Grounded

Grounded by Kate Klise, 208 pages

"I'm alive today because I was grounded." So starts 12-year-old Daralynn's story of why she remains alive after her father, sister and brother were killed when a plane piloted by her father crashed. The loss has transformed her mother into a bitter, angry woman who begins her own business as a hair stylist for the local funeral home after everyone admires the wonderful job she's done on her children and husband for their funerals. When Mr. Clem, a stranger with plans to build a crematorium, appears in town, the funeral home's continued success -- and Mother's job there -- is threatened, and Daralynn decides to take action. Her idea to host "living funerals" is successful, but only results in more competition for the funeral home and a growing distrust of Mr. Clem, who is as successful at courting Daralynn's aunt as he is in convincing the town folk that cremation is the wave of the future.

Daralynn's voice is wonderful and convincing, and Klise's setting and storytelling are reminiscent of Richard Peck's wonderful books about small towns and the characters who populate them. I loved this book and read it in one setting. Klise has created a fully-formed town, charming and engaging characters and a story full of humor, mystery and good, old-fashioned storytelling. For a book about the death of one young girl's parent and siblings, Klise manages to keep the reader engaged in Daralynn's loneliness, development and growth with humor and wit. I think this is Klise's best book so far, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys storytelling on par with "A Long Way from Chicago" and "Moon Over Manifest."
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