Getting Somewhere by Beth Neff - ADVISABLE

Neff, Beth. Getting Somewhere,  pgs,  411. Viking (Penguin), 2012. FICTION. Language,59 swears, 18 “F” words; Sexual Content, PG (suggested); Violence, PG.    

Four young girls have the choice of juvenile detention or a work farm.  Lauren, Jenna, Sarah and Cassie have all chosen the work farm where they learn the basics of organic gardening and selling the products at the farmer’s market.  Three women run this program, Donna, Ellie, and Grace.  Each one tries to help the girls work through their issues through hard work, group discussions and individual concerns.

Although each character was talked about somewhat in depth, I felt I still wanted to know more about the girls and the three women and was disappointed when the book came to an end.  I would love to read a sequel to this. Having the farm as a backdrop for this novel created a sense of peace in the traumatic lives of these characters. I loved the ideas throughout the book that actually gave me something to make my life better.  My favorite part is the response I can now give when someone asks, “Why didn’t you do that?  Trapped in a tower, I guess!”

HS - ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Kathleen Dale, Library Media Specialist, RJH Library.