I had read about Tomato Girl a few years ago, and I added it to my long list of books to read. A couple of weeks ago I was browsing at my local library and saw it. I checked it out because I had remembered hearing such good things about it. I was not disappointed! At times it felt like I was reading a book by Flannery O'Connor or Truman Capote, it was deliciously dark and sad. This isn't what I would call a light-hearted read, but it is excellent. When I wasn't reading, I found myself wondering about the characters and what would happen to them. That's always a good sign!
The story is about a little girl ,Ellie, who is growing up in Virginia with her mom and dad. Her father runs a local country store and her mother is at home. From the beginning you learn that her mother experiences unspecified "spells" and that sometimes she isn't herself. Sadly, the pressures of caring for her mother gets to be too much for her father and he falls in love with the Tomato Girl who sells produce at his store. Suddenly, Ellie finds herself in circumstances that no 11 year old should ever have to face.
This is another title from the fabulous Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. I promise I do read other books, but I can't say enough good things about this publisher!
As a side note, the author, Jayne Pupek, passed away in 2010. During her life she published two books of poetry, but sadly, Tomato Girl was her only work of fiction. It's so sad to think of what else should could have written.
If you like to read fiction, I do hope you will check out this book. It was fantastic! If you do, please let me know what you thought of it.
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