AROUND THE CUL-DE-SAC

A set of tales about growing up in the 1990s, as seen through the eyes of an endearing, high-strung girl.

De Paris’ debut linked short story collection centers on Sydney Lagunilla, a 10-year-old girl from Central Florida. She’s the middle child in a middle-class family, and each vignette allows readers to get to know her as a mischievous, brave, and daring child who just wants to get the most out of life. Her escapades include trespassing in order to swim in a neighbor’s abandoned backyard, putting on shows and performances with her siblings using a CD of 1996’s Grammy-nominated hits, catching lizards, and exploring a muddy lake near her home in her little red rowboat. Sydney’s experiences often tell of her solo quests for entertainment but also spotlight her relationships with her brothers, Wade and Matteo; the girls in her grade at school; and other neighborhood latchkey kids. Although the works often depict amusing situations, they also focus on life lessons and questions of morality, and they feature an overarching theme of the importance of family. De Paris does a wonderful job of capturing the spirit of being young and independent, and Sydney’s capabilities and imperfections both shine through clearly. The use of short vignettes makes the work feel active and allows it to effectively dwell on small details of Sydney’s personality as well as the ’90s at large. Indeed, the references to pop culture and period technology wrap the lighthearted tales in a sense of nostalgic wonder. Sydney emerges as a believable and well-rounded character who makes choices that fall into morally gray areas. Her family and friends are just as fully developed, adding to the collection’s realism.

A poignant throwback to the innocence and experience of youth.