To Dance At The Palais Royale - Softcover

McNaughton, Janet

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0006395414 ISBN 13: 9780006395416

Publisher: HarperTrophy, 2006

Synopsis

The bewitching story of Aggie, a 17-year-old Scottish girl who comes to Canada in 1928 to work as a domestic servant in a wealthy Toronto home, won numerous
literary awards when it was first published almost 10 years ago. To Dance at thePalais Royale captured the following honours:
· The Violet Downey Book Award, IODE National Chapter
· The Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction
· Ann Connor Brimer Award
· Mr. Christie’s Book Award Finalist
· Canadian Library Association Honour Book
This wonderful portrayal of a young woman’s coming of age, set against life in Toronto’s jazz era, is now poised to capture the hearts of a new generation ofyoung girls.

About this title

About the Author:

JANET McNAUGHTON is the multi-award-winning author of many books, including The Secret Under My Skin, An Earthly Knight and her most recent novel, Dragon Seer, which was shortlisted for the prestigious TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, as well as both the CLA Young Adult Book Award and the Book of the Year for Children Award. McNaughton lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland, with her family. Visit her online at www.janetmcnaughton.ca.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 7 Up-In 1928, Aggie Maxwell, 17, leaves her home in Scotland to join her sister in domestic service in Toronto. Although eager to help free her family from a life of backbreaking poverty in a small coal-mining town, the teen feels uncertain and fearful. Her sister Emma, an abrupt and critical young woman, offers little comfort. Aggie does find some relief from her loneliness in a friendship with her employer's son and one of his female companions, but this friendship is complicated by the rigid class distinctions that separate them. Eventually, she meets Rachel Mendorfsky, a young Jewish immigrant in need of an English tutor. The two young women share secrets, jokes, and memories of their homelands, but their friendship is threatened by Emma's intolerance. Torn from Rachel, Aggie once again finds herself alone. However, this time her loneliness is not born of circumstances, but of a choice to stand by her beliefs. This growing confidence allows her to respond to the attentions of Will Collins, a young construction worker. As Aggie's family is reunited, she and Will prepare to begin a new life together. Although Emma and some of the other secondary characters seem slightly one-dimensional, the main characters are convincingly drawn. The story has a good balance between accuracy and excitement. McNaughton's images are vividly realistic while still communicating the romance and gentility of days gone by. Liberal doses of social commentary enhance the plot and add depth to what is already an engaging coming-of-age tale.-Kelly P. Kingrey, Sabine Parish Library, Many, LA

Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperTrophy
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0006395414
• ISBN 13: 9780006395416
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 252