{"title":"Sheila Solomon Shotwell","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"gone-before-spring-paperback","title":"Gone Before Spring - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDippity-Do, garter belts, \u003cem\u003eBucket of Blood\u003c\/em\u003e, and ? and the Mysterians are \u003cem\u003eso \u003c\/em\u003e1967. This is the year Ruth Ann Bloomfield is in the eighth grade at St. Bonaventure's (better known as St. Boner's Adventure). She's excited to find herself in a popular group of girls, The Tandem Riders, and has caught the eye of the cutest boy in school. Her usual problems of staying away from her mean and much older sister, trying to ditch the pesky girl next door, and convincing her friends that her divorced Catholic\/Jewish family is cool, not crazy become insignificant when her body betrays her. Ruth Ann learns that growing up is more than sneaking Winstons and shopping at Mitchell's Young at Heart. Coming of age against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, and a rising counter culture, Ruth Ann discovers, through friendship, what truly matters.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book is filled with iconic music references and great attention to vintage era-specific detail. This will appeal to young adult readers as well as adults who grew up in this era. With gentle humor, the story of Ruth Ann tackles difficult subjects such as body image, self-esteem, and sexual pressure. Most importantly, this is the story of a girl with Psoriasis. This disease causes not just skin sores, itching, and irritation. Psoriasis also leads to depression, shame, anxiety, and can even result in suicide. While there are better options today for treatment, in 1967, the treatments were primitive and ineffective. Most people had to wait it out and many got no relief at all.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRuth Ann learns that being a good friend is more important than how she looks or even how she feels. She searches for companionship and belonging to compensate for the lack of nurturing she gets from her divorced family. The added pressure of hiding her skin causes enormous tension in her relationships and life.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRuth Ann is a believable and relatable character for young and not-so-young readers alike. This book is filled with quirky, funny people offsetting a very serious topic. It is a touching and enjoyable read.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50273227276511,"sku":"9780999422519","price":17.26,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/FLn0CaRIKM9780999422519.webp?v=1781934832"},{"product_id":"no-doubt-in-my-mind-paperback","title":"No Doubt in My Mind - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe summer couldn't have had a worse beginning for Ruth Ann Bloomfield. But it's two months later and she's off to visit her dad in Saginaw. Her dream of having Maureen join her is realized and they wind up having one adventure after another. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt's the summer of 1968 when \"Hey Jude\" is released and even Grand Rapids, Michigan is suffused with the feeling of free-love, protest, and questioning authority. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh school is unmarked territory that poses challenges in friendship and in making choices. Ruth Ann's family is more complicated than ever, and is colorfully influenced by a delightful gay cousin.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book is a sequel to \"Gone Before Spring,\" which was chosen by RapidGrowthMedia.com as a top ten Michigan author vacation read.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50273227440351,"sku":"9780999422533","price":17.26,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/4EAZWhraM99780999422533.webp?v=1781934834"}],"url":"https:\/\/blackandbarhe.com\/collections\/sheila-solomon-shotwell.oembed","provider":"Black \u0026 Barhe Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}