I loved this memoir, and am now hunting down the sequel. It's beautifully written, all from the point of a view of a small child. The portraits of her family and neighbors are beautifully drawn. I enjoy books with unreliable narrators, where you are given a misleading portrait and must work out the gaps and misleading bits for yourself. In this book, the child's viewpoint is honest, but limited by her understanding of the world (as deftly shaped by the adult writer, of course). It has all the enthusiasm and drama of a small child, for example, rushing to someplace a long way away, more than two blocks!
The small town and its residents are portrayed with love. Her parents have flaws and virtues, and she clearly thinks the virtues outweigh the flaws. I love this bit "On my end-of-the-year report card all she wrote was 'Is disruptive in class. Colors outside the lines. Talks out of turn.' When I showed it to my parents, they read it out loud to me, and my mom said, 'Good for you sweetheart.' And my dad gave me a little pat on the back."