The LitChicks-LUCY THE GIANT

It's Portia's turn this week and her recommendation is....

LUCY THE GIANT by Sherri L. SmithAlright. I have a secret. A guilty pleasure if you will. I do indeed read the books that my 10 year old sister brings home for herself to read. I have read a surprising number of Candy Apple books. (5 graders have really cute problems.) My little sister has pretty good taste. She read Harry Potter, Series of Unfortunate Events, the usual. All the stuff her school library has, so not a whole tonna YA. When I picked up this book the other day, I was surprised to find out that A) it was a YA book, and B) it actually looked kinda deep and interesting. My kind of book.

Anyway, this book followed a girl named Lucy (she's 6 feet tall) who lives in Alaska with her alcoholic father. Lucy has to pick up her father from the bar multiple times a week because he'll pass out. Her mother left when she was a little girl. She has only one friend, and it's her dog, Santa Barbara. One day, Lucy just can't take it anymore. Her dog has died, and her father is the epitome of drunk and unloving, so she hops a plane and runs away. Once she's in a different part of Alaska, Lucy is free to reinvent herself, and forge a new identity and future apart from her father and her height as out of towner Barb.

When she gets a chance to join a fishing boat and crew--Geneva, Tracer, Don, and the captain, Harley. While on the fishing boat, Lucy works harder than she ever worked in her life, but for once, she's accepted. However, Lucy can't hide from her future forever, and she can't hide her true identity. What will happen when she's spotted by someone who knows "Lucy the Giant" from back home??

This was a change in books for me. I have never really read about a tall girl in Alaska who runs away and joins a fishing ship. I doubt most people have, actually. But it was a really good book, one that got me thinking how lucky I was to have 2 parents who love me, solid friends, and a home in California. :)g

Thanks Portia - another one to add to my reading pile!

On this date: In 1981, the Iran Hostage Crisis ended.