A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

This first novel by author Betty Smith was highly received at the time of publication and went on to become a classic.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is the story of Francie Nolan and her family including brother Neeley, mother Katie and father Johnny. This powerful look at poverty in the early 1900s leads Katie to teach her children that they are above handouts and will take responsibility for their lives even if it means little food on the table and surviving life in a cold walk up apartment in a shabby neighborhood.

Francie is a young girl coming to grips with some of the horrific realities of her life in Brooklyn: death, hunger, pure human hatred, and meanness. She experiences life through books, observation and writing and goes on to find what the future holds for her.

This book has a timeless message. It shows the resilience of those who struggle and the love that endures even through the hardships life throws our way.