Grounded by Kate Klise

Pages: 196
Intended Audience: Tweens and up
Genre: Real life
Notes for Parents: Deals with death and grieving

The Back Cover

After her brother, sister, and father die in a plane crash, Daralynn Oakland receives 237 dolls from well-wishers, resulting in her new nickname: Dolly. And she doesn’t even like dolls! Dolly would much rather go fishing—not that she’s allowed to go anywhere on her own after the accident. As she sees it, her whole life has turned terrible, and there’s nothing she can do about it.
But when her angry, grieving mother’s new job as a hairstylist at the local funeral home is threatened by the new crematorium, Dolly decides it’s time to take action. She suggests throwing Living Funerals—a chance to attend your own funeral and hear all the nice things people say while you’re still alive to thank them.
Will Dolly’s new plan heal her mother’s broken heart and save a dying business?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This book won the Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children’s Literature.

What’s good?

Left adrift by her silent, grieving mother after a terrible accident claims her father and two siblings, Daralynn Oakland – called Dolly – is an independent tomboy who is instantly likeable thanks to her curiosity and keen sense of observation. Dolly is supported by an excellent cast of characters including her mom, Hattie, her flamboyant Aunt Josie, the quiet Uncle Waldo, and Clem, the new man in town who stirs things up. Despite being set in Digginsville, Missouri in the 1970s, it retains a contemporary feel. The heavy subjects of loss and grief are treated with a gentle touch and mixed with a little mystery, some humor, and a lot of small town quirkiness.
Best Part: Putting the fun in funeral.

What isn’t good?
It’s a quaint story that lacks any true depth in terms of plot and characters.
Worst part: I guessed the ending pretty early on.

Recommendation þþþoo

This is a poignant tale of a young girl experiencing bereavement for the first time who is trying to reconnect with her grieving mother. It’s short and easy to read. While it lacks some character development, it’s still a charming story that stayed engaging right up to the end. Recommended.

Klise, Kate. Grounded. New York: Scholastic, 2010.