Content levels
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
"Sixteen-year-old Lorena Leland's dreams of a rich and fulfilling life as a writer are dashed when the stock market crashes in 1929. Seven years into the Great Depression, Rena's banker father has retreated into the bottle, her sister is married to a lazy charlatan and gambler, and Rena is an unemployed newspaper reporter. Eager for any writing job, Rena accepts a position interviewing former slaves for the Federal Writers' Project. There, she meets Frankie Washington, a 101-year-old woman whose honest yet tragic past captivates Rena. As Frankie recounts her life as a slave, Rena is horrified to learn of all the older woman has endured-especially because Rena's ancestors owned slaves. While Frankie's story challenges Rena's preconceptions about slavery, it also connects the two women whose lives are otherwise separated by age, race, and circumstances. But will this bond of respect, admiration, and friendship be broken by a revelation neither woman sees coming?"--
Tags
Is Under the Tulip Tree appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 16 and up.
This historical fiction explores slavery's legacy through an intergenerational friendship during the Great Depression. Contains references to slavery's horrors, alcoholism, and economic hardship, but handles difficult topics with sensitivity and hope.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, no sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include slavery, addiction, and death (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens will appreciate this moving story of how an unexpected friendship between two women from different worlds challenges prejudices and reveals hidden family secrets.