Debrah Williamson, Singing With The Top Down

Singing With The Top Down

Debrah Williamson

NAL, September 2006, $12.95

ISBN: 0451219260

In the summer of 1955, at the Fabulous Fortuno Brothers Traveling Carnival in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Pop and Mama Mahoney die when the Crazy Snake roller coaster crashes. They leave behind a ton of unpaid bills and two children; thirteen year old Paulette "Pauly" in Oklahoma and eight year old polio survivor Buddy. None of their relatives from either side want to take in the kids, except wealthy eccentric Aunt Nora, who arrives driving a convertible with plans to take them to Hollywood where she has been trying to make it as an actress.

On "The Daring Adventure of Us" trek west with the top down, Nora picks up hitchhiking nursing-home escapee Tybolt Bisbee and his reeking Puppy. Others join their traveling road show, as Aunt Nora's generosity and charm begins to win over the prime cynic, Pauly "Paulette" in California who does not trust adults to care about her interests as Mama always took care of mama first, and Pop did likewise taking care of mama first.

This is an amusing 1950's coming of age tale starring a precocious naive, yet cynical young teen who distrusts adults. The storyline is told from the perspective of Pauly as she begins to warm up towards her seemingly caring Aunt Nora, who is sort of an Auntie Mame type of character. There is no suspense, even when someone tries to abduct aunt and niece, as the lighthearted touch remains throughout the plot. Those readers who enjoy an amusing overly sanguine historical will want to read Debrah Williamson's fine look back to 1955 in the southwest.