Before Stinkville, Alice didn't think albinism--or the blindness that
goes with it--was a big deal. Sure, she uses a magnifier to read books.
And a cane keeps her from bruising her hips on tables. Putting on
sunscreen and always wearing a hat are just part of life. But life has
always been like this for Alice. Until Stinkville.
For the first time in her life, Alice feels different--like she's at a
disadvantage. Back in her old neighborhood in Seattle, everyone knew
Alice, and Alice knew her way around. In Stinkville, Alice finds herself
floundering--she can't even get to the library on her own. But when her
parents start looking into schools for the blind, Alice takes a stand.
She's going to show them--and herself--that blindness is just a part of
who she is, not all that she can be.
To prove it, Alice enters the Stinkville Success Stories essay contest.
No one, not even her new friend, Kerica, believes she can scout out her
new town's stories and write the essay by herself. The funny thing is,
as Alice confronts her own blindness, everyone else seems to see her for
the first time.
This is a stirring small-town story that explores many different
issues--albinism, blindness, depression, dyslexia, growing old, and
more--with a light touch and lots of heart. Beth Vrabel's characters are
complicated and messy, but they come together in a story about the
strength of community and friendship.
