Not Exactly Nashville

Betsy Kuhn has shown herself to be a gifted writer with this delightful tale of two young girls with big dreams. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Not Exactly Nashville is about two pre-teen girls who live in a small Pennsylvania town and love country-western music. These girls could have come straight from a small Texas town, as well, where folks are known to enjoy that music. I call this book "refreshing" because it seems that so many books for this age group nowadays deal with difficult, painful subjects, subjects that most children seldom come into contact with. I don't mean to put such books down because they serve a purpose. Ellen and Valery, the girls in "Nashville" also have problems, but they're the kind that most kids are familiar with, such as siblings and teen-age romance. The whole tone of the book, however, is upbeat and charming, right up to the end when Ellen and Valery lie in their tent listening to the cars speeding through the night on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. I got this book for our school library (Red Elementary, Houston, Texas) because I felt our girls would like it. They do!

This book harkened me back to my childhood of playing with friends in the backyard, pretending to put on shows. The book's conflict was resolved in a credible, positive manner, very appropriate for the readers for whom this was intended! Loved it!!! Read it!!!

This is a fantastic book and a lot of fun to read! Ellen is a good role model for young girls!