M
Michael Olschowy
Die Mädchenfamilie
Synopsis
Set around 1912 on New York's Lower East Side, this beloved children's classic follows five sisters — Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte, and Gertie — growing up in a close-knit Jewish immigrant family. Through small everyday adventures, from library visits to Jewish holiday celebrations, the girls' warmth, mischief, and devotion to one another and their parents bring an entire vanished immigrant world to life.
Based on the author's own childhood memories, the book is prized for its affectionate, detailed picture of turn-of-the-century Jewish-American family life, and launched a five-book series. This German edition, translated by Friedl Hofbauer with illustrations by Michael Olschowy, was shortlisted for the German Children's Literature Prize in 1981.
Genres
Characters
EllaProtagonist
The eldest of the five sisters.
HennySupporting
A spirited, mischievous sister.
SarahSupporting
One of the five sisters.
GertieSupporting
The youngest sister.
Frequently asked questions
Is this book based on a true story?
The narrative is semi-autobiographical and draws directly from the author's own childhood experiences growing up in a Jewish immigrant family on the Lower East Side of New York. The five sisters in the story are named after the author's real-life siblings, and many of the specific anecdotes and daily details were inspired by her own upbringing.
How did this book come to be published?
The author originally wrote these stories as bedtime tales for her daughter with no initial intention of publication. Her husband later submitted the manuscript to the Charles W. Follett Award, which it subsequently won, leading to its release in 1951.