Once Upon A Time Bookstore | 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020 | (818) 248-9668 | Maureen@onceupona.com
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Could there be a better young adult historical fiction storyteller than Stacey Lee? The Downstairs Girl rings with honesty about the plight of Jo Kwan, living in Atlanta in 1890 in an abandoned basement below an unsuspecting family that runs one of the town's newspapers. Jo becomes the unseen advice columnist "Dear Miss Sweetie" as she uses her considerable wit to answer letters - all the while working as a maid to a privileged and cruel teen. Romance, racial inequities and family squabbles all result in Lee's outstanding development into a glimpse of Atlanta's storied genteelness. This is a sure winner!
(YA Historical Fiction, ages 12+) - Reviewed by Maureen
