Missy Violet & Me by Barbara Hathaway (0-618-37163-X)
This little gem of a book follows Viney during the summer she helps the local midwife Missy Violet catch babies. The characters in the book are all vivid and fresh. Set in the 30s, in a Southern community, the story flows through a variety of moods. For a first book, it is a skillfully told story, whose voice is authentic and whose main character is refreshing and a joy to spend time with.