KILLING MISS KITTY AND OTHER SINS

Five distinctly adult stories explore coming of age in 1950s Illinois. Tracing Claire from age 11, when she befriends a black girl and learns to recognize her segregated world for what it is, to age 15, when she peeps at a half-naked teacher (and later shares a bed with her), leading to an uncomfortable recognition of Claire’s own sexuality, these autobiographical tales are tinged with nostalgia and a sense of a world long gone. The short-story format detracts from Bauer’s skilled and graceful writing; many characters appear only in glimpses, leaving them seemingly half-finished and inconsistent—but as an independent story each piece is perfectly executed. Unfortunately, this will have limited appeal for children and teens; indeed, the final story, which has genuine teen appeal in its sensitive depiction of budding sexuality and discomfort, is unlikely to be accessible to most readers, and the title story, in which Claire’s mother kills their pet cat, is genuinely disturbing in its placid observations. (author’s note) (Fiction. 13+)