Coming of Age

This novel is a coming of age novel. May Amelia is a twelve-year-old child when the novel begins. May Amelia lives in a place where living day-to-day is a difficult existence. May Amelia has adapted well to her environment and knows what to do when danger presents itself. Despite her knowledge and the adult tasks May Amelia is often asked to do despite her age, she is still a child in the beginning of the novel who often has temper tantrums, such as running away to Baby Island at the beginning of the novel.

As the novel progresses, May Amelia does many things to get into trouble with her father and to attempt to prove her independence. One of these things is to have her brother cut her hair short so that she might be able to get a job like the boys. With the birth...