55. Whistling in the Dark by Lesley Kagen

I am not sure what to say about Whistling in the Dark other than I absolutely adored and LOVED this book. I give it an A!

From Amazon:
It was the summer on Vliet Street when we all started locking our doors...
Sally O'Malley made a promise to her daddy before he died. She swore she'd look after her sister, Troo. Keep her safe. But like her Granny always said-actions speak louder than words. Now, during the summer of 1959, the girls' mother is hospitalized, their stepfather has abandoned them for a six pack, and their big sister, Nell, is too busy making out with her boyfriend to notice that Sally and Troo are on the Loose. And so is a murderer and molester.
Highly imaginative Sally is pretty sure of two things. Who the killer is. And that she's next on his list. Now she has no choice but to protect herself and Troo as best she can, relying on her own courage and the kindness of her neighbors.

I loved the way the book was told through a ten-year-old's eyes. At times I would forget that Sally was only ten, because she had some grown-up thoughts, but it was so refreshing. I have often said I would have loved to live in the 1950s and reading this book allowed for me to experience a bit of that. The descriptions of a quiet and small town during summer reminded me a bit of my own neightborhood and goes to show that while we think things were a bit more innocent and easier back then, that always wasn't the case. I'm so glad I read this book and even happier I read now in the summer, so I can imagine myself playing along with Sally and Troo and the rest of the kids on Vliet Street. Pick this one up if you haven't already. I'm off to check my library's database and see what else they have by Ms. Kagen! Happy Reading!