Chigger — Raymond Bial

What happens when a mysterious "new girl" moves into a quiet little town in southern Indiana? It's the late 1950s and folks aren't accustomed to change. The other kids don't know what to make of the scrappy newcomer who's "not even starting school right." She insists on being called Eddie-though Eddie is a boy's name, as everyone in school knows. From the very start this girl "already had a secret deep as her own name." Inspired by a true story and actual events, Chigger follows the struggles of the new girl as she raises "quite a ruckus at school." Impoverished, always hungry, she nonetheless refuses help and won't be pitied. Fiercely independent, with plenty of pluck, she is clearly a fighter-with her mouth and her fists. Will she ever make a single friend as she battles for respect and a safe place for herself and her mother in the pleasant town of Roscoe? Will anyone ever stand up for her? And will folks "do the right thing when they see it clearly," as the girl ultimately has to fight for her life? Blending humor, heartbreak, and heroism, Chigger will appeal to adults, especially Boomers who remember the fabulous and not-so-fabulous '50s. Children will enjoy reading about the adventures and misadventures of youngsters from a bygone era. And everyone who likes to root for the underdog will love this sweet story of an unforgettable girl who, because she and her Mom "don't have no other choice," has to take on the world.