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Editorial Review Product Description
Two weeks seems like forever to Dossi Rabinowitz, a poor Jewish orphan from New York City who is sent by the Fresh Air Fund to a small Vermont town during the summer of 1910. With her journal as her closest companion, Dossi reflects on her struggle tounderstand her Christian host family and their rural community-and learns about the wonders not only of fireflies and stars but also of new friends and forgiveness. Weaving engaging historical details with resonant themes, Johanna Hurwitz's richlytextured new novel will be welcomed by her legions of fans. 01-02 Young Hoosier Book Award Masterlist (Gr 4-6) ... Read more Customer Reviews (6) 
Great book!
I previously read "Dear Emma," and it was a great book. I really wanted to read the sequel, and as soon as possible I checked out "Faraway Summer" from the library.
This book is the journal of Dossi, who lives in crowded Essex Street with her older sister, Ruthi, in a small room in someone else's apartment in a tenament building. She's shocked when she learns that Ruthi has filled out a Fresh Air Fund application for her.
But whether she likes it or not, she boards a train for Jericho, Vermont. She's staying with the Meade's, who live on a 52-acre farm and who own a large house. They have an eight year old girl Nell and a girl Emma her own age. Most of all, she wants Emma to be her friend.
She sees lots of new things-fireflies, huge amounts of food, cows and chickens, and large, open space-something she's never experienced before. She thinks the food is the best thing ever!
Emma remains cold and unfriendly until the end of the book. I think it's said when Emma leaves Dossi's library book out in the rain by the pond.
This was a great book and I'd recommend it to everyone. Good work, Johanna Hurwitz!
What a beutyfull story!
I have read lots of Joanna Hurwitz's books and i must say this is one of her best.Haddasa [Dossi for short] has nobody but her sister Ruthi and her friend Mimy.Dossi 's parents have passed out and so has her sister . Dossi and Ruthi live in a crowded tenament with just one room toodo everything : Eat , Sleap , Sit , Stand.......Ruthi works in a sewing factory.The tenament smells of sweat andOF COURESThey dont have a single toy.When Ruthi signs Dossi up for a Fresh Air Fund ,Dossi objects .Butwhen Dossi starts to like , even befriend the family she is staying with..............
Marvelous !!
Dossi is a poor girl who lives in the city.Her parents and younger sister,Velvel have passed away.Dossi's sister,Ruthi is the one who will take care of them.She works in the factory.When Ruthi signs Dossi up to be sent to the country,on a Fresh Air Fund vacation,Dossi is terrified and surprised.Soon,the day had come to go to the country.Dossi packed her bags and brought along a library book which was a new one.She and her friend,Mimi, didn't tell the librarian that Dossi was taking it away.Dossi prommises Ruthi that she will send a postcard to her as soon as she reaches her destination.In the country,she meets the gentile Meade family.Nell and Emma are around Dossi's age.Mr. Meade and Mrs. Meade also have two sons,Timothy and Edward.Nell chats nineteen to a dozen.Emma doesn't.There are a lot of things that Dossi hasn't seen.Like fireflies,cows,two yolks in one egg and many other things.She learns about a man named Snowflake Bentley.He is mad about snowflakes.Snowflake Bentley also takes photos of snowflakes not people.Dossi likes Nell but she wants to befriend Emma too.But Emma treats her like if she is not there.Will Dossi be able to befriend Emma before her holiday in the country ends?
A fast paced novel, good for a rainy afternoon
Haddassah (Dossi for short) is a Jewish girl lives in a cramped apartment in New York City. Her sister (Ruthi) signs her up for a Fresh Air Fund which sends poor children too the country for 2 weeks in the summer. Dossi leaves excited and yet afraid to go on vacation with a family she doesn't know in Vermont for 2 weeks. She is stunned by things in the country and doesn't even know what fireflies are. This is one fault that I found with the book, she seems to know NOTHING of the country, now I can believe she's never milked a cow, but some of the things she had never seen are unbelievable. Anyway during the book she sprouts friendship and learns new things of her trip. She meets new people and learns what the lovely countryside is like. This is a really fast paced book, you should be able to finish it within an hour or so, but nonetheless it is worth reading.
A wonderful book about friendship and families
This is a good story about a girl who spends a few weeks with a familythat is very different from her own. Dossi learns other people have alot tooffer her and she has alot to offer in a friendship,too.Hurwitz is awonderful author; she makes the characters and situation comealive.
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