Grounded

Grounded by Kate Klise

The day that her father and siblings died in a plane crash, twelve-year-old Daralynn was at home, grounded for going fishing without permission from her mother. Never close with her prim and proper mother, their relationship becomes even more strained as they attempt to live with their grief after the wreck.

To help make ends meet Daralynn’s mother takes a job at the local funeral home, and later takes over their small town’s beauty parlor. When Clem Monroe, an outsider, arrives in town and opens a crematorium, Daralynn’s idea to hold “living funerals” helps to keep her mother employed. As time goes by, she becomes more and more suspicious of the Clem, and not just because he plans to whisk her favorite aunt away. Daralynn’s investigation of Clem helps her to feel more grounded in life than she has since the death of her father, brother and sister.

Likes
Daralynn. She’s unapologetic about being a tomboy. She has a caring heart. She isn’t perfect and doesn’t try to be.

Dislikes

The story is set sometime in the 1970s. I could tell that it was set sometime 30+ years ago, but couldn’t say just when…even by decade…for most of the story. That annoyed me.

While a decent tale, I can’t imagine what tween I could give this book to and have it be thoroughly appreciated.