Going forward without a past is not easy--Buhlaire Sims has been doing it as long as she can remember. Her mother is silent about her missing father, society doesn't accept how she looks or where she's from, and then she discovers everything she thought about her father was a lie. The only way to deal--find thetruth for herself. An ALA Notable Children's Book. Copyright #169; Libri GmbH. All rights reserved. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

The revelation that her father is close to home and not ``missing in Nam'' hits Buhlaire-Marie Sims like a bomb. All at once, her life is turned upside down. The people she trusted--Mama, Aunt Digna and Uncle Sam--seem to be liars; meanwhile, Buhlaire's worst enemy, Grady Terrell, is starting to act friendly. For the first time ever, Buhlaire becomes self-conscious about her ``carrot-honey'' skin, her ``Rasta'' hair and her mother, the famous Bluezy Sims, singer and exotic dancer. With exceptional grace and honesty, Hamilton ( M. C. Higgins, the Great ; Many Thousand Gone ) sketches a vibrant portrait of a gifted 12-year-old of mixed race in search of her identity. Accented with rivertown dialect, the lyrical narrative will draw readers into the small community of Plain City, down to the bank of stilt houses where Buhlaire resides, to the dimly lit night club where she makes her singing debut, and all the way to the homeless shelter where bittersweet truths come to light. Richly textured with a cast of unforgettable characters, this extraordinary novel offers a rare glimpse of unconditional love, family loyalty and compassion. Ages 8-12. Copyright 1993 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr 6-8-Discovering that her mother and relatives lied about her father dying in Vietnam, angry Buhlaire-Marie Sims, 12, is determined to find and communicate with her dad. When he rescues her during a January blizzard, he leads his daughter to a highway underpass, his space among the homeless of Plain City. Buhlaire learns that her father is a troubled man, estranged from his family because of his mental instability and racially mixed parentage. Although he treats her kindly, she begins to perceive the confusion and unpredictability of his life. Buhlaire has experienced her own ostracization because of her mother's nightclub career, her home among the stilted river bottom ``water houses,'' and her light skin. Although she is loved and cared for, her adolescent sensibilities are aroused when she realizes that her family has shielded her from her own identity. Through candid thoughts, realistic dialogue, and a symbolic blend of setting and self-discovery, Hamilton has created a testimonial on the powerful bonds of blood and ``back time,'' or heritage. Buhlaire emerges from her emotional turmoil and quest with an appreciation for the attentions and personal struggles of a classmate; with renewed affection for her family; and, with a compassionate understanding of hard choices that are part of life.-Gerry Larson, Chewning Junior High School, Durham, NCCopyright 1993 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

/*STARRED REVIEW*/ Gr. 5-7. Hamilton's style gets plainer, but her words lose none of their music or their depth. She makes one girl's search for identity both a realistic story and a universal myth of awakening. At 12, Buhlaire Sims is a proud, smart outsider. None of the kids in her small midwestern town will have much to do with her: maybe it's prejudice about her mixed skin color, maybe it's her home. Her loving mother works as a nightclub singer and dancer, and Buhlaire is cared for by her extended family. She has always been told her father is dead, but then he turns up in town, and her whole view of herself and her world is transformed. He's a stranger, homeless, mentally unstable, and needy, and his skin is pale, almost white. Raging at her family, which has kept the truth from her, she gives him money and is tempted to run away with him. One of those who stop her is a boy in her class who has seemed to be her sneering enemy but turns out to be her friend. Much of the story takes place outdoors, and the changes in the winter landscape--from frozen stillness to transforming flood--mirror Buhlaire's inner experience. Everything is smoky colored, light and shadow, not only in physical appearances but also in our feelings, the mistakes we all make, our frailty, and our love. In a transcendent scene, Buhlaire sings in harmony with her mother the popular song about the light that shines on all of us "when the night is cloudy." (Reviewed Sept. 15, 1993)0590473646Hazel Rochman From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.