Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1468098 in Books
• Published on: 2003-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 318 pages

Customer Reviews

Continuation of life in an adult-less plantation....
Two Black girls, two White girls and a baby try to keep the plantation going and keep away any people who might do them harm. Working harder than ever is the new Mistress of the plantation, a mere 15 yr. old girl. She now oversees a very young girl and a somewhat mentally challenged new mother with a small son. Most of the people are either running or hiding from danger.

This second book brings into focus the viciousness of the baby's father and his intent on getting rid of both mother and baby. What follows is dynamic love and perserverance and the ugliness of some men's minds and their wicked meanness is almost too much to absorb.

The girls are maturing quickly and when the bank loan comes due with no money to be had, reposession is a very immediate possibility. This is where the book gets its' title, a real friend materialized and the harmony they show and their hard work pay off.

Today I finished book two and today I purchased book 3 in this series. I feel almost like family now and simply must know the future for these young people. Thank you Michael Phillips for this series.

Taking Care of Business
The second in the Shenandoah Girls series, A DAY TO PICK YOUR OWN COTTON continues the story of Katie and Mayme. In this book the two unlikely friends, one a recently freed slave and the other the daughter of a former wealthy slave owner, continue to attempt to keep the fact that they are alone on Katie's plantation a secret. The two girls struggle to make things look "normal" on the plantation, but along the way they encounter new friends, a new roommate, dangerous visitors and financial difficulties. The story has a little of everything, there are moments that are light-hearted and humorous, others that are sad, and some that are filled with suspense, and the result is an overall enjoyable read.

While A DAY TO PICK YOUR OWN COTTON is book two in a series, the author provides enough background so that it could stand on its own. However, I think I enjoyed the book more having read the first because I had a stronger emotional connection to the main characters. Overall, this is a fast paced story that highlights many aspects of everyday life in the Post-Civil War South. The Christian themes in the book are subtle and unassuming, it was touching to watch Mayme and Katie struggle to understand God and develop a relationship with him. While this series is not specifically geared towards young adults I think they may enjoy it as much as their parents.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Vivid description and poignant characterization
A Day To Pick Your Own Cotton is the engaging story of two girls, one the daughter of a slave and the other the daughter of a plantation owner. Both girls have been orphaned by the Civil War and must struggle to live and provide a sanctuary to others. An enduring story by popular and prolific Christian novelist Michael Philips, A Day To Pick Your Own Cotton is enhanced by vivid description and poignant characterization.