Marietta Greer heads west in her newly purchased ’55 Volkswagen bug hoping to escape the limitations of her small-town background. Changing her name to Taylor and finding herself with an abandoned child mark the beginnings of Taylor’s search for a place to live, a job, and a childcare solution. Her meeting with Mattie, Lou Ann, and Dwayne Ray and her residence in Roosevelt Park bring many challenges into her life. Capturing the dialect of Barbara Kingsolver’s own Kentucky background, this novel illustrates the difficulties of single parenting, economic deprivation, alienation, and Native American displacement. It is an unprejudiced presentation of an urban community of women and children.

Students study literary craftsmanship, examine imagery, symbols, and foreshadowing; discover and interpret theme; connect with other genres, especially poetry; role-play; and evaluate and write in many forms.  

Supplementary materials feature an objective and short answer test, answer key, and optional activities.