What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

This book was from the perspective of the second oldest daughter who was a natural singer and grew from singing religious hymns to joining a folk ensemble with the boy she loved.

Her older sister was named Joey or something similar male name. She was very pretty and dropped out of high school to marry her boyfriend/escape her strict parents. She entered a beauty contest and won a tv which her father returned.

There were various younger siblings, including one male child who was disabled and could not walk or speak but was very much loved by his siblings.

The father died unexpectedly early in the book so everyone had to get jobs. They lived in an apartment over a business of some type.

I remember one scene after the father died when mama took the kids on the bus to visit their paternal grandmother in some rural location. She had a 'farm' which seemed more like a giant garden. She had married a younger man whom she kept from wandering by thinning his blood via his alcohol.

I don't remember much about the protagonist except that she met a boy and became singer. The other characters were more memorable.

When did you read this, Sue?

And maybe it will be on this list: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...

The contest and the TV sound like the book searched for in this thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... but the rest probably not.

Ayshe - yes, that's probably the same book. We remember the ending differently, but the beginning is similar.

Holly - I probably read in mid to late 80s. It was a paperback.

A Crack in the Sidewalk by Ruth Wolff

Here is a review from Kirkus:
The Templeton family of eight lived in a three-room flat above a store in a middle-sized city. To Linsey, the young heroine of this novel, spring was ""the cement warming as you can go barefoot."" When a teacher told her to ask ""Who am I? Where am I going?"" she began to keep a diary for herself, alone. But her life was bound up with that of her Bible-strict father, who (view spoiler)[went off to the TB hospital to die; of Mama, immersed in her love for her family (hide spoiler)]; her older sister Kevy, pretty enough to win a beauty contest and (view spoiler)[even a modeling career (hide spoiler)]. Then there was younger sister Arlie, brother Pem and last but not least Peas, an ""old soul"" forever tied to his chair. (view spoiler)[Linsey had to give up school and go to work as a waitress at the Red Lion, but the crack in the sidewalk opened wide. (hide spoiler)]

That's it! Thank you. What a lovely surprise to find (refind) this book.

You're welcome :)

I remember this book!