What happens when the world we know is too small for our dreams? Meet seven-year-old Hannah Hayes, who lives on Evergreen Drive in Wellton, Alabama. It’s the spring of 1972, and in the world at large, the Equal Rights Amendment is making its way through the states, the Vietnam War continues, and the Olympics are about to be held in Munich. But Hannah’s concern for the world beyond her border pales in comparison to matters more urgent for a seven-year-old — protecting her beagle Pumpkin from Ralph, a neighbor’s free-spirited dog, and pursuing her dream to become a preacher. Problem is, Wellton has never had a girl preacher before, and folks don’t seem too warm to the idea.
Life with Strings Attached, a novel by Minnie Lamberth, winner of the Paraclete Fiction Award, offers richly detailed characters, well-crafted dialogue, and the simplicity and innocence of a child’s perspective. This memorable work is filled with spiritual sensitivities that results in a story that is at once charming, innocent, and joyful.
