| Roxanne is twelve years old and mad about baseball in 1962, the year of a pie baking contest that will have a major impact on her later years. Roxanne witnesses her first glimpse of racial politics, when her mother makes an issue of a neighbor who is entering a pie that has been by her black maid under her own name. Roxanne realizes that life isn't always fair, yet readers still revisit to the tenderness of the kind of small town life where Roxanne grows into a young woman.
When Roxanne decides to pursue a summer job as a housekeeper at The Bluebonnet Motel, she imagines that she will become a respected woman. To her disappointment, she realizes that the authenticity is much less alluring. In yet another piece, the appearance of a new mailwoman in town provokes inquisitiveness, admiration, and even a schoolgirl crush. When Roxanne's parents announce that they are going to have another child, Roxanne is ashamed and embarrassed. She decides that they are just too old to have another child! Roxanne's family, including her new sister Joanie, is distraught by the death of Roxanne's father. It is then that Roxanne's aunt, uncle, and cousin become even more significant in her world. Roxanne matures, leaves Annette, has her own family, and even sees her own mother get remarried. If that isn't adequate to gratify the desire of a treat of a novel, the recipes following each chapter-which include Aunt Ruthie's Cinnamon Rolls, Mabel's Angel Food Cake with Chocolate Sauce, and many more, suggest a sweet feeling that makes Annette, Texas seem nice. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book? - thoughtful Time/era of story - 1960's-1970's Kids growing up/acting up? Yes Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Age group of kid(s) in story: - grade school Main Character Gender - Female Ethnicity/Nationality Setting United States Yes The US: - Texas Writing Style Sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - vague references only - descript of kissing Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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