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    What I Call Life
    What I Call Life
    What I Call Life
    Audiobook6 hours

    What I Call Life

    Written by Jill Wolfson

    Narrated by Grace Kelly and Full Cast

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    When Cal Lavender’s mother has an “unfortunate episode” at the library, Cal is taken to a group care home run by a strange old woman called “The Knitting Lady.”

    Cal is clear that this is not her real life, just a temporary detour. But even detours can take you where you need to be. A charming, funny, and insightful first novel.

    ©2005 Jill Wolfson; (P)2006 Full Cast Audio

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherFull Cast Audio
    Release dateJan 1, 2006
    ISBN9781933322728
    What I Call Life
    Author

    Jill Wolfson

    Jill Wolfson is the author of the novel What I Call Life. Her writing has also appeared in Salon and the San Jose Mercury News. She lives in Santa Cruz, California.

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    Reviews for What I Call Life

    4/5

    28 ratings3 reviews

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    • 3/5
      In the audio presentation, the story came off a little more precious and dear than it might have if I had read it in print. The other girls Cal meets in the Pumpkin House seemed more innocent and untouched than their histories indicated.
    • 3/5
      Cal Lavender is sent to a group home after her mother flips out in a store. Cal along with four hurt, troubled girls live in the "Pumpkin house" along with the eccentric old women know as the "knitting lady."
    • 4/5
      Booklist starred ...After her mother has a breakdown in the middle of the public library, Cal is taken to live in a group home, which houses five other girls from troubled families. The young residents of the orange-colored Pumpkin House wear their wounds inside and out: Whitney is brash, bubbly, and determined to find her long-separated sister; timid Monica is whiny and full of complaints; Fern is an incessant giggler who sports a black eye; quiet, intelligent Amber has pulled every hair from her head, eyebrows, and all. Cal just feels different. She's sure she is not a whiner, not a fusser; she shows no emotion, and she's very organized. After all, she has held herself and her mother together for all of her 11 years. The Knitting Lady, the girls' tiny, elderly guardian, slowly begins the girls' healing process by sharing her love for knitting and storytelling. As the girls experience quiet time, reflection, and bonding with each other and their guardian, the Knitting Lady helps the girls recognize their own goodness and worth. Wolfson paints her characters with delightful authenticity. Her debut novel is a treasure of quiet good humor and skillful storytelling that conveys subtle messages about kindness, compassion, and the gift of family regardless of its configuration.