The Peach Rebellion
Picking friends in a California orchard in 1936 seems as simple as picking peaches to six-year-old Ginny Rose Gilley and Peggy Simmons. Ginny Rose, daughter of an “Okie” picker, and Peggy, daughter of a peach farmer, are best friends. Through the simple lenses of children, they do not see any differences, “only each other.” In this coming-of-age novel Van Draanen provides descriptions and insights as smooth as the fine dust that covered the tragic lives of Dust Bowl migrants. She also presents, in direct contrast, the struggles of work that never ends in a farming family like Peggy’s with the social woes and loneliness experienced by Lisette Bovee, a “wealthy” banker’s daughter.
After 11 years of separation, Peggy and Ginny Rose reunite in 1946. Peggy’s new best friend, Lisette, is self-centered: one whose looks and clothes turn heads. These three girls navigate the social mine fields of dances, handsome cads, skating-rink fiascos, and class distinction. The overarching mission that Van Draanen plants firmly on the hearts of the girls is surprising and grisly, but the spunky determination and unwavering quest to calm a mother’s grieving heart gives readers hope that “young people have the power to change hearts and minds, even the world.”
Analogies soften readers’ hearts as admiration for each teen develops. Van Draanen’s “a tire is like life itself,” “grace notes in a symphony of fellowship,” and the “day was a drop of joy in a sea of misery” add a lush layer of sympathy and compassion to the emerging personalities and friendships. The birthday trip to the library and a picnic are reminders that simple joys and a thank-you are enough. The Peach Rebellion is a young adult novel with life lessons for all ages.
