Mary Towne

I read this in high school and liked it so much I turned around and read it again right away. Just ran into it again as an adult and re-read for the nostalgic factor. I can see why I liked it so much. I saw myself as shy and hiding my true self from others as a teen and easily related to the main character. This is definitely a more innocent look at teenage years but still an enjoyable read.

Oh there are so many stories for children about WWII. At least this one focuses entirely on the home front. I'd heard some about polio, but learned a lot more about it from this book. And Ruth and Russ are interesting enough characters in their own right. Still, I have to admit I'm getting tired of reading books that kids 'should' read, and want more that are just for fun. A master story-teller can embed lessons in a great story that has humor and excitement - and this one didn't quite succeed.

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