In 1975 central Florida, ten-year-old Raymie Clarke enters the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition to get her picture in the newspaper. She believes this fame will convince her father to return home after he ran away with a dental hygienist. During baton-twirling lessons, Raymie meets Louisiana Elefante, a girl from a show-business family struggling with poverty, and Beverly Tapinski, a cynical daughter of a local officer who intends to sabotage the pageant. The three girls navigate personal crises, including a mission to retrieve a library book and a chaotic rescue visit to a local nursing home.
Middle-grade readers find a realistic portrayal of childhood loneliness and the specific anxieties caused by unstable adults. The story offers a look at how friendship provides a functional safety net when family structures fail. Readers walk away with a clear understanding of the difference between superficial goals, like winning a pageant, and the practical value of showing up for other people. The book provides a template for finding agency through small, brave actions during a period of emotional abandonment.
Inward-looking; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2016
- Language
- EN
