The True History of Lyndie B. Hawkins

Lyndie’s life has been mightily disrupted. Her father, a troubled Vietnam vet, lost his job, and her mother has been sick. They had to sell their house and move in with Lyndie’s grandparents. The good thing is she will be close to her best friend, Dawn. The bad things are she misses her home, she won’t be close to the library anymore, grandmother is a fussbudget, and Dawn’s time will be occupied with a juvenile delinquent her family has taken in. But mostly there is a terrible tension between Lyndie’s parents, and she doesn’t understand what is causing it. But an assignment in English class sets Lyndie on a quest for truth that teaches her a great deal about the people in her life and even about herself.

Author Gail Shepherd has written a rich, complex novel that is filled with a wonderful cast of very believable characters with interesting backstories of their own. The writing is beautiful and the story is so compelling. This book deserves readership far beyond the intended middle-grade audience. It would be a great read-aloud in classrooms and will start the kinds of discussions teachers hope for. Do not miss this exceptional book.