Billie Standish Was Here

July 1, 2007
Gr 9 Up-Eleven-year-old Billie is neglected and emotionally abused. Her parents, who were disappointed that she was not a boy, work all day in the fields, leaving her to keep house, cook, and attend school. When a flood threatens their 1968 Missouri community, most residents flee, leaving Billie's family, an elderly neighbor, and the woman's adult son. Billie and Miss Lydia become friends, but the girl is leery of Curtis. Her fear is well grounded, as he lures her to the deserted school and rapes her. Billie tells no one, but Miss Lydia figures it out. The woman, who was sexually abused by her father, protects Billie by staging a shooting in which she mistakes Curtis for a burglar and kills him. When the flood passes and school resumes, Billie becomes friends with a boy who becomes part of the afternoons at Miss Lydia's. Harlan and Billie grow closer as time passes. Miss Lydia ultimately suffers a stroke, and the two teens take care of her until her death. This story is beautiful, painful, and complex, and the descriptions of people, events, and emotions are graphic and tangible. The rape scene is described but not sensationalized. The pain it causes both Billie and Miss Lydia is made real for readers. The language is a bit crude at the beginning, but as Billie's rough edges are smoothed, her language becomes more polished. The ending is somewhat over-the-top, but doesn't detract from the story."Nancy P. Reeder, Librarian, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2007
Proving that the heavily mined child and elderly neighbor change each others lives premise isnt completely dry, Crockers sturdy debut explores the deep and subtle reaches of a friendship that blooms between 11-year-old Billie and her across-the-road neighbor Miss Lydia. Set in a small town several generations ago, this isanchored by three pivotal actsone driven by hate, one by love, and one a complex combination of the two.Thestory covers five years of Billies struggles to get out from under the thumb of her spiteful, abusive mother, and Lydias efforts to erase the guilt of two terrible secrets as, with agonizing slowness, her aging body fails. Crocker skillfully lays out the heart-deep regard that develops between these two perceptive, spirited females (Lydia is occasionally given to hilariously salty language) as life throws them severe challenges that they weather with each others help. InBillie, the author creates a narrator whose credible mix of navet', resilience, and uncertain but budding sense of self-respect thatwill speak to young readers.This easilytranscends itsfamiliar themes and locale.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)