Saturday, June 9, 2012

Welcome to the World, Baby Girl


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