Singing with the Top Down

by Debrah Williamson

At a time in the 1950s when America is a little more innocent, and everyone believes in a brighter tomorrow, two children and their flamboyant aunt head toward California in a Buick Skylark... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451219260
• ISBN13: 9780451219268
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: New American Library
• Length: 300 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 7.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

One of the Best!!!!

This was one of those books that you just hate to see end. Pauly, the main character, has strength and a clear idea of what is right and what is wrong. I shared an excerpt of this book with my fourth graders. It was the passage where Wanatela and her little boy come into the diner and are treated so badly. Pauly thinks of all the times she and her little brother are picked on and made fun of, and how it made them feel. This sparked a lively discussion on how to treat others. This is a book I would highly recommend to anyone. It is a very special story. Debrah Williamson should be so proud of the wonderful novel she has written.

A new classic

If you liked Secret Life of Bees, you'll love Singing With the Top Down. Williamson's novel is a wonderful treat, a must read for those who love Americana. It's fun, fast and substantial. You won't regret spending time with these amazing characters.

Wonderfully entertaining, coming of age in the 50's

This story took me back in time and I didn't want the ride along Route 66 from Oklahoma to California to end. When 13-year-old Pauly Mahoney and her handicapped brother become orphans after a freak accident at a traveling carnival in Tulsa, no one seems to take in the fact they lost more than their parents, they lost the only people who cared for them. When it's obvious no one wants Pauly and her little brother, enter their little-known Aunt Nora, an aspiring actress who comes home for the funeral and ends up rescuing them. Glamorous Aunt Nora volunteers to take on the responsibility of raising her sister's children. Though no one knows what Aunt Nora's real job in California is, it's not easy to overlook the fact she drives a new convertible, seems to have money to burn, and though they don't want to raise the orphans, they wonder about Aunt Nora's mental appitude and the challenges of raising two misfit children. As the children and their aunt set out on their road trip to the Golden State, they pick up other strays along the way; a runaway from a nursing home, a puppy, a misplaced Indian woman and her son, the mummified remains of a child and an ex-navy figher pilot. The lives of these characters are brought alive with the skill of Williamson's characterization techniques. This is the witty story of a young girl overcoming life's adversity; a book where you'll hate to see the words 'the end' on the last page yet you'll close the book with a smile on your face. Uplifting and entertaining, it's a book I think I'll give my friends.

Delightful and entertaining

I dragged out reading the final few pages, because I just didn't want the story to end. I was captivated with the excellent prose and wonderful story line. It was like taking a trip back to the mid-50's and Williamson has it down perfect in bringing back memories of TV shows, food items, etc. of that time. Finely drawn characters made me feel like they were next door neighbors. Williamson is a skilled author and this is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Uplifting, entertaining and poignant....do yourself a favor...don't miss reading this one.

A sheer delight, cover to cover

The engaging voice of Pauly Mahoney guides the reader through a coming-of-age story that will get at the heart of every reader. After the unexpected death of her parents, Pauly sets out on a journey of self-discovery and awareness, both literal and symbolic, from Oklahoma to California to make a new life with her aunt. The colorful characters and precocious voice of the story will take you down your own inner highway of remembrance and childish neurosis. Debrah Williamson's writing style is on a par with the best of Dayna Dunbar, Billie Letts, and Rebecca Wells. You'll laugh, cry and sing with Singing with the Top Down!