Diary of a Waitress: The Not-So-Glamorous Life of a Harvey Girl

A suitable fit for American Girl series graduates, this diary-style historical novel follows the adventures of independent-minded 16-year-old Katherine “Kitty” Evans, who sets off on her own in 1926. It comes as a blow to Kitty when her parents announce that they don’t have the funds to send her to college to pursue her dream of becoming a journalist. Instead of following her father’s wishes for her to sell shoes, Kitty applies for and obtains a position as a “Harvey Girl,” waitressing in one of the famous Harvey House restaurants situated in railroad towns across the West. The work is much more rigorous than Kitty imagined, and the rules of conduct for Harvey Girls is very strict. Still, Kitty finds time to make friends and absorb local culture while stationed in Kansas and New Mexico, never losing sight of her goal to be a writer. Kitty’s diary entries express her growing confidence, her journalist’s eye for detail, and her love of fun, and b&w period photographs bring additional ambiance to Meyer’s (Beauty’s Daughter) colorful portrait of a working girl. Ages 10–up. (Apr.)