Fannie Flagg’s Welcome to the World, Baby Girl is a bit of a departure from the usual
happenings of Elmwood Springs. Oh, our favorite characters-- Neighbor Dorothy, poor Tot, and Aunt Elner—are all present but
the main character of the book is Baby Girl, Dena Nordstorm. Dena lives in Elmwood Springs as a toddler
but suddenly leaves with her mother after a visit from a mysterious German-speaking
stranger. And so Dena’s story begins.
Dena and her mother move from place to place seemingly on
the run. Not until Dena is grown and is
trying to achieve a successful career in New York City’s competitive TV news
arena does she begin to wonder about her childhood. Health problems brought on by anxiety force
Dena to question many events of her past. A return to Elmwood Springs gives Dena the opportunity
to make some reasonable decisions about her future.
Characters you love and hate, the TV news ratings game, and Elmwood Springs history make this Fannie Flagg novel an interesting
combination of her usual humor in a different sort of story. Pick up a copy of Welcome
to the World, Baby Girl at the JCPL check-out desk and join the Fantastic
Fictioneers on Friday, June 15 at 11 AM. You’ll enjoy the book and the
discussion.
Jane Kaufman
