Murphy McGowan is always the center of attention and
it is usually not for the right reasons. Leeda Cawley-Smith is the center of
attention for people that she does not even care about. She is invisible to her
family. Birdie Darlington is invisible to everyone and she prefers it that way.

These
three girls are thrown together at the Darlington Orchard where they find out
that they have more in common than they would have thought. The holes that they
have in their lives are quickly filled by one another.

Birdie’s
strength while her family falls apart around her gives Leeda and Murphy hope
that they can hold on the way Birdie does.

Murphy’s
confidence allows Leeda and Birdie to stand up to people in their lives that
they would not have been able to do before meeting Murphy.

Leeda’s
suffering at the hands of her family allows Murphy and Birdie to demonstrate
their love and support to someone that has grown to mean a great deal to them.

These
girls do not trust easily and Jodi Lynn Anderson tells a beautiful story about
three very different girls finding themselves in each other. Their problems may
seem very different, but underneath each girl just needs someone to believe in
her and to be there to say it is ok when they make a mistake.

Anderson’s
wonderfully written supporting characters allows the reader to see where the
girls’ pain is coming from. The orchard is a perfect backdrop where Birdie is
able to blossom, Murphy is able to take out her frustrations and Leeda is able
to blend in but also get the attention she craves.

Anderson
moves effortlessly in and out of each girl’s story and has the reader confident
that each could pick the perfect Georgia peach.

© 2005 Amy Ridley

Amy Ridley
received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Boston University.

Categories: Children