Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz Book

I enjoyed this book of a thirteen-year old girl in 1969, who reaches beyond her circumstances with excellent spelling. Growing up in a small S.C. town, 8th grader Karlene is is befriended and encouraged by her Latin teacher and is informed by songs playing on the radio. Nice "slice of life" story, growing up less priveleged (lint-head -> mill town) with distracted parents (one is an alcoholic), but gaining confidence through independence and achievement (spelling bees). References to songs and BIG WAYS AM radio out of Charlotte were fun and meaningful for me, but probably not so for today's students. Similarly, with textile mills gone and probably too recent to study in "history", I wonder if the setting will be unfamiliar. However, the context of problematic parents, budding love interests, and realizing personal potential will not be unfamiliar. Each chapter starts with a word and definition which frames the chapter, which I found interesting.