Title: A Papa Like Everyone Else
Author: Sydney Taylor
Major Themes: Czechoslovakia, Jews, Family
Synopsis: With her unknown Papa in America, Gisella is happy with the life she has and doesn’t miss him—but when he arranges for their family to go to America, can she accept that it’s for the best?
I don’t remember where I first saw A Papa Like Everyone Else, but I saved it to my Goodreads “To Read” list, and determined that at some point, I’d check it out. I’ve known for years that I love Sydney Taylor’s books, and although I don’t think I ever ventured beyond the All-of-a-Kind Family series, I’ve always wanted to try out some of her other stories. I’m so glad I finally got around to this one! It’s a unique story, but one that is heavily reminiscent of childhood joys, family, and community. I adored this read!
Publisher’s description:
From the author of the beloved All-of-a-Kind Family books comes a timeless story of a family’s struggles and triumphs in early twentieth-century Eastern Europe.
Mama and her two young daughters, Szerena and Gisella, never thought they would be without Papa for five long years. Ever since he left their small farm in Czechoslovakia for America, they have been waiting for him to send for them. In the meantime, with the help of family and neighbors, Mama and the girls work on the farm. While Szerena wishes for “a papa like everyone else,” Gisella can’t remember their father, and wishes he had not gone away without them.
Finally, the big day arrives, and Mama and the girls leave for America to reunite with Papa. What will it be like to travel on a train and a ship? And what will happen when at last they see Papa?
A delightful evocation of Jewish life in the “old world,” A Papa Like Everyone Else is the perfect companion to the seminal All-of-a-Kind Family books.
My thoughts:
I love children’s books that depict children living busy, happy, wholesome lives. Much like my experience with Seacrow Island earlier this year, this book reminded me of my happy childhood, and I loved watching these girls go through a bit of life in their Czechoslovakian village. I can’t imagine what it would have been like for Mama, separated from her husband for five long years; that part of the story is never explored, but it was interesting to see what childhood looked like in this area in the early 1900s.
Historically speaking, A Papa Like Everyone Else is a treasure trove. First, there’s the setting—I’m struggling to remember if I’ve ever read a book set in Czechoslovakia before. What’s described here is similar to what I remember of The Good Master and The Singing Tree by Kate Seredy, but that was set in Hungary, and not with Jewish characters. The old-style farm life—caring for crops by hand, raising geese to sell in the market, growing linen for their clothing, harvesting goose down for different uses, or making prunes over an open fire—is so foreign to us these days, but it was normal for villagers back then. Then there’s the whole community atmosphere in the story, as people gather together at different times to help each other with their work, thus making life easier for everyone. And the Jewish element, too, was fairly strong—I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the lead-up to Passover, and some of the other instances where culture and tradition played a part.
If you’re looking for books set in the early 20th century in Europe, I’d highly recommend you check out A Papa Like Everyone Else. This is a gentle, heartwarming read, but it has a lot to teach us about family, community, hard work, and hope for the future. I’m looking forward to reading it to my sisters and possibly all my siblings at some stage—I’m sure they’ll enjoy it! The ending, too, was super sweet. A great read!
WARNING: Chapter 4: Children are disobedient (this is dealt with), a robber steals things, “heaven knows”, some anti-gypsy talk, a man hits a woman, a man hits a man for making fun of him. Chapter 10: Someone remembers a story about a man who tried hanging himself, a girl thinks about witches and hobgoblins hiding and wanting to jump out at her. Chapter 11: A boy is whipped, and a fox shot and killed.
Age levels:
Listening Level—Ages 5 – 8, 8 – 12, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 8 – 12
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged) | Audio CD
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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