The Velvet Room Paperback – June 7, 2004

So many girls will relate to Robin and like her would find the Velvet Room a welcome retreat amidst the changes of growing up and will find strength in the choice she makes

I loved this book as a child, and I love it as a parent -- I've read it aloud to all of my children. It has a bit of everything! A mystery, which, though somewhat peripheral to the main plot, is nonetheless compelling. Vivid descriptions of migrant farm worker life, a rough life in which even 6-year olds were required to stand all day pitting fruit as fast as possible without a break. Even a bit of a ghost story. The 12-year old protagonist is a likable, nuanced character of real substance. Other characters vary; some are more unique and fleshed-out than others. The premise of the story is wonderful: a homeless child who is hungry for beauty, meaning and solitude discovers a secret refuge,a hiding place from the harsh realities of her life. Ultimately, she must learn to stop hiding and to appreciate the good things available to her in her "real" circumstances. Some reviewers have complained about the book's length and slowness of pace, but books were longer and more rambly decades ago. I actually like that about it.The friendship and mutual respect which develop between the wealthy ranch-owning McCurdys and the indigent, itinerant Wiliamses unfolds in a believable way and surprises them all, but I had to wonder why Mr. McCurdy, portrayed as such a decent and honorable person, couldn't forego a few luxuries and use the money instead to improve the living and working conditions of his employees.I find "The Velvet Room" to be a page-turner in spite of its bulk, and all of my children have loved it and learned a great deal from it as well. Detailed descriptions of a harsh world without child labor laws was very eye-opening for all of us! And Robin's struggles and emotional growth, as she is gently mentored by the memorable character of Bridget, ring true and are very moving. A wonderful, engrossing story.

Loved this book as a Child it should have been made into a movie

If this is a children's book, I am 70 years old and immensely enjoyed the story. Interesting to read of the coast and the central valley of California, where I used to live.

I first read this book many, many years ago as a child. I've been looking for it off and on in Kindle version, for years - complicated by the fact that I couldn't remember the title - and am happy to have found it at last. Reading it again now, I'm impressed by how well-written it is; though obviously not written for adult readers, still there is an excellent use of language that expects young readers to have been taught vocabulary and proper sentence structure.Actually, I've found that to be the case in many older books that were written years before I read them, many of them years before I was born. By contrast, many books currently being published for adult readers are very poorly written. It always amazes me that people who call themselves authors can have such poor knowledge and control of their chosen medium - the written word. I know that the kind of well-written books, telling well-crafted stories, that I read as a child, did as much to teach me as my childhood grammar lessons.The Velvet Room is one of those wonderful books. I enjoyed it thoroughly then and now; and I heartily recommend it to parents and teachers who want their children to learn to love to read.

"When the tire went flat for the third time that day..." This book is a timeless and engaging story for new readers of young adult fiction and older folks as well. The main characters are well developed and the protagonist Robin, is an independent soul with a penchant for wandering off and exploring. In all, three different young girls are written about. Robin, of course; Maria, the daughter of a migrant worker whose family lived in the shack next to Robin's family; and, the McCurdy's young privileged daughter who befriends Robin and lets her ride her horse with her and play her piano. It's also a window into an era of hardship and homelessness where people literally tied everything they owned to their cars and along with their families took off for greener pastures and the hope of a job in California. The old woman Bridget who gives Robin the key to the lock that leads to the Velvet Room is an interesting character and she is not at all what she seems. For Robin, the discovery of the Velvet Room was an oasis in an otherwise deplorable existence of cramped living with parents and siblings in a small two room shack, the endless pitting room filled with apricots, and the sharp disparity between the haves and have nots of that time. I read this many times as a child and I am looking forward to reading again.

I first read this when I was twelve, I couldn't really remember much about the story so I reread it. Now I remember why I loved it.The story is during the Depression and Dust Bowl Era in California, main character is a girl named Robin, who has a tendency to "wander off", she and her family end up working on a fruit orchard where there is a old Mansion in the property, yes I said in, when you read the book you'll understand.When I look back to when I first read this story I remember thinking to myself "boy I wish I could find a place like the Velvet Room. Which makes me think , "there are a lot of 'coming of age' girls who feel this way."As a teacher from twenty plus years ago I would put this on my list of books to read.