Ten Cents A Dance by Christine Fletcher

A lot of kids have jobs, especially in Chicago in 1941. But Ruby has to support her mother and sister completely on her measly wages from the meat factory. When she has a minor catastrophe at a dance and she happens upon Paulie Suelze. He tells her how she can earn loads of money doing what she loves. She gets the job and soon she's working ever night from ten to two: dancing with lonely men at the dance hall and then going to supper with some of the customers afterward. This is Ruby's dream job, but will she spot the danger and scandal under the glamorous silks and satins of her new profession before its too late?

This tribute to the author's great-aunt has an addictive sense of reality. It includes the traditional story of a girl growing up and the mistakes that go with it. It tells of tradegy and fortune. I would recommend this book to anyone, but it would be most enjoyed by a teenage girl interested in historical events and everyday happenings.