by Amanda Hager

In Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell, Ree Dolly is a 16 year old girl who acts like a mother to her two younger brothers. Set in the Ozarks, Missouri, Ree’s mother is mentally-ill and her father is almost never around. Jessup, her father, is on the run, his court date is coming up for being arrested for cooking crank, in which he has put his family’s house up for bail. Ree must find him or lose the house. Warnings and precautions from local authorities give Ree less than a week to do so.

All of her life she has dreamt of leaving the Ozarks and joining the army, but now she is stricken with taking care of her brothers and ill mother, as well as searching for her wanted dad. As she takes her journey in finding Jessup, she runs into many encounters with friends and family who don’t care to know where Jessup is, this making her search much more difficult. Her father’s only brother, Uncle Teardrop, has strictly told Ree not to go looking for him, giving Ree only more desire to find him.

This book really touched my heart when Ree didn’t give up looking for her father even when people tried to discourage her. It showed her dedication to her family and perseverance to keep moving forward. Ree is a great example of a young woman who takes on big responsibilities without thinking twice about it. Her attitude towards life may not be the best but she doesn’t let that get in the way of what she believes in. This book is a good read and I recommend it to anyone who likes reading about others who overcome obstacles and challenges in life.

Editors Note: Winter’s Bone is not only an award winning book, but the movie version was nominated for several Academy Awards. Check out our review of the movie in KRL’s Oscar Movie Countdown.

Amanda Hager is 17 years old & a senior at Reedley High School where she is a member of the Pirate Marching Band. She began writing in 5th grade & has always had a passion for it, winning some writing contests over the years.