a touching story...
( )

You shouldn't settle down unless you are ready to and have chosen the right person. Once you have you've made a commitment to that person and also any kids you might have. This book was sad because even though ellie offered to do all the work she still went away to N.Y. It was also really sad when she wouldn't forgive her mom and was treating her the same way her mom had treaeted her(occasionally). ( )

Difficult to read, the author spares no roughness in the portrayal of an incredibly narcissistic woman with no thought of anyone other than the way in which they can be used for her purpose.

Young Ellie is keenly aware of the selfishness of her mother. As the oldest child, she tries to fill in the gaps that her mother leaves wide open.

Bullied at school, struggling at home, life is not easy for Ellie.

Perhaps the author over did it in her page after page of the sheer ugliness of Ellie's life. Yet, she is spot on regarding how difficult it is for some children.

Four stars. ( )

I was really crabby about reading this book. I'm participating in a Random Book Challenge and this one was my first random pick. When I first added it to the TBR pile I did so on a whim thinking it sounded like a good "serious" read. I was not in the mood for seriousness. So needless to say, I wasn't jumping for joy when I "had" to read it. The beginning didn't help. There are about 10 kids and 10 adults introduced in chapter one, and I could not keep straight who was who! All I knew was that Elli was telling the story. Determined to stick to my challenge I kept reading.

Here's what happened. As I read, I watched a sweet little girl get picked on by classmates - literally slammed into lockers. I watched her do everything she could to keep her mother from leaving - but she left anyway. And I watched a mother walk away from 3 little kids and a husband that loved her. I had my heart ripped out over and over. Sounds like fun uh? It wasn't, but it wasn't suppose to be.

Did I like the book? Yes I did. BUT it will be one I'll recommend carefully to my students. It is so serious and, at points, painful to read, I'll want them to be ready for it. It's also one that I don't except everyone will enjoy. Some people will find it too slow, and others may find it hits too close to home. In the end I'm glad I was forced to read it. I would've missed a good, and yes serious, book.

Ellie's family has always seemed happy enough to her. Sure, she feels like an outsider in school which is partly due to her mother's crazy antics. Her mom, Doris, walks the fine line between being crazy and just wanting to get out of their small New York town. She has always believed that she was too good for the small town, and finally leaves in 1963 after JFK is assassinated. Ellie has to take care of her brother, sister, and father to some extent, making her way more responsible than she should. This story still has a very contemporary feel, so the historical part is not too distracting. At school Ellie and her best friend Holly deal with bullying because of their differences from the rest of the class. Ellie is strong, and it is made clear that her mother is not. If Ellie was a couple of years older, she would have to deal with a lot more of her mother's problems, so Ellie is the right age for this book. It's interesting, and it would definitely appeal to a middle school girl. ( )