A 17-year-old pregnant girl heading for Califonia with her boyfriend finds herself stranded at a Wal-Mart in Oklahoma, with just $7.77 in change. But she's about to be helped by a group of down-to-earth, deeply caring people, including a bible-thumping nun and an eccentric librarian.
I fell in love with the movie so of course, I had to read the book as well. I found it at a yard sale for 25 cents a few years ago and couldn't pass it up. For those of you who saw the movie first, this book may frustrate you a bit. They changed some pretty needless things. But otherwise, I loved this book. Novalee Nation is 17 and she is pregnant. She is traveling with her boyfriend when they stop at Walmart. Novalee goes in and when she leaves the store she finds that her boyfriend has left her. Literally. From the beginning you get a sense of how much of a survivor Novalee is. She makes the most of the situation and she lives in the Wal-Mart. As hard to believe as it sounds, you honestly become wrapped up in the story and forget that nowadays this would never be possible. You will fall in love with these characters. You will laugh and cry with them. Reading about what Novalee goes through and seeing how strong she is will give you a sense that you, too, can accomplish things that may seem out of reach. Definitely a moving read.
