Overview
Lizzy McMann, A feisty twelve-year-old, lives with her immature mother and Manny, her father (she thinks) in a fleabag Phoenix hotel. One night, Manny's sudden announcement that he wants a divorce forces mother and daughter to move to upstate New York to live with Lizzy's grandmother and grandfather—a mixed blessing. At school, Lizzy befriends, then falls in love with, Eva Singer, who is dyslexic, looks like Natalie Wood and lives right down the street. Like all girls her age, Lizzy has to deal with her first period, her first bra and her first boyfriend. But what scares her most is her love for Eva. She is also concerned with getting a new husband for Mama—especially after reading Mama's letters that she has found in the attic. Then Eva gets a boyfriend and Mama's life enters what seems to be a new crisis. . . . How Lizzy comes to grips with life's strange twists and turns makes fascinating reading for adults and young readers alike.
Reviews
"Winning debut describes a young girl coming of age during the 1960s... [An] amusing tale notable for its sharp and quick-witted tone. Brisk, fun, and good-natured." — Kirkus Reviews
"... there are enough surprises in this appealing story to keep things interesting." — Publishers Weekly
Author Biography
Bonnie Shimko is a former teacher and the author of several novels, including
The Private Thoughts of Amelia E. Rye, a 2011 ALA Best Book for Young Adults and
Letters in the Attic, winner of the Lambda Literary Award. She lives in Plattsburgh, New York.