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The Unexpected Lives of Ordinary Girls
CCBC Review:
In Colorado, in 1910, 12-year-old Stanislava lives in “Bohunk Town,” a name that uses a derogatory term for her Slovenian American community. Inspired by a novel about a college student who, like her, is an immigrant, Stanislava decides to go by the more-American “Sylvia” and dreams of one day chasing opportunities in the wider world. Her hopes are dashed, though, when her older sister, Stina, who has long been the family’s primary homemaker and childcare provider, elopes with a Protestant. Disowned by their Catholic parents, Stina moves away with her new husband, leaving her onerous duties to Sylvia, who is forced to drop out of school. Feeling trapped and desperate, Sylvia makes the bold choice to leave home, stowing away on a train to Denver, where she learns that Stina is unreachable and that she must fend for herself. The public library becomes her temporary home and haven; when she is discovered living there, she is hired to help provide outreach to a local Slovenian community. Her understanding of Slovenian cultural norms helps bridge a gap between the library and the community, and the experience helps Sylvia begin to tackle the shame she has been taught and to embrace her identity as both Slovenian and American. While she is realistically naïve about the world, Sylvia is a courageous, determined protagonist navigating issues related to class, gender, and ethnicity that are still relevant to today’s readers. ©2026 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: 9-13
Age Range:
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
Books and Reading
Class Issues
Discrimination and Prejudice
Girls and Women
Homelessness
Immigration and Immigrants
Slovenians and Slovenian Americans
Publishers:
Atheneum, Simon & Schuster
Publish Year: 2025
Pages: 259
ISBN: 9781665968614
CCBC Location: Fiction, Coats