Stephanie J. Blake

Narrated by Kelly Fogwell. In 1959 Idaho, Freedom McKenzie is on the cusp of adolescence but she still loves to get down in the dirt and play marbles. She intends to enter the marbles competition at the Autumn Jubilee even though her mother wants her to be more ladylike. Her dad drinks more beer than he should, the neighborhood boys don't want to play marbles with her anymore, and the feared older lady next door ends up becoming a friend. Fogwell nicely brings out the everyday ups and downs of Freedom's life and her spirited personality. Dad's drinking is not presented in a dark light although the mother is obviously put out and disappointed by it. When he decides to do right and stop drinking, it's not a struggle. He just does it.… (mehr)