Diary of a Waitress
The Not-So-Glamorous Life of a Harvey Girl
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4.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
A young working girl comes of age in the American West in this “fast and interesting” historical novel for fans of the Dear America and American Girl series (School Library Journal)
In 1926, droves of Americans traveled by train across the United States to visit the West. They ate at Harvey Houses, where thousands of well-trained waitresses provided first-class service. The Waitresses: The Journal of a Harvey Girl tells the first-person story of one spunky girl, Kitty Evans, as she faces the often funny and painful experiences she and fellow waitresses Cordelia and Emmy endure. As Kitty writes about her escapades, a loveable teenager emerges; she embraces adventure, independence, her position as a Harvey Girl, and a freelance writing career.
In this fast-paced novel, best-selling author Carolyn Meyer, who has visited and researched several Harvey Hotels, brings together an unforgettable heroine with the universal themes of friendship, identity, and young love.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A suitable fit for American Girl series graduates, this diary-style historical novel follows the adventures of independent-minded 16-year-old Katherine "Kitty" Evans, who sets off on her own in 1926. It comes as a blow to Kitty when her parents announce that they don't have the funds to send her to college to pursue her dream of becoming a journalist. Instead of following her father's wishes for her to sell shoes, Kitty applies for and obtains a position as a "Harvey Girl," waitressing in one of the famous Harvey House restaurants situated in railroad towns across the West. The work is much more rigorous than Kitty imagined, and the rules of conduct for Harvey Girls is very strict. Still, Kitty finds time to make friends and absorb local culture while stationed in Kansas and New Mexico, never losing sight of her goal to be a writer. Kitty's diary entries express her growing confidence, her journalist's eye for detail, and her love of fun, and b&w period photographs bring additional ambiance to Meyer's (Beauty's Daughter) colorful portrait of a working girl. Ages 10 up.
