A Girl Named Zippy, Haven Kimmel, 2001

This book appeared on the Today Show's book club in 2002, and once I heard the subtitle ("Growing up Small in Mooreland, Indiana), I thought it sounded great -- it is! It's author Haven Kimmel's first memoir, and its form is unique and inviting. She defies a linear chronology, instead, joining chapeters around themes. Her tone is both charming and brutally honest, making her voice earnest and credible. For those of us who were kids in the early 70's, this book will stir memories. This would be a productive book for 5th and 6th grade book clubs, as Kimmel asks many questions while offering few answers.