The Silver Star: Jeannette Walls

This book was interesting in that it followed a little girl's life, but it was an adult book. The happenings in the book hinted at the author's own life. Two little girls come home every day from school wondering if their mother will still be there, at age 12 "bean" (the protagonist) has lived in several places. Every time the going gets tough mom packs up and leaves. After the mom makes up a boyfriend and leaves after she is found out, the girls worry she won't come back and take a bus to Virginia to their Uncle's house. He takes them in and they become accustomed to life in a little town. The mom shows up and has a nervous breakdown and then leaves the girls with their uncle while she moves to New York. Both girls find work with a man in then who then tries rapping the oldest girl. This book concludes with Mr. Mattox (the employer) winning the court case and then being fired from his job. He is then shot when he is "mistaken for a bear" by Bean's uncle. This was an excellent story. I found it interesting that "To Kill a Mocking Bird" was mentioned, forcing you to compare Bean with Scout.