Book Reviews of A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana

A really great tale of growing up in a very small town where everyone knows your business and your home phone number. Zippy is not your average little girl. She is spunky, gutsy, and imaginative. This author has such a funny sense of humor that this book just chugs along and suddenly you're finished with it and it's over. I really enjoyed her outlook on life as a child. If you are looking for a "feel-good" memoir, this one, I promise, delivers. Highly recommended.

Laugh out loud book. As comfortable as a pair of fuzzy socks. This is a wonderful little memoir of growing up in a small town in the late 60's/early 70s. I loved it.

This was a book I bought for a book club read. It is a sweet narrative about "growing up small in Mooreland, Indiana." Because each chapter is its own little story, it was an easy book to pick up and put back down again without feeling like I was leaving the characters hanging in suspense. Or to look at it from another angle, it wasn't one of those books that I just couldn't put down. In all though, it was a lighthearted enjoyable read, and one that had me laughing at times until I cried.

This is a story told by Zippy, a child surrounded by a loving family, quirky neighbors, and lots of animals. The story telling is hysterically funny, witty, and includes great storytelling. Zippy was a bit of a pest, she was sly, and always seemed to get her way. She was srious, and sweet, and tried to do good. Hysterical! Great book.

This book is a must-read, especially for anyone who spent his/her youth in a small, midwestern town. While Zippy's life is not like anyone's I've known, her stories and predicaments just took me back to my own youth in the late '70s, early '80s. This book is truly a gem and worth savoring!

I loved this book! Haven Kimmel has a wonderful "voice" for storytelling. If you grew up in a small town, particularly in the Midwest, you will probably enjoy this book.

I grew up in the northeast and was born in 1971 but I could totally relate to Zippy! Especially with her thoughts about church and such.I pretty much read the book straight through because I didn't want to put it down and I LOVED the pictures! Brought back alot of great childhood memories! And the ending was perfect!

A very engaging, funny book. Haven Kimmel was born in 1965 in Mooreland, Ind. She was nicknamed Zippy for the way she would run aroound the house. A memoir told in a witty way and lovingly.

Nostalgic and funny look at a young girl growing up in small town America in the 1960's.

I first checked out this book from our local library. It reminded me so much of my own childhood in Indiana, that I felt I had to share it with my older sister. So I purchased the book and mailed it to my sister so she could also share the experience . If you grew up in a small midwestern town during the 50's or 60's this book will probably reflect a lot of your own experiences. All in all just a great walk down memory lane!

I love babies and was drawn to the book through the cover. The story is just as sweet as this baby looks! This memoir was a refreshing change from other memoirs I've read which tend to be depressing stories of dsyfunctional families. I kept waiting for Zippy to fall into drugs or be abused by a family member or a plethera of other unsavory things but it never happened. This is simply the story of a sweet, happy , normal childhood within a fully functioning family! Great book :o)

A Girl Named Zippy is a wonderful and poignant memoir. It's quite obvious that Haven Kimmel came from a family with it's fair share of problems and hardships, but this memoir is not a pity fest but a loving and glowing story of growing up poor in the Midwest.

Called Zippy because of her speed in getting around, Haven is a young girl with a wonderfully skewed view of the world. How Kimmel was able to tell this story all through a child's eyes and voice is remarkable. In today's world I have no doubt that she would be labeled ADHD, and probably medicated, but back then she was just a rambunctious child. I am about 10 years older than Kimmel, but so many of her observations reminded me of my own family and growing up relatively poor in the late '50's early '60's. Her story of being told she was adopted (by her older siblings of course) was laugh out loud funny and reminded me of that same cruel story we told my younger brother. Everything in this book rang true and I loved her memories and the fact that there was no finger pointing. She was an obviously loved child and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book so much that I have already bought the sequel, She Got Up Off the Couch. I can't wait to get to it.

Loved this book, easy and fun to read.

Lot of hype...not much substance.

This book was laugh out loud funny and paints a wonderful portrait of a childhood in a simpler time. It was very enjoyable.

Easily one of my favorite books. It is written with such honesty and it will take you back to a simplier generation. If you grew up in the 60's and 70's it will warm your heart and make you laugh out loud. Even if you didn't grow up then it will make you remember childhood and smile. The writing just flows off the page and it is a enjoyable easy read. I recommend it highly.

I guess the author is trying to tell about her childhood as if she were still a child, speaking directly to you. I gave up after 40 pages. It seemed disjointed and rambling to me.

Loved reading this book - it is laugh out loud funny while not glossing over the reality of a far from perfect childhood. It's just so nice to read a book that makes you smile about those times in childhood that you thought you would rather forget.

I'm 3 years younger than Zippy so I can relate to many of the childhood experiences she had, except I lived in the suburbs, she in the country. My mom never knew where I was either and it wasn't a big deal. Those were innocent times growing up in the 70s! Kimmel recalls it all in a funny, refreshing writing style.

Wondrfully delightful coming of age tale from the eyes of a little girl her father calls Zippy. I found my self laughing out loud at times and quietly sad at others. Would recommend to all, Kimmel has a way with words, not to be missed!

A memoir of a quirky small-town girlhood told in two dozen or so vignettes. Poignant and laugh-out-loud funny in places.

This is positively one of my favorite books. The author does an incredible job with wit, humor, and captures this perfectly. Order it, read it and love it!

This book is a riot, I'm going to keep my eyes wide open for more books from her!

Sweet, charming, simple, funny, and honest. This book is the culinary equivalent of "comfort food." Kimmel's style of writing is so easily accessible without being dumbed-down. No drama, no whining. Just a wonderful memoir of life.

This book was okay. Some stories were charming and occasionally funny but just as many stories were not interesting at all. Haven Kimmel is not much older than I am and I also grew up in a small town in the midwest so I thought I would relate more to her story. I also did not like that the stories were not in chronological order. It threw off my perspective a few times when she back and forth in time without prefacing it.

This was a very werid book. Not my style

This is a very well written and interesting memoir. For me, a real page turner. I really admire someone who can make small town life so enjoyable to read about.

If you grew up in a small midwestern town in the late 60's, this is a must read.

HILLARIOUSLY funny in the same vein as Laurie Notaro. Life in a small town as seen through the eyes of a funny little girl. NOTHING is safe.

Great story, brought back memories from my own childhood that I had forgotten.

An interesting read, by turns funny and sad.

Read with my book club, it was a good book about southern life.

Sweet, funny, sad, hard to put down.

I picked this book up on a whim and it is hilarious. Great fast fun read

When Haven Kimmel was born in 1965, Mooreland, Indiana, was a sleepy little hamlet of three hundred people. Nicknamed "Zippy" for the way she would bolt around the house, this small girl was possessed of big eyes and even bigger ears. In this witty and lovingly told memoir, Kimmel takes readers back to a time when small-town America was caught in the amber of the innocent postwar period–people helped their neighbors, went to church on Sunday, and kept barnyard animals in their backyards.

Laced with fine storytelling, sharp wit, dead-on observations, and moments of sheer joy, Haven Kimmel's straight-shooting portrait of her childhood gives us a heroine who is wonderfully sweet and sly as she navigates the quirky adult world that surrounds Zippy.

Wow! Mysteries are my typical genre, so I was surprised that I not only read this memoir, but loved it! So many things reminded me of my childhood that I was entranced from the first chapter. Bikes, dogs, friends, and the innocence of childhood that you just don't see these days will keep you turning the pages.

Cute story. Like a real-life version of Ramona Quimby.

I love memoirs of every day people. (Celebrity ones tend to fill me with a mix of envy and boredom.) Zippy is lots of fun and a great peek into what should be a white bread world.

Kimmel does a great job capturing her childhood in the early 70s in Mooreland, Indiana, population: 300. I was expecting a look back at how simple things were in the good ole days. What I got was a crazy town filled with crazy, scary, fun, and loving people and a little girl who seems to be destined to make sure no one around her is bored.

Kimmel's childhood is anything but ordinary. I found myself howling with laughter for many memories. I'd try to read passages out loud to my husband, but I'd be cracking up too hard to make any sense. (There's also a few teary moments, and some beautiful examples of how much love a family has.)

Kimmel does an amazing job capturing the innocence of a little girl, but writes her story with a wry, very adult slant. It makes for a great read.

A Great Light Hearted Novel! A nice change from the more dramatic stories!

memories of small town life

Very cute easy read. This book also left me wondering what else was happening.

I love this book and the sequel. Pick it up if you want a grin.

Cute book about growing up in a small town in the 50s/60s. Though not a Leave It To Beaver family, there are no abusive parents, no disturbing memories, no real adversity to overcome in this book - just an entertaining look back to the author's childhood.

If you enjoyed The Liar's Club, Cherry, etc you will like Zippy.

Wonderful book. Great humor with a touch of heartache. Quick easy read.

Good, but slow going at times.

This was the first true life story that I've read and it was really good! Kimmel is extremely funny and knows that we don't want another boring biography.

Adorable and hilarious!

Enjoyed this book very much. Thought it was a cute, quick read.

#1 new york times bestseller

enjoyable book & quick read, I finished it within a day.

Great book. Funny and real!

Very amusing and highly touching. A quick and enjoyable read.

Excellent writing.
Enjoyed very much

One of the funniest memoirs I've read.

This is a very entertaining book, you will laugh a lot. I really enjoyed it.

Veronica Nagy

This is a wonderful book.

Cute book, that was fun to read especially if you grew up in the 50"s or 60's.

Wonderful book- easy read!

A very interesting, well-written book.

A funny story of growing up in a small town

such a heart felt story!

I wish I could remember my childhood with such charming detail...book makes you wish you were Zippy's next door neighbor.

Very funny, entertaining.

A very good book. A good book for all ages. Great non-fiction

When Haven Kimmel was born in 1965, Mooreland, Indiana, was a sleepy little hamlet of three hundred people. Nicknamed "Zippy" for the way she would bolt around the house, this small girl was possessed of big eyes and even bigger ears. In this witty and lovingly told memoir, Kimmel takes readers back to a time when small-town America was caught in the amber of the innocent postwar period–people helped their neighbors, went to church on Sunday, and kept barnyard animals in their backyards.
Laced with fine storytelling, sharp wit, dead-on observations, and moments of sheer joy, Haven Kimmel's straight-shooting portrait of her childhood gives us a heroine who is wonderfully sweet and sly as she navigates the quirky adult world that surrounds Zippy.

I really liked it. My bookclub and I enjoyed it.This book is about a girl growing up in the 50 with a funny family.

Amusing and fun read.

A heartwarming look into the life of a small girl in Indiana in the sixties and early seventies. Does that make you think dolls, starched dresses, bike riding and cornfields? Well, Zippy had a bike but a middle-class well-adjusted little girl she was not. A town troublemaker, left largely to her own devices by a depressed mother, her upbringing is unusual, but her retelling of her story is funny, wry, occasionally warm, and completely memorable.

Amusing book. Quick read!

Thoroughly enjoyable, heartwarming, lighthearted, fun to read.

delightful book! Loved it!

Laugh Out Loud! Great Voice! Couldn't Put it Down!

This was surprisingly good!

This book has received rave reviews--and I must add my own. Very enjoyable.

A great quick read about a real life girl growing up in the 70's.

Adorable book, easy read and very funny.

VERY GOOD BOOK! LOTS OF FUN!

Excellent book! Great writing! A quick read!

Loved this book! I laughed out loud throughout! It's a hoot!
Lindy

One of the funniest books I've ever read!

I loved this book, but I was born in a small town the same year, so I could relate. Written more in a child's perspective, which I found wonderful.

Quick easy read,nostalgic small town America,brings back alot of great memories for me,along with a few good laugh out loud moments!!!

excellent funny read especially for those who like memoirs!

Wonderfully sweet and funny book about the author's childhood during the 1970's. Many of Zippy's stories sound so much like my childhood! Very enjoyable to read.

WONDERFUL!!!!!

What an enjoyable, fun and fresh style of writing!

This was a humourous look at a normal life. I enjoyed it.

Very enjoyable - I could visualize so much of it.

This was a very enjoyable memoir. Nothing earthshattering occurs, but the book details the both the idiosyncratic and universal elements of the author's family experience. I grew up in a different place but at the same time as Zippy and could definitely share a lot of the memories she recounts.

A great book. Very witty and funny. I liked it a lot too because I grew up in Indiana!

I loved this book! Very entertaining!

Wonderful! I found myself laughing out loud.

This is a delightful memoir! It's hard to believe that this is the same author who wrote "The Solace of Leaving Early" which I also loved. While this memoir is a humorous, breezy piece, her novel had a whole different feel to it; much density and sorrow in its content. Both are great reads and highly recommended!

A charming memoir of America in a different time from a woman who was an individual from the moment she was born. Some of the stories she writes will delight you; some will horrify you. But each is told in images that are inspired and with a sweet sense of smartass that will captivate you.

A great story of a rural childhood.

An unusual book. I enjoyed it very much.

Kimmel's stories really brought me back to my childhood growing up in the 70s. Her memories are so vivid, hilarious, and heart-warming (especially the final story). I just loved it!

Just kind of "there", not funny or poignant or really grabbing at all, it was not a bad book but not one of my favorites.

An amusing story about growing up in a small town. Enjoyed reading this book very much.

I loved this book!

"Zippy" is absolutely hilarious, charming, and touching. I laughed out loud many times. I finished reading it in about 24 hours, as the book is really more of a series of short childhood vignettes than it is a straight-out biography. And oh...check out the photo on page 192. I hate to admit it, but when I was a teenager, I had the same poster hanging on the wall in my bedroom. I remember part of what it said, which began "Hi, I'm a pet poster..." and with the popularity of pet rocks then, why not a pet poster? ;)

Book was a good read, I must have laughed a half a dozen times thru the book, the writer has a way with words!

Enjoyed this book alot. Filled with stories of "Zippy" growing up in a small town. I laughed alot over these stories.

Brings back funny memories of growing up.

Funny and refreshing!

I enjoyed reading this Memoir. It's nice to be able to read something a bit different. It also brought back some nostailga from my own childhood.

Each chapter can stand on its own as a short story, but they're all interwoven. Read an excerpt at RandomHouse.com.

From Publishers Weekly
It's a cliche to say that a good memoir reads like a well-crafted work of fiction, but Kimmel's smooth, impeccably humorous prose evokes her childhood as vividly as any novel. Born in 1965, she grew up in Mooreland, Ind., a place that by some "mysterious and powerful mathematical principle" perpetually retains a population of 300, a place where there's no point learning the street names because it's just as easy to say, "We live at the four-way stop sign." Hers is less a formal autobiography than a collection of vignettes comprising the things a small child would remember: sick birds, a new bike, reading comics at the drugstore, the mean old lady down the street. The truths of childhood are rendered in lush yet simple prose; here's Zippy describing a friend who hates wearing girls' clothes: "Julie in a dress was like the rest of us in quicksand." Over and over, we encounter pearls of third-grade wisdom revealed in a child's assured voice: "There are a finite number of times one can safely climb the same tree in a single day"; or, regarding Jesus, "Everyone around me was flat-out in love with him, and who wouldn't be? He was good with animals, he loved his mother, and he wasn't afraid of blind people."
Forecast: Dreamy and comforting, spiced with flashes of wit, this book seems a natural for readers of the Oprah school of women's fiction (e.g., Elizabeth Berg, Janet Fitch). The startling baby photograph on the cover should catch browsers' eyes.

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