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****Bloomability

by Sharon Creech

Reviewed October 20, 2003.
Scholastic, New York, 1998.  273 pages.
A Sonderbooks’ Stand-out of 2003:  #2, Children's Contemporary Novels

Thanks to my friend Kristin for recommending this book to me some time ago.

Dinnie’s family has always moved around, as her dad pursues one opportunity after another.  Now Dinnie’s being expected to pursue an opportunity without her family.  Her uncle and aunt take her to Italian-speaking Switzerland, where her uncle is to be headmaster of an American school.  Dinnie isn’t given a choice, since all the adults think the opportunity is so wonderful.

What follows is a wonderful story about learning to live in a different culture, with people from all different countries.  Dinnie sees a big difference between her best friend Lila, who always complains, and Guthrie, who always finds something “Magnifico” in their experiences.  We see Dinnie’s attitude gradually and believably change as she goes from protesting she was kidnapped to thanking beautiful, beautiful Switzerland for her year there.  Readers will have a beautiful time experiencing that year with her.

Review of another book by Sharon Creech:
Love That Dog
Hate That Cat
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup