When Sweet Pea’s parents get a divorce—or a “mindful division,” as her mom calls it--they set up “two completely separate houses on the same street that look just about as identical as two different houses could.” Right in between them lies the home of Miss Flora Mae, whose advice column, Miss Flora Mae I?, is read by practically everyone in town.
Miss Flora Mae goes on vacation, and she asks Sweet Pea to handle her mail. Sweet Pea needs to send along new questions for the column, and submit to the newspaper the ones that Miss Flora Mae has already answered. What could possibly go wrong?
Well, it all starts when Sweet Pea recognizes the handwriting on one of the letters that comes in. Before long, she has plenty of problems of her own, involving current best friend Oscar, previous best friend Kiera, divorce and more divorce. There’s also that small matter of barfing on Greg, the cute new seventh grader, at a Trampoline Zone party, and the fact that being a “juniors’ size eighteen” doesn’t mean she wants her graduation dress to resemble “dumpy floral” wallpaper.
For me, this book is all about the main character. In Sweet Pea, the author has written a funny, relatable, flawed-yet-earnest protagonist, one who springs to life on the very first page. The book may tackle a whole slew of issues, but for me it’s all about Sweet Pea.
Have you read DEAR SWEET PEA? What do you think?
--Lynn
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