The Secrets of Tree Taylor by Dandi Mackall - ADVISABLE

Mackall, Dandi Daley The Secrets of Tree Taylor, 282 p. Alfred Knopf (Random), 2014.  $17.  Content: G.  

Summer of 19 63 – the Vietnam War is going on, but Tree Taylor is more concerned about getting her first kiss from the very hot Ray, starting high school, and winning the coveted freshman spot on the school newspaper.  When shots are fired across the street and her reclusive neighbor is taken to the hospital, Tree is sure she has a story to win that spot – but first she has to find out the story – and no one is talking.  Not her Dad, who was the first one over there, and not the neighbor’s wife, who has always been very quiet and unassuming.  The drama at the local pool where she works is also a distraction for Tree.  This summer could be a glorious turning for Tree, or a disaster.  

This novel reminds me a lot of “A Jury of Her Peers”, a short story by Susan Glaspell from 1917, one of my favorites.  And its hard to believe that books about the 1960’s are now old enough to really be historical fiction.  And I am a major fan of Dandi Mackall.  All of these things created a perfect storm for me.  Mackall deftly addresses more than one tough issue within the novel, but I don’t want to give them all away.  Girls who like Sarah Dessen may be persuaded to read about a girl who could be their grandmother and hopefully they will go on the read more of Mackall’s books.  

MS – ADVISABLE.  Cindy, Library Teacher