This book was refreshingly different, not at all what I was expecting, fantastic! It was nice to read about someone's happy childhood memories for a change. If it were not for Zip's unique personality and outlook on things, however, I think that this could have been a completely different sort of memoir, a very sad book. These little 'essays' reminded me of how 'off' a child's perspective of things can be and that happiness can indeed be a decision. Go Zippy! I highly recommend this book!

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This was a great sequel to A Girl Named Zippy. It's interesting that in this book, as she grows up a bit, she figures things out about her family that she didn't know as a smaller child. But this book... this book is for her mother. For the woman that got up off of the couch and made a life for herself. I'll admit in the first book I had some not so nice thoughts about Zippy's mom... but she redeemed herself, pulled herself out of her depression and got on with her life. Kudos to mom for being so involved with the book and getting her life back on track. A beautifully told story - I hope there's another in the works - Zippy as a teenager - oh my!

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Wonderful book..hard to put down
Amazing and enlightening
Just makes you want to read more by Haven Kimmel
Great writer!!

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This was just as alternatingly hilarious and painful as its prequel, Zippy.

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Very engaging read which offers a slice of small town life seen through a young girl's eyes.

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Haven writes an autobiographical story that is great about her and her Mom growing up in a small town in the Midwest. Her Mom does very well. The characters are sympathetic.

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I like Haven Kimmel and I like the characters she writes about in her book.

The book is about Zippy's mom and how she takes control of her life and literally gets up off the couch and moves into a new life. For a long time I did not realize that this book and Zippy were autobiographical. It didn't really make a difference in the end but it just shocked me a little I guess. I don't think I've read an autobiographical book since high school, many years ago, and I remember all those books as dry self-serving drivel. That is not the case with this book or with the first book Zippy. I grew up poor also and like Zippy never seemed to realize it. Zippy has such an optimistic outlook on life.

This book is about her mother's journey to independence as much as it is about Zippy growing up. It was about people finding their way in life and finding their own identities and recognizing each others goals and achievements. All the characters in the book are transformed by the single even of Zippy's mother going off to college and finding happiness for herself in a new life but never leaving the old life behind. She never walked away from her family but learning to deal with all the old habits and characters in a positive way. She even brought Zippy along for the ride. Opening her up to new ideas and experiences. Some Zip understood and others that only her mother understood.

If you haven't read Zippy please read that first and then read this book. This book picks up exactly where Zippy ends and the back ground information is important to understand the mountains her mother had to climb to get up off the couch.

This book was a quick read and so delightful you will enjoy your time spent reading. It's well worth it !

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This is a sequel to A Girl Named Zippy and I liked it every bit as much as I enjoyed Zippy. The same character, and the whole book is written with her voice. The book is a memoir to end all memoirs, fun and interesting at every turn. It is charming. It feels very honest and real, kind of cool to feel like you're inside of the head of a young girl. I can't imagine that the author really remembered all this stuff in such great detail. I recommend this book.

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