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The Mighty Miss Malone  By  cover art

The Mighty Miss Malone

By: Christopher Paul Curtis
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
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Publisher's summary

In the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award - winning Bud, not Buddy, Bud met a girl named Deza Malone in a Hooverville. This is her story.

“We are a family on a journey to a place called wonderful" is the motto of Deza Malone's family. Deza is the smartest girl in her class in Gary, Indiana, singled out by teachers for a special path in life. But the Great Depression has hit Gary hard, and there are no jobs for black men. When her beloved father leaves to find work, Deza, Mother, and her older brother Jimmie go in search of him, and end up in a Hooverville outside Flint, Michigan. Jimmie's beautiful voice inspires him to leave the camp to be a performer, while Deza and Mother find a new home, and cling to the hope that they will find Father. The twists and turns of their story reveal the devastation of the Depression and prove that Deza truly is the Mighty Miss Malone.

©2012 Christopher Paul Curtis (P)2012 Listening Library

Critic reviews

“Witty and moving.” (The Wall Street Journal)

“The fluidity of the writing, the strong sense of place and time combined with well-drawn characters will captivate and delight...a fitting literary companion to Bud Caldwell.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred)

“Curtis threads important bits of African-American history throughout the narrative...Some readers will feel they are due a bit of happiness; others will be struck by how little has changed in 75 years for the nation’s have-nots.” (Publishers Weekly, starred)

What listeners say about The Mighty Miss Malone

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved the reader and the story

Which character – as performed by Bahni Turpin – was your favorite?

I really loved the character of Peg, the mother and the main character, Desa Malone. They were very happy and positive people despite what was happening to them. What I really loved about this story is that it's about a time in history that is not often studied now and has so many relationships to what is happening in today's society.

Any additional comments?

I also listened to bud not buddy and loved that - Christopher Curtis is a great storyteller. I'm in my 40s and found this a wonderful listen when I was cooking, running, or just in the car.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Exceptional!

This was an exceptional story! My daughter and I listened together and couldn't wait to hear what happened chapter after chapter. The narrator was awesome as well.

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Christopher Paul Curtis has done it again

This was a very moving piece of historical fiction, set in the time of the Great Depression. It focuses on a bright young woman entering her teens, and the struggle of her loving family to hold itself together, despite poverty, racism, and health problems they could not afford to address.
I'd recommend it for both young and old audiences.

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Christopher Paul Curtis is Awesome

Where does The Mighty Miss Malone rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

ten!

What other book might you compare The Mighty Miss Malone to and why?

If you like historical fiction you might like other titles by Christopher Paul Curtis such as: Bud Not Buddy, Elijah of Buxton, or The Watson's Go To Birmingham.

Any additional comments?

Deza lives with her parents and her older brother, Jimmie, in Gary, Indiana. It is 1936, and even though her parents are both hardworking people, the Depression has taken its toll on their family. Her father lost his job a while back and even though he is always looking for work there is just nothing to be found.

Deza makes her family proud because she is the gets the highest marks in her class and does her best to keep her brother in line as well; this is how she earns her nickname, “the Mighty Miss Malone.” It is a good thing she is mighty, because their family is put through the wringer; it seems like whatever can go wrong does go wrong, and the question is can Deza tough enough to help her family make through the terrible trials of the Depression?

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6 people found this helpful

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What a great read!!

Breathtaking educational and funny. Reading about the Malones sense of family, love and pride in a time we're all odds were against most black families to survive. I love the quote kisses kisses kisses make you stronger.

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4 people found this helpful

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captivating

great story ! gives a historical account from the perspective of a little girl during the great depression. a must read!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Broke my heart

Christopher Paul Curtis is truly an American writer of times gone by. He knows the art of writing and how to portray the feelings of the characters he writes about.
Although this is a fictional story, some of the events and doings of the people during this time period are true.
As I read the heartaches of the characters, my heart broke for them and all they went through.
This is a book that I would definitely listen to again.

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4 people found this helpful

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Perfect

Excellent Author and a Reader to match!!! I listen to anything by this author and now I’m looking for books read by this reader as well.

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2 people found this helpful

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Excellent Performance

I love the way the author did his research and incorporated it into the story.

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2 people found this helpful

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Fascinating read

Gives you a look in to the life of a young black girl in the early part of the century. From all unexpected angle. Everything about it is phenomenal. Definite good read.

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1 person found this helpful