Immediately, one thing I note from the text is the well educated demeanor in which it is written, considering a child is speaking. On the second page, Bean does mispronounce “grilled cheese” by saying “grill cheese”, which I believe was a smart move by Pam Bustin because it reminds the reader that, though the writing sounds mature, it is coming from a young perspective. I feel that if the back cover does Mostly Happy justice, I will develop a bond with Bean, and be able to root for her success despite her messy surroundings. I like stories with a shock factor, and I love to read about things that will hopefully never happen to me.

Most have made me imagine life from a different perspective, and almost all have made me emotional. In the past, I’ve read books about the real life accounts of kidnap victims, the lives of cancer patients, and even the stories of drug addicts. I love a tragic book that makes me think.

I see this novel being very gritty, and upsetting, which is another reason I chose it. An overattched stepfather is mentioned on the back cover, who I imagine will add yet another struggle to this young girl’s already chaotic life. Her biological father stabbed himself within the first twenty pages, so that doesn’t say a lot for him either. Fallwell, and her story is not one an innocent child should know. Her mother is constantly jumping from man to man, and frankly doesn’t seem very interested in Bean at all. However, after reading the back cover, and the first chapter, I must assume the girl on the cover is Bean E. Who is that little girl? I desperately want to know her story. I chose this novel because the cover just grabbed me. So, the first novel I am going to dive into is Mostly Happy, by Pam Bustin.

Mostly Happy by Pam Bustin