Zippy

I said I'd post a review on this book, but haven't had time until now.  I'll bring it to our get-together on Tuesday in case any of you want to borrow it, and if you haven't read it, you should be anxious to get your hands on a copy.   

A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel, is a memoir of a girl growing up in Mooreland, Indiana, in the 1960s.  Zippy, the narrator, is irreverent, imaginative, hyperactive, wise, and witty.  One of my favorite parts was when her mean older sister tells her she's adopted and she goes in to consult her mom about it.  Her mom doesn't skip a beat.  She has a detailed story about her real parents being gypsies, and how she was born with a tail, which they had removed so that she wouldn't be made fun of at school.  The story makes sense to Zippy; it explains a lot of things in her mind, and she likes having gypsy blood.  It's probably a year later before she discovers that something about the story doesn't add up.

This book is full of philosophy, religion, animal stories, friendships, and growing up in small-town America.  It's really a very crazy book, and the craziest thing is that you share in some of the memories, and you know people like that - they might even be related to you.