The Girl With a Baby
by Sylvia Olsen
Genre: Juvenile Fiction Sub-Genre: Realistic Fiction
Themes: Family, morality, personal choices, determination, strength of character, identity, purpose, coming-of-age
Primary Characters: Jane, Destiny (Jane's daughter), Tet (Jane's Indian grandmother)
Secondary Characters: Jane's classmates at school, her older brothers, her parents
Awards: nominee for Saskatchewan’s Silver Birch Award, B.C. Teen Readers' Choice Stellar Award
Published January 1, 2003 by Sono Nis Press
Jane is a 14-year-old girl who is a good student, popular at school, and a member of the school drama club; she is also a new mother. When Jane returns to high school with her new baby, who she has named Destiny, she fears that she will no longer be well-liked and respected due to the social stigma that surrounds teen motherhood. She is pleased to find, however, that her family offers her much support and encourages her to keep expecting the best from herself and others (Destiny included). Her Native American grandmother is particularly encouraging; she tells Jane that she (Jane) is a descendent of many very strong women, and that she, too, will overcome the obstacles of her life. Jane's determination to raise her baby with respect for Native American traditions as well as familiarity with modern life keeps her going during her trying times as Destiny's father deserts the two of them.
This would be a good choice for a literature circle group, perhaps containing mainly female students who could relate best to the story's main characters. I would use it in a class of only the oldest elementary-grade students due to its adult-like nature (teen motherhood, moral consequences, relationships, etc.).
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