The Farmerettes

A wonderful historical novel! With typical American egocentrism, I don't know much about Canadian war efforts during WWII. I found Gisela Tobien Sherman's storytelling prowess to be more than sufficient to overcome my ignorance and have me enthralled from the first chapters right up until the end!

I enjoyed this new look into WWII as teen girls come together to work the land as farmerettes. I really enjoyed this novel as it opened up my world to what some teens did to help the war efforts and I enjoyed the relationships that were built inside these pages. Coming from all walks of life and for all different types of reasons, these girls signed up to work the fields to help the war effort in 1942. Some arriving in white dresses and others arrive in pants and t-shirts, some of these girls have no idea what they were walking into. From their first day there, new adventures and discoveries await them. A bond is formed between a group of six of these girls which tighten as the days grow longer and this is the story the novel captures. Each of the girls has a story to tell and some of them were more vocal than others but by the time the novel is over, you know their story and you don’t want the season to end and have the girls go their separate ways. Romance is in the air as the girls step away from their mother’s drawstrings and they are now surrounded by their peers. Excitement about a new romance with the boys near the farm or fear of what could evolve from the war and their beaus bring these girls even closer together. Its war and it is affecting everyone. Their bond is close but yet they’re still teens and they feel vulnerable for failure as they want to project a perfect life, it’s a hard standard to live by. Their stories are captivating, such honesty and strength they pulled from within and from each other. Finding free time, they are able to escape their farm life and live, leaving me laughing and glad that they had found each other and found friendship in the least likely place. 4.5 stars

I received this novel from NetGalley and Second Story Press in exchange for an honest review.

the writing was fantastic, and I loved the characters. At the beginning it was very hard to keep track of all the characters, but once the story progressed they became a dynamic group. The plot was not riveting, but the characters made this book excellent.

The Farmerettes by Gisela Tobien Sherman is one of the strongest YA historicals I have read in an age. It knits together the experiences of 6 young women during a memorable summer. It's 1943 and while the men are at war, the women on the homefront are charged with keeping things running: the farms and fields, the food and rations as the nation supports the faraway conflict.
A steady and well-told coming-of-age story, Sherman paints each experience with a competent pen and the characters spring to life. I loved this snapshot of an experience not always explored in fiction--especially fiction for teens. To add, this book features strong female friendship: something else I love seeing in fiction.

[review copy: Second Story Press]

I love historical fiction that pulls me in and keeps me engaged; this book did not disappoint. Reading about these girls who came together to farm during the war was absolutely delightful. I could not put it down.