First sentence: Carla Mae and I were sitting in our little kitchen at the old wooden table, with our spoons poised in mid-air. In front of each of us was a hard-boiled egg perched in an egg cup. We both stared intently at the faces we had drawn on our eggs. The longer the stare, the better the hex. "Who's yours today?" she asked. "Billy Wild," I said, making a face.
Premise/plot: The book is set in a small town in 1946. Addie lives with her father and grandmother. Her grandmother is a "character" in all the best ways. Unfortunately, some of her classmates mean it in a bad way. She has a super-complicated relationship with her father. He doesn't understand her; she doesn't understand him. Neither one is good at expressing exactly what they mean to one another.
The plot, of course, appears to mainly be about her wanting a Christmas tree. He said no; he meant no. No, no, no. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and Addie wants a Christmas tree desperately.
My thoughts: I really enjoy rereading this one every few years. It's a lovely quick read. If you enjoy historical fiction OR holiday stories, this one is a treat.
I read it this year with my family tree challenge in mind. Addie--if real--would have been born around the same time as my great-aunts.
© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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