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Now Available!
Chicago, 1941
When her mother becomes too ill to work, fifteen-year-old Ruby Jacinski is forced to drop out of school to support her family. Her dull factory job makes life one long dead end...until she meets neighborhood bad boy, Paulie. Soon, Ruby is getting paid to dance with lonely men—and learning how to "fish" them for cash, clothes, even jewelry. As long as her family doesn't find out what she's doing, her problems—and theirs—are solved. But secrets and bad boys are both hard to keep...especially when swinging with the hepcats turns into swimming with the sharks.
A mesmerizing look into a little-known world and era, Ten Cents a Dance is resplendent with soul-shaking jazz, killer '40s style, and the passions of a young generation on the eve of war.
Read an excerpt.
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Taxi Dancers
Filipino Immigrants in Chicago
The Chicago Policy Kings
Pulp Magazines
TEN CENTS A DANCE
Hardcover, Bloomsbury Publishing, April 2008, ISBN: 978-1599901640
"Readers will be riveted by Ruby's journey as she leaves one desperate existence for another and finds herself drawn deeper into a world that is hard-edged and even dangerous...Blatant racism, crime, and the swing-era music scene permeate the backdrop of Fletcher's absorbing wartime novel, which will have readers dancing in the aisles for its spirited, soul-searching heroine."
—Booklist
"Ruby's nerve and sass make her a distinctive character...she brings the language, rhythms and social changes of the 1940s alive."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Ruby is tough, strong, and determined, but maintains the innocent and idealistic dreams of adolescence, thus endearing her to readers...This intriguing story is well paced and well researched."
—School Library Journal
"...the depiction of Chicago nightlife in the '40s and Ruby's deft observations ("the look on his face, like the music itself had put on a dress and come up to him and said hello") add depth and complexity."
—Publishers Weekly
"If Ruby were a real person, she'd be living evidence of the phrase, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger...Ruby has definitely won me over with her journey to find herself, and she has become one of my favorite fictional characters. I whole-heartedly recommend Ten Cents a Dance."
—Young Adult Books Central
"...vividly describes what it must have been like to be young and offered such a great opportunity and terrible burden at the same time. Ruby is a very realistic character with enough spunk to inspire...Ten Cents a Dance will leave a lasting impression."
—TeensReadToo
"Ten Cents a Dance begins with an exciting opening scene and continues to deliver throughout the novel... I absolutely loved this book. It pulled me in from the beginning and would not let go. This is definitely a book I'll be recommending every chance I get."
—Ravenous Reader
"What I was expecting was a good book...What I got was a great novel filled with a strong heroine and a fascinating plot. It's been a long time since I was immediately drawn to the strength of a character...The author had me absorbed into Ruby's story as soon as Ruby set foot into her first dance."
—And Another Book Read
"This story depicts life at its worst but also at its best, and it teaches the reader about self-preservation and perseverance. The portrait of Ruby Jacinski is one of an admirable character struggling to do the right thing."
—Curled Up With a Good Kid's Book
"Page-turner: that's the best way to describe this book...The characters aren't one-dimensional; they're complex and rich... I loved the theme that, as you get older, you gather enough experiences—good and bad—that you are forever changed and you can't go back to "before." Christine Fletcher is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors."
—Laura Lutz, Queens Library
"Fletcher's eye-opening and authentic novel...is one that readers will succumb to easily, and won't be able to leave anytime soon. Ruby's sass and attitude will make her an instant favorite, and you can't help but root for this spunky girl."
—The Compulsive Reader
"Fletcher writes with evocative language...I wished that the book had a soundtrack, just so the vivid descriptions of the music and dancing would come to life. Ruby...jumps into the world of taxi dancing head first, and comes up swinging. She is such a feisty character, that you just want her to win, to succeed, to get out, to enjoy life, to be happy ... A winner of a plot...full of suspense and intrigue, backstabbing and unexpected heroics. Ruby shines all the way through... kept me captivated the entire time I was reading. A real winner of a novel."
—Estella's Revenge
"...this book would make an excellent choice for a mother-daughter book club. There are so many wonderful discussion topics such as deception, family relations, friendships, first love, and finding one's self..."
—Booking Mama
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