It's dangerous to let me loose in a used book store, and I found myself in a little hole-in-the-wall place a few weeks ago when I was in Dothan, AL. National Best Sellers or NY Times Notable Books always catch my eye and I tend to enjoy most of them, so when I saw Gwyn Hyman Rubio's book, Icy Sparks, I was compelled to try it (you don't have much to lose when buying from a used book store). The story is set in the 1940's in back hills, small town Kentucky and follows the life of a young girl, Icy Sparks, who is raised by her grandparents. Icy has Tourette's Syndrome, but since it isn't recognized as a neuropsychiatric disorder at that time in history, she is sent to a mental institution hours away from her small town where other "loony" children are sent. However, after several months there, the doctor finds nothing wrong with her and sends her back home with some behavior therapy. This coming of age story chronicles her battle both with social ostracism and within herself as she longs to be normal in a world that has no place for her. The book is filled with humor, insight, and compassion and is one that I highly recommend. And it also has another plus: short chapters, which means it's a quick read because of the "just one more chapter" mentality. Next on my list to read (and also from the used book store): Three Junes by Julia Glass--a bestseller, of course!
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