have opposite lives but that makes them perfect for each other.

Would you recommend this book?
I would recommend this book to older readers around the age 10 or readers that enjoy books set in the past.

Summarize the book in one sentence.
A nice book about unexpected friendships that you will enjoy.