LitPick Review
Opal spends her childhood in a small town with her mother's family and friends. Her mother died when Opal was only seven years old, and Opal feels that it is her fault, because before she died, Opal hadn't been following directions. Her father is off traveling, and her dearest cousin has gone to war. Opal is always afraid that if she does the slightest thing wrong, her new family will leave her. But as she grows older, she learns that through thick and thin, the people who love you will always be there.
Opinion:
The book was intriguing, and, although slow at first, became more and more entrancing as I got deeper into the story. Lizann Bassham is an amazingly detailed author, which made the scenes easy to imagine. Opal and her family went through many tragic events, in which the author captured well the emotions of the family, especially when Opal's cousin went off to war. This book shows the pros and cons of small-town living in the 1960's well, and the realization of Opal's that her family will not leave her is gradual, which makes for and interesting story. It a sweet, yet sometimes tragic page-turner, and i would recommend it to all over the age of ten.
