"Mary Jane" by Jessica Anya Blau

In honor of Christmas, a gift: "Mary Jane" by Jessica Anya Blau. To become a member of a family, it does not necessarily have to be by birth. Sometimes you meet a group of people, and they become your chosen family. This is the magic of "Mary Jane" by Jessica Anya Blau. In 1970s Baltimore, a 14-year-old girl named Mary Jane gets a summer babysitting job for Izzy, the daughter of a local doctor. Shy and quiet, Mary Jane enjoys reading, cooking with her mother, and singing in the church choir. Soon, Mary Jane discovers this is not your ordinary run-of-the mill babysitting job. Dr. Cone is a psychiatrist with a rock star and his movie star wife who have moved in with the doctor's family while he helps the rock star get sober. Mrs. Cone is a non-traditional housewife who does not know her way around the kitchen. During the summer, Mary Jane teaches the family about laundry, cooking and cleaning, while they teach her about sex, drugs, rock and roll, and group therapy. This coming-of-age story is so charming, and I didn't want it to end. Within the walls of the Cone's home, Mary Jane becomes the confident and strong young woman that she was always meant to be. Set against the changing tide of the 1970s, this novel beautifully captures Mary Jane's chosen family and all the gifts they have to give her. To buy this book on Amazon click here