Review Detail

School just ended for the summer for sixteen year old Aba Zytka Jones, Abi. Its been a year since her mother, Mary, abruptly left and her father went into a deep depression, exacerbated by the loss of his job. Suddenly, another Mary enters her life; Mary who wants to be a Big Sister to her. How she knew about Abi is a mystery.

Abi is a loner. Her only friend, sort of, is Horace, the driver of the city bus she takes home from school. She lives in a rickety old house, on pilings, on the muddy river. There is an open field, a blackberry patch, outside her window and daily, she sees her boy, a cute boy having lunch, alone. She dreams of meeting him, but beware of what you dream, because it may come true. And it does.

Her boy is Jude, several years older than Abi, with a son, Dyl, and a dying mother. Dyls mother left as did Abis. Through Jude, Abi meets Amanda, nineteen and self sufficient, who cleans houses to save for college. Amanda has the close-knit family that Abi would die for. Amanda hates Jude, who we find out is irresponsible and self centered.

Over the summer in which Mud Girl takes place, Abi grows in self awareness. Realizing that she may never find out why her mother left, she also realizes that her mother, in her way, tried to ensure her happiness and survival&by stocking up on Abis underwear and registering her with Big Sisters. She becomes intimately involved in Judes family and she forms a strong bond with Amanda. There is talk of love and romance and dreams.

As a muddy river plods along, so does Mud Girl. Also like many muddy rivers, the book has little depth. There is little action and little character growth. Much of what happens is predictable. While Abi, Mary, Horace and Amanda are likable, readers wont internalize these characters. While the writing is descriptive, it is not enough to maintain a long term level of interest.