The only way I can really imagine Traci undead for all of eternity is to picture her just riding along in Adele Peterson's Honda, not being necessarily good, but not being bad either. She isn't thinking about me or even anything, just listening to the music on the radio, her pink-braceleted arm hanging out the window, her fingers spread wide in the breeze.

It's a book about growing up, told from the perspective of a girl in small town Kansas as she moves from elementary school to college. I like reading books like this. My last two perspective-y books like this were Room by Emma Donoghue and Crossing California by Adam Langer.

The reading level is not very challenging. And it is a bit odd to find something like a classroom friendly Discussion Guide at the end of the book. But still the messages in the narrative are no less powerful. Religion, bullying, friendship, teenage pregnancy, family.

One of my favorite parts of the book is the scenes infused with dramatic irony. Where the girl (Evelyn) cannot understand what is actually going on with her parents but the reader can infer from her description. If this book is marketed toward younger readers, it's easy to see how these scenes could serve as perfect examples for introducing the concepts of dramatic irony and foreshadowing. After all, these are two of the more popular literary techniques in the history of narrative.

I think that they really tie in together with childhood though. It's what made Room by Emma Donoghue so captivating. The story of childhood is one percent experiential learning, one percent logical reasoning, and ninety eight percent mystery and confusion. It's so difficult to understand how we all grew up. Those small moments. I like this book because it approaches those moments with subtlety and a restrained childlike sense of wonder.

This was a good coming of age story. I did have a hard time getting into it but as I grew with Evelyn I did start to relate certain situations to my own adolescence. A good read.

3.5 stars.

An enjoyable coming-of-age story set in the mid-80's, so of course I could relate to many of the cultural references. (I had forgotten about OP sweatshirts!)

Evelyn is in the middle of the U.S. (Kansas), in the middle of the conflict between her mother and her grandmother, torn between her love of science and newfound religion, and caught between her two best friends. I found her to be sympathetic and likeable and I wanted to know how her story turned out.

This book, set in Kansas, follows a girl from age ten to seventeen. The story deals with her struggles growing up, being raised by a single mother, trying to decide between religion vs. biology, and so much more that it'd spoil it to mention here. I started this book unsure of what it was about and how it'd be written, but I absolutely loved it. A reviewer on the back cover compared it to To Kill a Mockingbird, and it could be an updated, different version of that story. It's worth a read, and I ask you to not judge it by its somewhat-girly cover - it's a good book for anyone.

I liked this because it's a coming-of-age book that I hadn't already heard a million times.

Just as in her later book, The Rest of Her Life, Moriarty is a genius at weaving together multifaceted relationships that occur in our lives. This story will take you back to your childhood (if you're an 80's kids) as well as tell the tale of a likable girl that you wish better for.

Great book! I really ended up feeling close to Evelyn by the end - sad to be leaving her now. I love how the story is filled both with hope and shattered dreams, a wonderful balance that reflects true life. I especially enjoyed all the little touches that really date the story - friendship pins definitely a 1981 trend for example. It took me back to my own childhood memories!

I would give this book more like 3.5 stars. It was an enjoyable read (though the cover makes it look more like a Chick-Lit book than it is) and I wasn't quite ready for it to end.

When you're a child, you think you're the center of everything. Your parents, your God, your teachers: everyone focuses on you, and your development.

As you -- and the protagonist -- grow older, you start to realize you're part of a large world of interlocking systems and personalities. It's a tapestry, and everyone plays a role.

The protagonist, Evelyn, lives with her single mother in public housing. Her grandparents, who disapprove of Evelyn's mother, immerse her in a local church. Evelyn attempts to reconcile religion with what she's learning at school. She also struggles with the dichotomy of God's love and his actions. Meanwhile, her family is also dealing with crippling poverty, a special needs brother, nosy neighbors, and trying to face hardship with pride.

Though the story is heartbreaking, the voice is sweet and original. I'm glad this came up in my book club's queue.