KITTY IN THE SUMMER

by Judy Delton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 27, 1981

Once more, as in Kitty in the Middle (1979), Delton takes us into the world of a Catholic school girl in the midwest of 1942. Now Kitty is on summer vacation, staying with her Aunt Katie and her German-speaking grandfather in a town where everyone seems to be of recent German descent. When Kitty falls in love with a dog the church will raffle at its bazaar, she succeeds in winning ten dollars in nickels at a drug-store slot machine to buy her chances. But despite her drum full of tickets, the prize goes to latecomer Mr. Zachman, whom Kitty had helped with his one ticket! Things get worse when Aunt Katie goes to help with a new baby at the dilapidated Zachman farmhouse. Kitty, dragged along, balks at the all-potato meals and the straw mattress she is expected to share with the three dirty Zachman girls. ""You can't stay overnight with a Protestant!"" says Aunt Katie of Kitty's next-door friend Betsy. But it is Betsy's more positive attitude toward the Zachman filth (""we'll clean it up"") that inspires a very realistic change of heart in Kitty. (Delighted with her success in teaching the Zachman children English, Kitty is nevertheless chagrined that brusque Aunt Katie fails to take note of her good deed.) An agreeable, empathic time trip, with a learning experience worth taking to heart.

Pub Date: Oct. 27, 1981

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1981

Categories: FICTION