Barn Boot Blues
When Taylor’s parents drag her onto a farm, she tries to adapt to life with sheep and goats and chickens. But when the farm’s daily surprises repeatedly embarrass her at school, Taylor wants out. With the help of a new friend, Taylor embarks on a plan to convince her parents to move them back to the city. Just as she succeeds, she discovers—late one night alone in the barn—that a farm has one surprising advantage over city life.
reviews
“Twelve-year-old Taylor McNamara has just been uprooted from her city life (and the Mall of America) in Minneapolis to a farm with runaway sheep, smelly goats, and chickens that poop on her head-right before the start of the new school year. Although she faces a string of farm mishaps, the girls at her new school admire her poise (helped by a fair share of blind luck) when faced with dress code trouble on the first day. Nevertheless, stuck on the farm with no cable TV, no friends, and itchy chores, Taylor is not only homesick, but “friendsick,” and even “schoolsick.” Her new pals hatch a plan to get Taylor off the farm, with an unexpected result. Although the plot has some implausible situations, listeners will probably not notice. Friend’s story is humorous and refreshingly free of angst and whining.” (School Library Journal)
“One day 12-year-old Taylor s life is all about the Mall of America and the next she is 100 miles away living her parents dream of owning a farm. Taylor becomes an immediate target when she accidentally wears her brown rubber barn boots to her first day in her new middle school. The second day doesn’t go any better when a classmate notices chicken poop in her hair. Nor does the third day, when she arrives reeking of goat. Fortunately, Taylor’s ability to laugh at her circumstances helps her to attract new friends. One can predict where this story will end up, but tween girls will relate to Taylor’s attempts to fit in and to the supremely embarrassing situations in which she finds herself. This is a breezy read for those who like contemporary realistic fiction with a dose of humor.” (Library Media Connection)