by John Steinbeck

YA Classic Historical Fiction, 1937 by Covici Friede, 107 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

Content warning (if you haven’t read this one yet): violence, death, discrimination.
Obviously, this one is a short story. To say you’ll want more is an understatement.
The ending is emotional and difficult.

Language. Steinbeck has a gift for using exactly the right number of words. It’s not too few, but it’s exactly the right amount to keep the sentence from being rambling. He paints a picture and captures an emotion quickly and easily. It’s effortless and beautiful.
Historical accuracy. This one is amazing for the way it depicts the time period accurately. From traveling workers to discrimination and cost of living, this one is a perfect lesson in life from another time.
Characters. You can fall in love with this cast in 100 pages and think of them forever. They’re well written and realistic.

If you’ve never read this one, it’s worth a read. Heck, if you’ve read it it’s worth a revisit. I’ve read it at least 3 times now and enjoyed it every time.
If you’re looking to get into classics, this is a great place to start. It’s short and readable!