The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous

I loved this little gem of a book that I didn't want it to end. I could have traveled on with Merilee and her friend through many more adventures. This is not just a book for kids and it is a great insight into children with Aspergers syndrome and fetal alcohol syndrome.

Suzanne Crowley is a beautiful writer. She has a unique style and Marilee has an unforgettable voice. From the beginning, the author grabs you with her humor, her insight into Asperberger and her understanding of all sorts of people, and you know that you are along for the whole West Texas ride. I can't wait to read Suzanne's second book.

I have been handing this book out to friends, family and teachers because it leaves the reader with a hopeful feeling, especially with regards to one's own sense of dislocation...not fitting in. One recipient, who is an elementary school Special Ed teacher, was totally impressed with the author's insightful descriptions of autistic behavior - "Even the nuances!" Many of the characters remind me of myself or people that I know...Veraleen, with her "big ole heart" that loves big and hates big, for example. I wish this book would be chosen for school literature programs. It has all of the elements of good literature that students need to learn, including some phenomenal symbolism. Everyone has thoroughly enjoyed it...great read for all ages! Two suggestions for readers: 1) Read slowly. The sentences are so well-formed that you'll miss important bits of information if you try to skim over them. 2) Older people should empty their bladders before reading. 'Burst out laughing' humor is subtly woven into the narrative.

I love this tender coming-of-age story about outsider Merilee Monroe, a/k/a Dragon Girl to her fellow citizens in the thriving West Texas metropolis of Jumbo (population 1000, including the goats). When new misfits arrive in town desperately needing her help, Merilee is dragged into the heart-warming and heart-breaking world of family and friendships. I laughed aloud at the many comic scenes and amusing anecdotes about small-town life. And who doesn't have a mean-as-mudpie crazy old biddy somewhere in the family tree? For all that, the magical storyline took me down a path of souls lost and found. As prematurely cynical Merilee redefines her place in the emotional landmine-field known as her community, she discovers the most mysterious of all places in the universe: the hopeful human heart. A delightful read and not just for youngsters.

First of all, this is not just a book for 10-12 year old children. Teens and adults may well relate even better to the thoughts and experiences of Merilee Marvelous. Parents with high functioning children who "just don't seem to fit in" will find this a stirring narrative of provoking insight and light hearted humor about the inner thoughts of a "special child" as she relates to her world. Readers may even recognize some of their own family and neighbors in the collection of eccentric Jumbo residents. Merilee explains, "It's amazing what people will tell you while sucking on a purple Tootsie Pop. I hand them out so that everyone will shut up and leave me alone, but all it seems to do is open up a whole can of worms." This is a story with a beginning and an end much like a hello and a goodbye... a story told in a lacework pattern, handing out just the right amount of bread crumbs to lead the reader to a bear-hug conclusion. I felt like I was listening to a story told by a wizened old spirit.... remembering a great life story....a poignant story about love, fear and redemption. When I closed the cover on the last page, I was satisfied.