The Girl in Between

Gr 7 Up—Told primarily through an unnamed homeless girl's inner monologue, this somewhat confusing story jumps between the Then and Now of her mother's descent into alcoholism and drug abuse as she tries to protect her daughter from "the authorities" including the police, ambulances, and social workers. In the Now, they live in the Castle, a boarded-up grain mill with dangers from both the physical environment and other people. When the developers arrive, the girl seeks a way for them to stay safely in the mill. Only Caretaker, an old man who lives outside the mill, sees the girl, and he has demons of his own. Jessica Almasy expertly voices both the girl and her mother; the girl sounds naïve and childlike, while her mother's speech varies depending on her state of intoxication. All is not just the grit and fear of the mean streets, though, as the girl sees citizens of the busy city living their lives.