Barn Boot Blues

December 1, 2011

Gr 4-7-Moving can be a traumatic experience for kids of any age but when Taylor McNamara's parents move from Minneapolis to a small rural area to fulfill their dream of owning a farm filled with sheep, chickens, and goats, the 12-year-old is miserable. She feels deprived of weekends at the Mall of America and, worse yet, there's no cable television. Barn Boot Blues offers a humorous look at what it takes to fit in at a new school and make new friends. Taylor's sense of humor helps her out when she almost misses the bus on the first day of school and ends up wearing her barn boots all day, which draws snickers from students and lands her the nickname of "Boots." She learns to take an umbrella when gathering eggs to avoid another chicken-poop-in-the-hair incident and excels at spinning yarn, especially when it allows her to watch her favorite television program. While the story line is a bit slow to develop and the responsibility that Taylor's parents thrust upon her seems a bit much for someone who has never lived on a farm before, the girl's sarcastic wit gets her through most situations and eventually helps her and her family maintain a united front when times get tough. It's Taylor's ability to rise to a challenge and understand the meaning of friendship that turns this book back on course.-Cheryl Ashton, Amherst Public Library, OH

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