Certain moments in our lives reveal aspects of our family history that permanently alters our understanding of the primary relationships we hold dear. Just Sippy is a charming story of a young girl, Serendipity "Sippy" Johnson, who realizes her family is not entirely who she thought they were. I don't want to spoil the story, but this is a charming coming of age tale.
Sippy's relationship with her cousin Jilly drives the story as she grows into a young woman and mother. This free spirited itinerant relative enters her life at key moments to help provide a fresh perspective. SIppy's parents are more rooted in the regular stuff of life, so their example is certainly appreciated to anchor her in the responsibilities of life. Jilly, however, reveals that life can be fun, uninhibited. People can enjoy their entire life. The grind doesn't have to be the norm for us all.
One unique feature is Kimberly Coleman's grammatical style. As Sippy grows, her grammar improves considerably. The first chapter or two is very labored since her eleven year old Southern drawl is riddled through out the pages. Initially I thought this was too much, but I understood Kimberly Coleman's strategy by the third chapter.
The narrative is driven strictly from Sippy's point of view, which is a brilliant move when considering the entire story. It is an easy read that provides moments of pause, laughter and appreciation for family. Sippy's relationship with God is also very charming. It evolves from an innocent child like conversation to an apprehension as an adult when life gets busy and responsibilities increase.
Kimberly Coleman is a mother of five whose writing career has taken shape in the past two years. Visit her website for more information and updates. Just Sippy has been nominated as a finalist for Womens Fiction for the Readers Favorite Award for 2011.
Thanks to Judy Newberry at Silverbell Publishing for providing a review copy.
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