Here Today

Here today by Ann M. Martin

If you lived in 1963 on a street most people despised, mostly took care of your younger siblings yourself, and was tormented by the three popular girls at school, what would you do? Would you just live with it? Would you run away? Those are the questions running through Eleanor Roosevelt Dingman (Ellie's) head as she struggles to keep her family together in the small town of Spectacle, while her mother flies around trying to catch her dreams.

Ellie's mother, Doris Day Dingman, is always gone from home to catch various job opportunities related to acting or modeling, leaving Ellie and her two younger siblings Albert and Marie at home while their father is away at work. Then, when Doris spots a sign that tells about a contest for free food, Doris jumps at the opportunity. Through cheating, Doris wins the drawing, and becomes the towns first Bosetti Beauty. And after that, becomes the first model at the Harwell's store. But being the Bosetti's beauty and the first model isn't enough for Doris. She wants to get her name out into the world, and she has an exact plan, no matter what the cost, to do it. Through all of her mother's extravagant plans to become famous, Ellie is facing other problems in her life. The worst problem is The Sparrows. The Sparrows is the name Ellie, and her best friend Holly, call the four popular girls in the sixth grade. The Sparrows have done nothing more to Ellie and Holly then send them mean looks, or trip them in the hall, but that all changes when Ellie gets a call from one of the sparrows named Tammy white. Tammy told Ellie that she had gotten everyone to gain up on Holly, and tells Ellie that she should too. Ellie is faced with this hard decision as she tries relentlessly to keep her mother from running off to New York, while at the same time, wanting to escape Spectacle herself.

Ellie Dingman reminds me of myself sometimes, because she is not a very loud, outspoken type of person, and she is always trying to disappear, or blend in. She also reminds me of myself by the way she acts around her younger siblings, because sometimes I am the person my sisters look to when they want a good game idea, just like Ellie’s siblings.

Ellie’s grandmother said “Spectacle isn’t too small for Doris, it’s more like Doris is too big for Spectacle.” This explains the reason for Ellie’s mother’s need to escape Spectacle, and it helped Ellie understand why Doris would want to leave such a wonderful town. This quote also  explains a lot about other people in my life, and it helps me understand them better.

This book was a great book that tells of disappointment and the struggles of a young girl during 1963. I recommend this book to anyone who needs a slow book filled with struggle to find happiness, and finding a way to move on.