Kimberly Willis Holt

FROM AMAZON: The lives of four generations of one Louisiana family, woven together by a master storyteller

Tracing a family's roots is like taking a journey through the years. In the case of one Louisiana family, that journey can be charted by the books they read and loved.

The journey begins in 1939 with Rose, who moves with her mother and siblings from rural Texas to live with their estranged grandfather in the Louisiana bayou. Rose connects with this flavorful community through her love of books and by driving a bookmobile. Two decades later, Merle Henry, Rose's son, is more passionate about trapping a mink than about reading, although there is a place in his heart for Old Yeller. In 1973, Merle Henry's daughter, Annabeth, feels torn between reading fairy tales and a crush on a real-life knight in shining armor. And in the present day, Annabeth's son, Kyle, finds himself in a bind: he hates reading, but the only summer job he can get is at the library.

In her people-smart way, Kimberly Willis Holt introduces us to a Louisiana family: touching, lyrical, and always intriguing, their stories reveal the powerful connections between four generations.… (més)

I think I had different expectations for this book than what I was given. When I was told a post 9/11 take, I was truly expecting a tale that took place in the aftermath of 9/11. That IS a subplot for sure (a boy comes to town whose father has gone missing on that fateful Tuesday morning).....and another girl's life has been impacted by travelling that day.

However, this is more of a small town story. A story centered around a family....and of a girl searching for answers. Perhaps it is due to my NOT realizing this was a "sequel" of sorts, perhaps because I didn't know that the mystery about an individual had started in a previous book....but I found myself going "eh" throughout most of "The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas." I did not have the back story or history or the investment.

All told, this is not going to be a middle grade I gravitate towards recommending.… (més)

A beautiful tale of a young girl living in Louisiana with her beloved grandmother, father and mother. While Tiger Parker deeply loves her parents, she is supremely embarrassed because her parents are retarded (the term used in this book published in 1998,)

Watching school mates laugh at her parents, and make fun of them is very difficult. And, while Tiger wants more for herself and her parents, she is also torn between her love of them, and her wish that they were "normal," creating a dilelma that has no easy answer.

Her grandmother does a wonderful job of reminding Tiger of the specialness of her parents, and the love they share for each other and for others, still Tiger couldn't help but even hate the name given to her by her parents.

When her aunt came to visit, she wished her parents could have been born as savvy and beautiful. Tiger appreciates the small things that her parents do, but when a TV becomes obsessive for her mother who loves to watch the Howdy Dowdy show and can repeat every line of the show, it only heightens the realization that her parents are very uniquely unlike the parents of her classmates.

Sadly, Tiger's grandmother died, leaving the issue of who would be able to watch after Tiger, and her parents. Tiger's aunt believes that her parents would be fine alone, and that Tiger deserves to have a life of nice clothes, a good education, and a lifestyle so very different then what she currently experiences.

Tiger went with her aunt for a short trip, and returned believing she would like to move away to a way out of the snickers and put downs. Tiger is faced with a major life-changing decision.

This is all that a YA book should portray. A story line with strong characters, a young person in conflict, and the need to make a major decision.

Three and 1/2 stars!… (més)