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A Dear America adventure set in 1871 Chicago, Bartoletti's orphan tale features the diary
of Pringle Rose―a strong female character who takes care of her younger brother who
has Down syndrome. When their hopes of shelter end on the steps of a Chicago mansion, the
siblings turn to a family they've met on the train from Pennsylvania. Pringle becomes the
governess and amidst the constant fires of a city built of wood, learns to cook, clean,
and manage a household. While she learns about the life of the worker, she begins to struggle
with her upper class beliefs. Was her father wrong? Are the workers underpaid and overworked?
Whether readers recognize the date of the Great Fire or not, the foreboding sense of
tragedy looms over the city, creating suspense in the center of Pringle's conflicting emotions.
BARTOLETTI, Susan Campbell. Down the Rabbit Hole. Scholastic. 2013. ISBN 9780545297011.
JLG Level: B+ : Upper Elementary & Junior High (Grades 5--7).