I want to be Laurie Halse Anderson when I grow up. I'm not sure if that is a viable option but if there's a chance I'll take it. She is such a versatile and skilled writer. That the same person wrote Speak (angry, creepily realistic, sad, etc, etc) and then wrote Prom (funny, happy, realistic, entertaining,etc, etc) amazes me. It seems like so many authors can do one thing really well and they write the same type of book over and over in endless variations.I loved Ashley's family (they're happy & actually love each other even though life is hard), loved the substitute math teacher (also I'm slightly worried that I might turn into that kind of teacher), really loved the Russian seamstress/bathing beauty who lived next door, and most of all loved Ashley's voice.
"Something is always broken. Most things can be fixed...Eat some ice cream. That usually helps." (p. 175)
