I wish this were a series...loved it. ( )

The best bit was on p. 16. Callie Vee is frustrated so she runs down to the river,

and ducked my head underwater and let out a long loud scream, the sound burbling in my ears. I came up for air and did it again. And one more time, just to be thorough.... I would live my life in a tower of books. I would read all day long and eat peaches. And if any young knights in armor dared to come calling on their white chargers and plead with me to let down my hair, I would pelt them with peach pits until they went home."

The most discouraging thing about reading this is realizing that we still haven't come as far as we should in over a century. There are still people who won't let children learn about Mr. Darwin's work. There is still a lot of money wasted on debutante balls so that young women can be put on the market.

It reminds me a bit of the marvelous [b:Thimble Summer|854764|Thimble Summer|Elizabeth Enright|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1178926029s/854764.jpg|840256], but it's even richer, with references to more mature topics like Lydia Pinkham's tonic, and the short hoe (which I will be looking up when I'm done here), and Matthew Brady's photographs. Lovely family story, also coming-of-age, also historical fiction, also plea for the value of supporting each individual in their own characters and passions.

ETA The short hoe is exactly what it sounds like. The laborer is forced to bend down, row after row of cotton, or sugar beets, or lettuce. A long hoe would do the job, but it wouldn't make the worker feel subjected nor the boss powerful. It wasn't fully outlawed until 1985.

ETA (after sleeping on it) The cutting the hair shorter bit, described in the summary, is quite minor. In fact, it never does resolve with any dramatic effect.

ETA (June 20) My 15 yo son saw it and for some reason latched on and is done already. Normally he reads stuff like Percy Jackson, so I really have no idea how the cover of this led him to look at it. Anyway, he loved it. So, I recommend it to Everybody!" ( )