Rating: 
Summary: Any teenage female should read this.
Review: A tree grows in brooklyn is a wonderful story about a a young girl adn her comig of age. She experiances many things about growing up. I read this when I was 11 adn it helped me fiqure out my life. It is complex, and yet easy to follow. If you have or is a teenager daughter they or you should read this. My mother read it when she was my age adn now I did. It will help to explan about growing up and it tells you about the things you will be faced with when you get olde and also things you have to deal with now. It is a true story about her. She experiances many things and it is just a really good book. If you are not intrested in reading "good" books, then you should not read this. But that is just my oppinion, and no one has the same. Cat Lyons
Rating: 
Summary: Truely touching!
Review: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn By Betty Smith Betty Smith isn't well known for her many works, but the one book that almost everyone has heard about, is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. In this novel she shows herself to be an author of great depth and knowledge; she gives us a peek into the complex human soul. All her words come straight from the heart to make a story that engulfs all who read it. This book gives great insight into life; it shows why many people strive to become someone better and how some people are able to move up to a better station in life even though there are tremendous odds and forces working against them. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn touches everyone's' hearts. It is about a little girl, Mary Frances Nolan (also known as Francie), growing up in the poorer part of Brooklyn with a drunken, singing waiter for a father. This father somehow always makes her feel so special and "normal". She lives with her a severely realistic mother, father, and a brother who is favorite child. She is treated poorly throughout school because she is so different and independent. Even at birth she was thought of as "different" just because she was born with a caul which was supposed to indicate that the child was set apart to do great things in the world. Francie always kept to herself and was the silent studious type, which deepened the division between herself and the other of the children. In fast Francie entertained herself with books from the local library; she promised herself, that one day she would read all the books in the library. Her brother's birth, not one year after hers, deepens the division even more. She feels even more disconnected from the rest of the world at Neeley's (her brother) birth, fore he is the favored son and gets all the attention that Francie lacked. At a very young age Francie learned how important money is as well as the division in society caused by money as well as education. Because of this division and Neeley's favoritism, Francie becomes the sole provider for the family after the her father's death. She goes to work straight after graduation from grade school and never gets to have the pleasure and luxury of a high school diploma, but that doesn't stop her from her dreams. Her dreams of moving up in the world, to a place were you don't have to worry about where your next meal comes from; a place where money doesn't necessarily make you rich. True, this sounds like a ridicules dream considering that today a high school diploma is mandatory for everyone. At this point in time; however, very few people, without wealth, were able to get a higher education or even be able to go to high school. Yet nothing can stop Francie from completing her dream. This wonderful book cuts right to the heart of life. It show the true American dream; the dream of higher education and a better and equal way of life for everyone. The novel tell this dream through one special girl who realizes that she can be and do better. If you don't read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn you will be denying yourself a rich experience of the true American dream. A dream that has made this country what it is today.
Rating:
Summary: This book cuts true and deep into the human soul
Review: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn By Betty Smith Betty Smith is well knows for her many works, but the one book that almost everyone knows about, that she wrote is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. In this book she shows herself to be an author of great depth and knowledge into the human soul. All her words come strait from the heart to make a book that engulfs all who read it. This book gives great insight into life; it shows why many people strive to become someone better and how some people are able to craw up to a better station in live against tremendous odds as well as forces working against them. A tree Grows in Brooklyn touches every ones hearts. It is about a little girl, Mary Frances Nolan (also known as Francie), growing up in the poorer part of Brooklyn with a drunken, singing waiter for a father, yet this father somehow always make her feel so special and unique. She lives with her father, a severely realistic mother, and a brother who is always favored. She is treated poorly throughout school because she is so different and independent. Even at birth she was thought of as "different"; Francie was born with a caul which was supposed to indicate that the child was set apart to do great things in the world. Francie always kept to herself and was the silent studious type. In fast she entertained herself with books from the local library; she promised herself that one day read all the books in the library, she started this goal by reading a book-a-day. Her brother's birth, not one year after hers, doesn't help this division at all; she feels even more disconnected and different from the rest of the world at Neeley birth, fore he is the favored son and get all the attention that Francie lacked growing up. At a very young age Francie learned how important money is as well as the division is society caused by money and education. Because of this division and favoritism, Francie becomes the sole provider for the family after the death of her father. She goes to work straight after graduation from grade school and never gets to have the pleasure and luxury of a high school diploma, but that doesn't stop her from her dreams. Her dreams of moving up in the world, to a place were you don't have to worry about where your next meal comes from. True, this sounds like a ridicules dream considering that today this is a requirement from everyone, but at this point in time very few people, without wealth, were able to get a higher education or even be able to go to high school. Nothing can stop Francie from getting her dream. This wonderful book cuts right to the heart of life. It show the true American dream; the dream of higher education and a better live for everyone. If you don't read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn you will be denying yourself a rich experience of the true American dream. A dream that has made this country what it is today.
Rating:
Summary: A fictional Angela's Ashes... in Brooklyn... and better.
Review: Of all the books I have ever read, Betty Smith has somehow jammed more "life" into 'A Tree Grows in Brooklyn' than any other novel my eyes have scrolled across. And that, my fellow readers, is a tremendous accomplishment. This book came highly recommended to me by some reliable sources, so I bought the book without even knowing what it was about. When I found out it was a coming of age novel about a young girl, I almost didn't even bother to start it. Smith's timeless novel (with some of the most touching scenes I've ever read) struck my closemindedness a fatal blow. This book IS family life. Smith allows one to see the world through each character's eyes. Let me also add that the final quote made by Francie on the last page is something that every single living person can relate to. I haven't come across too many books that offer its readers so many gifts...
Rating:
Summary: I would give it a million stars if I could
Review: I would probably pick A Tree Grows in Brooklyn as one of the greatest books of this century. Yeah, I know Ulysses was chosen as number 1 but those guys who picked the best books of the 20th century don't know what their missing. This book has everything, you will fall in love with Franci Nolan and her family. Its realistic about poverty but not quite as depressingly repetitive as Angela's Ashes(I liked AA but A Tree Grows in brooklyn is much better) This is one of those books where you escape into the world of the characters and become best friends with the main character. I could read this book over and over again and not get bored, its a remarkable book and I recommend it to everyone who would like to be introduced to a wonderful book that they can treasure forever.
Rating:
Summary: A Nice Surprise
Review: When I was in college about 20 years ago, I needed something to set a plant on. I took an old book from an old set off the shelf and there it sat for a few years, under various plants. That book happened to travel with me, unread, for another 15 years from apartment, to home, to home, until someone gave me a list of the Top Ten Life-Changing American books. Happily, most of them I had read as required reading back in school. I felt so proud, until I read the subscript that said, "Unless you have read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", you haven't even skimmed the surface of great American literature". Truly, the only thought this book provoked in me was the memory of Bugs Bunny distracting a mad dog with it to make his getaway, in an old post war cartoon. How could I be missing out on the "greatest american novel of all times" if Mel Blank was using it as a dog pee-pee joke? I decided to put aside my Oprah list for a month, and "suffer" through the novel, stick with it no matter what. I wanted to "grow".How surprised I was to become wrapped up in this book so completely, that I actually saw my husband peeking at it. What could be keeping me so quiet and occupied? Being the grandaughter of Immigrant Brooklyn-Americans, I was surprised no one in my family ever talked about the parallels between the Nolans and our very own family. I don't think I was ever required to read it. I never saw the movie - didn't even know there was one. To me, it is the most wonderful best-kept secret I have ever had right under my nose.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Story
Review: This book is one I highly recommend. Anyone who has ever wanted to be a little bit better, a little bit more dignified, this is the story of yourself. It may be a bit long, but it is truly a jewel of a novel. Inspiring and heartfelt!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: This book was recommended to me by my 8th grade teacher. It is absolutly beautiful! It's so easy to relate to, and it is an easy read. I loved it! I would recommend this book to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: HINTSA from WRHS Astounded
Review: Betty Smith's ATGIB is an astounding masterpiece. The novel is a collection of life stories and hardships that will never be forgotten. This storie of Francie, a young girl who lives her life in Brooklyn, New York, in poverty and coming from a fairly uneducated family and overcoming hardships such as starvation and drunkeness, and suffering losses like the death of her Father. You come to love each character as if they lived in your life. Her mother Katie, is well displayed as a strong hold who keeps the family together. She is a strong character who should be admired for her courage. Her father, Johnny, however, isn't as strong, and with his drinking and then his death he fades from the story line. This book is completely relatable. Smith wrote with an uncanny knowing as if she had actually lived each and every event. WE would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. It has a little bit of everything... danger, romance, family, history, struggle, suspense. To read this book is to read about life and is as close as you can get to actually living it.
Rating:
Summary: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Review: This book is my all time favorite. I would recommend it to any one
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