Here Today

Rating:
Summary: here today
Review:

Broadway actress, Tony Award Winner, accomplished voice performer, Judy Kaye's accomplishment are many. Add to that list her thoughtful reading of this story of an 11-year-old girl trying her best to keep her life together in the turbulent sixties.

While many moms baked cookies, shepherded school field trips, Eleanor Roosevelt Dingman's mother most definitely did not. That was really low down on the agenda for this mom who has taken the name of Doris Day Dingman and longs to be a star. This dream is awfully hard on Ellie as she realizes that Mom (who insists she be called Doris not mom) is actually rather showy, in fact, cheap. The kids at school taunt Ellie, and there are times when she thinks they're right. Solace is found with Holly, her best friend and neighbor.

Since Doris is most often away from home pursuing her hopes of fame and fortune and Dad works very long hours, much is left for Ellie to look after. Too much for a girl her age. Eventually, Doris really makes a break and runs away to New York City. Is she discovered by a talent scout? No, she's discovered behind the counter of a rather dingy department store.

Throughout the upheaval in her family Ellie learns one of life's important lessons. Ms. Martin has again painted a poignant picture of growing up.

- Gail Cooke

Rating:
Summary: A moving story of survival and uncertainty
Review: Ellie is one of the Witch Tree Lane kids, living on the 'wrong side of town' with a mother who longs for a famous life and will do anything to achieve it - even if it means involving, then abandoning, her family. Her efforts to reconcile her mother's selfish obsession with stardom with her family's needs bring her to the very doorstep of New York in an effort to reclaim family ties in Ann Martin's moving story of survival and uncertainty, Here Today.


Rating:
Summary: A heartbreaking and real, but ultimately hopeful story
Review: Ellie tells how her family and life fall apart in the year 1963. Ellie is a Spectacular. She lives in the town of Spectacle where her mother, Doris Day Dingman, yearns to be the constant center of attention --- a Spectacular spectacle. Doris wins the Bosetti Beauty award, which gives her five free shopping minutes at the Bosetti Grocery Store, by stuffing the box with twenty-five forms. She then revels in the attention of the audience, and continues wearing the tiara long after the contest is over.

Ellie's family lives on Witch Tree Lane, along with the other fascinating misfits in town. Ellie has many friends on the street, some of whom function as substitute mothers during Doris's many classes in dance, acting, and singing. Doris believes in making things happen. She has changed her name to that of the movie star, Doris Day. She talks the local A&P market into letting her be the Lehman's Spam Spread girl.

Doris is gone five hours the afternoon she heads off to talk the local clothing store into a fashion show (starring herself, of course). In response to her absence, Mr. Dingman is too quiet, Ellie's brother Albert is furious, and her sister Marie cries. When Doris comes home late --- and drunk --- she and her husband argue loudly.

As Ellie and her best friend Holly start sixth grade, they're impressed with their young cute male teacher and with the new girl, Tammy White, who is not in awe of the popular girls --- the ones who delight in torturing Ellie and Holly. Doris appears in Ellie's classroom dressed in a tight red dress and very high heels, with her hair in a bouffant tower. Ellie is humiliated, but Tammy is intrigued.

As time goes on, Ellie can't sleep at night. She knows something terrible is going to happen. What will it be, and when will it come? In the meantime bad things are happening to Ellie and Holly at school, and to the residents of Witch Tree Lane. The world is shocked and saddened by President Kennedy's assassination, but self-involved Doris is angry because the Harvest Parade is called off and she won't get to be the Harvest Queen. Finally, inevitably, the something that Ellie has been dreading comes to be. It's so huge and devastating that it changes her world forever. Will she survive?

Ellie's story is heartbreaking and real. At various times while reading HERE TODAY, I felt sad, angry, and frightened. I'll remember Ellie for finding strength when life battered her, and for leaving me with an uplifting surge of hope. Highly recommended.
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