My Mother's Wish: An American Christmas Carol
Jerry Camery-Hoggatt
Waterbrook, Sep 2008, $12.99
ISBN: 9781400074051

In Hastings, Nebraska, young Eleanor ' call me Ellee ' Crumb McKutchen heeds the call of the poet Juan Ramon Jimenez who urges people to ' write the other way '; thus Ellee ' s philosophy of life is ' contrariwise '. She wants to be part of the changing the world and knows where and who she wants to start with; her mom who has an image that she expects from her daughter; a vision that Ellee cannot see for herself.

Considering running away the tweener sits at the Comeback Caf , thirty miles from her home, wondering how to mend her broken dreams without hurting her mom who puts up blank Christmas lists for herself, her spouse, and her two children Susan and Eleanor; Susan being Ellee ' s older engaged sister. Each fills the list, but fulfilling it is irrelevant. Ellee knows mom means well even if her good intentions pave the way to hell for Ellee. Suddenly a three-armed waitress and an eccentric truck driver Jedidiah accompanied by his cat Cecily provide the distraught child with a strange holiday brew; an adventure on the backwaters of the Plains in what matters in life.

This is a terrific tweener Christmas Carol, Americana Midwest style starring a distraught girl whose flight of fancy is in opposition to her mom ' s no nonsense attitude. Fans will enjoy Ellee ' s adventures as Captain Jedidiah and his not named Mrs. Smee cat take her on a journey of understanding. This is a fun tale and mom ' s gift to her youngest daughter is the perfect Christmas present.

Harriet Klausner