Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

My 12-year-old and I finished reading One for the Murphys aloud together on the same day that she finished reading Fighting Words to herself, and even now I am struck by the contrast between the two. Murphys has an idyllic foster care family, which feels more like a fairy tale than reality, and yet it captures perfectly the dilemma of a deeply flawed parent (hence foster care!) who is, nevertheless, a legal parent. Foster care is an uneasy, difficult thing; it would be lovely if it could end in adoption when a placement works well, and yet it so often can’t. Temporary children and temporary parents and a temporary home–ALL of that takes a toll. Fighting Words, on the other hand, gives us a grittier picture of foster care, but it does lack the element of parental uncertainty.

Both books made me cry.

One for the Murphy‘s Carley Connors is both prickly and lovable in a wholly realistic way, and her relationship with her (first?) best friend is a solid thing to watch; mistakes are made, neither is perfect, but they manage in the end. Mullaly Hunt–or is it just Hunt?–is careful to show that the Murphy family has its flaws, although sometimes they feel perfect. This isn’t, perhaps, a perfect book, but it has heart and humor and raw emotion (my throat was killing me from trying to read the last few pages aloud over the tears); don’t miss it.

And by-the-by, I apparently can’t manage to collect my brain enough to write critically, cohesively, or coherently after 8:00 at night, which is why I’ve missed the last few posts. I’m going to have to rethink my posting schedule. (And in case you’re wondering, I’m posting after 8 tonight because I wrote most of this post this morning…)