This Full House (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: This Full House Deborah Stevenson Wolff, Virginia Euwer This Full House. Bowen/HarperTeen, 2009 [496p] Library ed. ISBN 978-0-06-158305-6$18.89 Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-06-158304-9$17.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 7-12 In this third volume of the Make Lemonade trilogy (Make Lemonade, BCCB 7/93, True Believer, BCCB 5/01), LaVaughn is now preparing to apply to college, using her determination, thirst for science, and appetite for hard work to bring her closer to the goal that few in her school and neighborhood will reach. She's fortunate to get a place in the Women in Medical Science program, a selective enrichment group for girls from poor schools, and she's starstruck by the program's director, Dr. Moore, who sees something special in LaVaughn. She's also finally learning more about the painful childhood of Jolly, the young single mother for whom she's long been babysitting; in fact, she develops a theory about Jolly's possible parentage that draws her into foolish audacity and risks her relationship with Jolly and [End Page 265] her own college plans. The title needs familiarity with the previous two for full understanding, since much of the action here involves tying up of loose ends—of LaVaughn's relationship with her crush, Jody, rocked when he turned out to be gay; of her relationship with brilliant yet poorly presenting Patrick, clearly smitten with LaVaughn; of her relationship with tough, troubled Jolly, tentatively finding her way toward competence in a world stacked against her. There's a little too much knitting together in spots (the link between Jolly and Dr. Moore is contrived, for instance), but Wolff 's characterization of LaVaughn remains credible, subtle, and distinct: she's still a maker of mistakes (on the one hand, knowing this and knowing its learning value; on the other hand, still using loyal, devoted Patrick), but her aggregation of skills and maturity is vividly evident. This concluding title also emphasizes the trilogy's exploration of parenting, with LaVaughn's friend Annie, impregnated by her more-Godly-than-committed boyfriend, joining the mother ranks, and LaVaughn developing a growing understanding of the courage it takes to overcome one's own parental weaknesses and limitations. This is a satisfying conclusion to the arc of LaVaughn's story, and those who have followed her struggle will thrill with her as she finally receives her much-deserved acceptance and aid for college. Copyright © 2009 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois