It doesn't matter that her daddy is a wanted criminal for robbing a bank. Billie Wisher knows exactly the type of person her daddy is, and she absolutely refuses to listen to the denigrating rumors surrounding him. Nothing anyone says will influence her adamant love for her daddy and that includes her mother; she readily defends her father against anyone. While her daddy is on the run, Billie is stuck at home with her stepdad Daddy Joe, who she resents. Along with her friends, Tommy and Ernestine, Billie sets out to find her real daddy to get him to confess to his crime. Despite some clues that may lead Billie to locate her daddy, this proves to be a difficult challenge.
I like the idea of this book; it had a lot of potential. A bank robbery (or perhaps several), a chase after two criminals, and a little girl who just wants to find her daddy are excellent ideas to start off with. The strength in this novel lies in the voice and the writing style. It was easy for me to believe that Billie was an eleven year old girl; she definitely sounded like one. Billie's feelings are expressed successfully, and the writing remained consistent throughout.
Initially, I found the protagonist annoying and immature though her behavior is understandable. Perhaps it's because of her age but I felt detached from her. Billie incessantly whines about Daddy Joe, even though he didn't commit any major misdeeds. She's disrespectful, obstinate, and impertinent towards her elders; she constantly talks back. Her strong personality did prove to be a good quality; you've got to admire someone who can stand up for themselves, especially when they're so young. After all, it did help her maintain her loyalty for her father despite all the suspicions and accusations against her.
There isn't much character development; most of the characters are static. Though Billie does show changes in her perspective, there were characters that I would've liked to know more about, such as Tommy. The main plot revolves around Billie finding her daddy, though I wish the reason why Billie's daddy robbed the bank was elaborated upon; we're left to rely on the numerous rumors of the gossipy town.
This was overall a decent read; actually, for a debut novel, this was pretty good.
(Note: This was also reviewed for HarperCollins).
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