Gr 7-12-- The story of Isabel Pacay and of Guatemala, a country torn by internal conflicts. As Mayan Indians living in this rapidly changing and often dangerous society, the Pacays attempt to reconcile ancient beliefs and social values with modern Christianity, education, and evolving attitudes about women. Isabel, the oldest child, wants to be a teacher as well as a wife and mother, a combination that is unheard of in her village. Other events emphasize the conflict between the old and new ways of life. Due to the unstable political conditions, some local men have ``disappeared,'' been killed, or been taken prisoner. Isabel's father tells his family the safest course is to say nothing to any stranger. When the folk healer cannot cure her mother's illness, however, Isabel longs to talk to a young American who has come to the village offering medical assistance. Castaneda does not sensationalize the dangers the Parays face daily; instead, their fear is depicted as just another part of their lives. Isabel is a multifaceted character, a smart girl who respects and cares for her family, but also one who wants more for herself. Although her culture is different from the typical American's, readers will readily relate to the universal feeling of not fitting in. An excellent introduction to the Guatamalan/Mayan lifestyle, especially if used with nonfiction titles such as Ashabranner's Children of the Maya (Dodd, 1986), and Jenness and Kroeber's A Life of Their Own: An Indian Family in Latin America (Crowell, 1975). --Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, County of Henrico Public Library--Fairfield Area Library, Richmond, VA

Rich in historical detail, with characters who emerge to become real people, this story set in the mid-nineteenth-century encompasses three years in the life of Lyddie Worthen, a young Vermont farm girl who goes to work in the factories of Lowell, Massachusetts. A superb story of grit, determination, and personal growth.

In 1843, three years after her father abandons his failing Vermont farm, 10-year-old Lyddie and her younger brother Charles are hired out as servants, while Mama and the two youngest children go off to live with relatives. After spending a grueling year working in a tavern, Lyddie flees to Lowell, Mass., in hopes of finding a better job that will provide enough income to pay off farm debts and allow the family to be reunited. Life continues to be a struggle after she is employed in a cloth factory, but Lyddie finds refuge from wretched working conditions by burying herself in books. Learning that she cannot return home--the family farm has been sold to Quaker neighbors--the girl is seized by a burning desire to gain independence by attending college. Readers will sympathize with Lyddie's hardships and admire her determination to create a better life for herself. Paterson ( The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks ) clearly depicts the effects of poverty during the 19th century, focusing on the plight of factory workers enslaved by their dismal jobs. Impeccably researched and expertly crafted, this book is sure to satisfy those interested in America's industrialization period. Ages 10-14. (Mar.)