Christmas After All: The Diary of Minnie Swift, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1932

To twelve-year-old Minnie Swift, Christmas is not going to be the time of bounty she's used to. It is 1932, the middle of the Great Depression, and jobs are scarce and Papa seems more worried each day. But when their orphaned cousin comes to live with them, the Swifts are quick to rearrange the beds and make room for her. Minnie, thrilled to have another youngster in the home, is resolved to make this Christmas memorable in spite of the hard times. Through her diary entries, Minnie captures the darkness of the Great Depression, the optimism of a small Midwestern family, the fortitude of the American spirit, and the magic of Christmas.