Down on Their Luck

Finding Daddy: A Story of the Great Depression is the story of one family’s desperation during a dismal time in our nation’s history. When times were good, the father and daughter enjoyed making music together. But when the father looses his job he sells his violin, they move to a shanty, food gets scarce and the mother takes in laundry. When the struggling father is told by a neighbor how useless he is, he feels ashamed and deserts his loved ones. The daughter finds him and a way to help the family’s finances. She encourages him to make music with her again, this time for an audience and for tips. Filled with evocative illustrations, it includes a photographic time line, as well as the words to a popular song from that era, Happy Days Are Here Again.

What a great lesson for children.

Ages 9-12
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Activity: Memorize the words to “Happy Days Are Here Again” Here are the lyrics:

And here you can hear it.