LEITURAS EM INGLÊS: LUCKY BEANS

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     Lucky Beans takes place during the Great Depression, which lasted in the United States from 1929, when the financial system called the stock market collapsed, until about 1939. Banks, stores, factories, and businesses closed. The Depression affected the whole country, and spread to other countries as well.

     Like Marshall’s dad, many people lost their jobs. In 1933, one in four workers was unemployed. For African Americans, that number was nearly two in four.

     Although black and white children attended school together in northern cities, like the one where the Loman family lived, blacks and whites did not always have equal opportunities. This was long before the civil rights movement. Like Marshall, African Americans worried about facing discrimination (unfair practices) when they wanted to apply for a job, or even enter a contest.

     Without jobs, people did not have money for food. Some stood in line for a free loaf of bread or got relief from the government or charities. Beans were one of the foods the government provided. They were cheap and nutritious.

     Many families lost homes or farms because they couldn’t pay their mortgages every month. Family members opened their homes to relatives who needed a place to stay or to boarders who could pay rent. Like Marshall’s ma, people mended and repaired old things instead of throwing them out, as many people might do today.

     People had fun during the Depression, too. They enjoyed newspaper comic strips about characters like “Little Orphan Annie” and listened to shows like “The Lone Ranger” on the radio. Jigsaw puzzles were a big pastime, and the game Monopoly was invented. Contests were popular.

     In 1932, the American people elected Franklin Delano Roosevelt president because they hoped he could fix the economy, create jobs, and be a good leader. Roosevelt was the first president to talk directly to Americans on the radio. His broadcasts, called Fireside Chats, kept people’s spirits up. He told Americans about the New Deal, his plan for getting people back to work.

     Lucky Beans is based on the stories of my grandmother, who claimed she cooked beans by a different recipe every night during the Depression. She really did win a sewing machine in a contest by guessing how many beans were in a jar.

Becky Birtha, Lucky Beans