Eunice Gottlieb and the Unwhitewashed Truth About Life

Eunice Gottlieb

by Tricia Springstubb

The summer eighth-grader Eunice goes into the dessert catering business with her best friend Phoebe brings revelations to her about change and friendship and new beginnings.

Genres: Young Adult

177 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Sister James Bernard, my first grade teacher, taught me how to read. Our class had 60 children (yes) and we went up and down the long rows, taking turns reading aloud. There was absolutely no reading ahead, which was torture. I was always dying to know What happened next? (though with Dick and Jane, the answer was usually, Not much.) As I grew up, I began to wonder not only what happened, but why, and much much later,inhabiting other people's stories wasn't enough. I began to make my own.

Reviews

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would have gotten a 5, but the dust jacket promised me way more deodorant drama than the book actually delivered. For some reason this was a discard from the Mendon Public Library an I picked it up at a garage sale for 50 cents. I then brought it all the way from Rochester, NY to Denver, CO and didn't get around to reading it. My sister came to visit and she got so engrossed, I let her take it back to Rochester to finish. Last week, I began reading it in Rochester but I too got so into the story waiting for the promised deodorant probs that I had to bring it back with me. I ended up finishing it on the plane so now I wish I had finished it in Rochester. I wonder what it would be like to be a teen in the late 1980s named Eunice. Probably shitty.

[Y · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book about friendship and growing up. Sometimes you grow apart from your best friend since forever, and sometimes you discover that that one person who really annoyed you is a layered human being, worth getting to know better.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so happy I found another book about Eunice and Joy. This one follows Which Way to the Nearest Wilderness? Eunice and Joy are 12 and start a dessert catering business to earn some money. The plot is good, but it's the characters that really shine. I love Eunice, Joy, and Reggie, and the no-nonsense way they talk to each other. They are smart and articulate and it's just lovely to read.

We've also got little brother Russell who discovers that the continents used to be one landmass and has decided to build the Earth out of play dough. It seems like an afterthought detail to fill out the story, but of course it ends up being a poignant (if a little heavy-handed) metaphor.

This story is all about Eunice adjusting to changes, in herself and in her friends and friendships, and it's really beautifully written.

I also learned it's a trilogy. How much am I willing to spend to get my hands on the elusive third book? (I just found out it's a prequel and Eunice is ten and in fourth grade. Bummer, I really wanted to read about older Eunice and Joy.)