Baygirl

By Heather Smith

Growing up in a picturesque Newfoundland fishing village should be idyllic for sixteen-year-old Kit Ryan, but living with an alcoholic father makes Kit's day-to-day life unpredictable and almost intolerable. When the 1992 cod moratorium forces her father out of a job, the tension between Kit and her father grows. Forced to leave their rural community, the family moves to the city, where they live with Uncle Iggy, a widower with problems of his own. Immediately pegged as a "baygirl," Kit struggles to fit in, but longstanding trust issues threaten to hold her back when a boy named Elliot expresses an interest in her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
• Release date: Sep 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781459802759

Heather Smith

Heather Smith is the author of several picture books, including the award-winning The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota's Garden. Her middle-grade novel Ebb and Flow was shortlisted for the Governor General's Literary Award, and her YA novel The Agony of Bun O'Keefe won the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award and the OLA Forest of Reading White Pine Award, and was shortlisted for the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award and the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People. Originally from Newfoundland, Heather now lives in Waterloo, Ontario, with her family.

Reviews for Baygirl

[68papyrus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received an ARC of Baygirl through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. Kit Ryan is a 16 year old girl growing up in the tiny Newfoundland fishing village of Parsons Bay. Kit's life is a bit turbulent with her alcoholic father and a mother who refuses to stand up for herself. Thankfully, she has a good support system of friends and family to help her through the tough times. When the 1992 cod moratorium causes her dad to lose his livelihood they are forced to leave their home and move to the city with her uncle. As expected the transition is rocky but eventually Kit develops friendships and has people that are there for her. Baygirl was an enjoyable read and had a cast of colorful and memorable characters. I especially liked Mr. Adams he was hilarious! Some of the witty exchanges between he and Kit made me laugh out loud. I was especially fond of the scene where Kit reads him the tea cozy poem. In addition to having great characters that are easy to connect with this book deals with the serious issues of alcoholism, death and financial struggles in a realistic way that will resonate with teens. The issues aren't glossed over they are real, gritty and honest which definitely wins points with readers. Interesting and effective reading that will keep you thinking long after you finished the final chapter

[ecataldi-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the most touching , funny, and poignant coming of age stories I've read in a quite some time. Kit hasn't had an easy childhood, her father is an AWFUL drunk, he screams, yells, breaks things and has never provided a warm and loving life for Kit or her mother. When a two year ban on fishing is imposed, her father loses her job and Kit and her family are forced to move out of beautiful idyllic Parson's Bay into the city with her uncle. She has to leave behind her beloved Nan, her best friend, and her mentor. Once in the city Kit has a hard time adjusting, she can't afford new clothes and must go to school looking like a bumpkin, in no time at all the kids are calling her "baygirl." As if that weren't bad enough her unemployed father starts drinking even more and gets her mother fired from her part time job by showing up drunk to her work. With nowhere to hide, Kit starts to visit the crazy old British neighbor next door, Reginald, and befriend him. Slowly things start to get better, she gets a friend, a wonderful boyfriend who writes her poetry, and her uncle starts to make an effort at getting out of his depression. But throughout all this her father never puts down the bottle. What will it take him to quit? How can she love a man that she has no respect for?The story takes a dramatic twist at the end, but it doesn't leave you wanting. It's a truly marvelous book that address issues such as: alcoholism, friendship, redemption, and above all forgiveness. A great debut young adult novel by Heather Smith, I eagerly await reading her future writing endeavors.

[wlr11 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

** spoiler alert ** I received an ARC of Baygirl by Heather Smith from Orca Book Publishers via LibraryThing. The review may contain spoilers, read-on at your own risk. Baygirl, a Teen Fiction novel, shares the story of Kit Ryan, a most resilient and head-strong teenager living in a small fishing village set in Canada's East Coast. As the only child to an alcoholic father and a co-dependent mother, Kit endures the socioeconomic struggles of poverty, lack of basic needs and isolation. She is subject to unfair prejudice and bullying by her peers. Due to her father's loss of work the family moves from their home community to the "big city" to face a new start. Kit is resistant to this sudden change in her life and fears that none of her life circumstance will improve. She holds a sense of hopelessness and a significant hatred towards her father for his alcoholism and lack of responsibility in taking care of his family. Along the way we are introduced to numerous characters that hold a strong influence on Kit's ability to face her adversities and adapt to her new surroundings. Kit's paternal grandmother gives her strength, wisdom and sense of security and "home". Ms. Bartlett provides Kit with guidance and adult social contact that is severely lacking in her family unit. Kit's uncle Iggy has his own past demons, and has not healed from his own losses. He makes his best attempts at making Kit comfortable in her new surroundings and provide protection from her father's abusive disposition. Mr. Adams, her new elderly neighbour, is an eccentric and stubborn widow who holds his own loneliness, loss and isolation. The two develop an unique bond that serves a parallel benefit for both. And then there is the teen love story. Kit befriends Elliot, a teen who she believes is "out of her reach", despite developing a "crush" for him. The author's writing flows from the very beginning and is well-paced throughout. This is a quick read as a result. The settings are described in true to East Coast terms and the dialectics are bang-on. There is both humour and heart-break within the novel. One moment you are laughing out loud at Mr. Adams unique wit, the next you are feeling a heavy heart for the true to life social issues faced by Kit. The author does not hold back in her writings about this very real and factual life circumstance. Sometimes the truth stings and this novel causes the reader to walk through situations that no teen should have to face. There is no sugar coating the social issues and I applaud the author for taking risks in being as forthright and boldly honest as she was within this novel. You soon recognize that the author has an intimate experience with East Coast life and the challenges faced by these communities. This novel's take-home message is basic and clear: Life is full of challenges that make us or break us, and there is always hope and the ability to persevere. My one criticism is that the ending felt rushed and although I believe it may have been for dramatic flair, I would have liked it to push along a bit further. This is a novel set for a teen audience and I would also recommend for adults who are YA fans. The novel was entertaining and paved the road for further discussion and reflection. I give it a 4.5 stars out of 5. I look forward to future writings by Heather Smith.

[reb922 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Baygirl is the story of a sixteen year old girl who has had to deal with living with an alcoholic father her whole life. When the fishing season is called up Kit is uprooted from her town and the friends and family she as turned to as an escape from the daily strain of a difficult home life. Kit and her family move in with her Uncle and she tries to fine her place in this new city.This novel was filled with interesting characters. It dealt with many issues including loss and how people choose to deal with it. Always a nice change to read a good YA book that is on the more serious side.

[lissaj_4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kitty, a sixteen year old girl living in Newfoundland, is forced to move with her parents from her small fishing community into her uncle's house in the city. Not only does she deal with a new house, new school and new friends but her father is an alcoholic and they are barely scraping by. This is a beautifully written book that deftly deals with issues of alcoholism and loss with humor and grace. There are some really cleverly written characters and humorous scenes that caused me to laugh out loud. Kitty is a likable character that has the normal flaws of any sixteen year old but she is witty, loyal, tough and intelligent. The back of the book advises it is for 12+ and I do think that is accurate. While it does deal with heavy issues, and there is a domestic violence scene, the way it is handled makes it appropriate for younger audiences. There is also a sweet love story but it is fairly innocent. Teenage girls could do a lot worse for Kitty as a role model. Overall, this is a great addition to the Young Adult genre.

[wonderland_books · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was so much better than I thought it would be. This is not typically the genre that I read but I am so glad that I received an ARC copy of this book. It was amazing. Couldn't put it down. It's such a down to earth book and is relatable on so many levels. The writing is beautiful and I fell in love with the characters, especially crazy Mr. Adams. I loved that man! I found myself laughing out loud because of some of the things that he said. I will definitely be interested in reading more books by this author.

[sophronia82 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Ever since she can remember, Kit has always used her Nan’s house as an escape from the toxic spill of her father’s alcoholism. And while Kit’s family always just scraped by, their Newfoundland fishing village has been home. Even if it meant running a couple houses down to hang out with her grandmother until her father’s buzz faded, at least Kit belonged somewhere. But everything changes when her father loses his job and the family must move in with Kit’s uncle, himself jobless and trying to work through the grief of his wife’s sudden death. Suddenly, Kit can no longer fly under the radar, and her shabby clothes, shabbier neighborhood, and status as a newcomer make her long for the familiarity of home, even with all its familiar disappointments. If there’s one thing that might make Kit change her mind about the new city, it’s Elliot, but his attention comes with its own risks, too. . . . . Author Heather Smith presents a story set in a place most US readers aren’t familiar with, but most will recognize Kit’s agony in trying to hide the parts of her family life she doesn’t want kids at her new school to see. The writing is a bit soft, with Kit telling the reader what happens and how she feels about her life rather than just showing us. Also, other than the convenient use of the 1992 cod moratorium that forces Kit’s father to lose his job, there doesn’t seem to be a real reason for the book’s time period and nothing that makes its setting in the 1990’s stand out. Overall, an average coming-of-age story for a girl from a working-class family.

[kassilem · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I feel bad when I don’t like early reviewer books but it happens. This was one such occurrence. I picked the book out of the list because of its gothic fiction premise which I seem to have a fascination for. I like to read about characters struggling through life I guess because I enjoy seeing them come out on top, facing their fears, growing up, getting stronger, etc. This book didn’t really go far in that regard. The premise was a little too soft, and there was no real conclusion besides Kit realizing she could still love her father even though he was what he was. Maybe that’s enough for some, but unfortunately for me I would have preferred something meatier. The writing was solid and there was an array of characters. It’s also not a very long book with big font. It only took me a car trip across the border to get through. It was engaging enough and fast paced – I didn’t ever feel the urge to put it down in boredom. It just didn’t make the cut for me. Perhaps someone else will like it.