A Girl Named Zippy

Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana

By: Haven Kimmel

Narrated by: Haven Kimmel

Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

When Haven Kimmel was born in 1965, Mooreland, Indiana, was a sleepy little hamlet of 300 people. Nicknamed "Zippy" for the way she would bolt around the house, this small girl was possessed of big eyes and even bigger ears. In this witty and lovingly told memoir, Kimmel takes readers back to a time when small-town America was caught in the amber of the innocent postwar period - people helped their neighbors, went to church on Sunday, and kept barnyard animals in their backyards.

Laced with fine storytelling, sharp wit, dead-on observations, and moments of sheer joy, Haven Kimmel's straight-shooting portrait of her childhood gives us a heroine who is wonderfully sweet and sly as she navigates the quirky adult world that surrounds Zippy.

©2001 Haven Kimmel (P)2001 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"Filled with good humor, fine storytelling, and acute observations of small-town life." (Library Journal)
"Kimmel's smooth, impeccably humorous prose evokes her childhood as vividly as any novel." (Publishers Weekly)
"Almost dreamlike in some of [her] elusive storytelling, [Kimmel] pulls off a feat that's harder than it looks: write for adults from a child's perspective...Zippy's parents must have done something right to produce a girl who could write such a simple and lovely book." (USA Today)

Just a great story teller!

What initially caught my interest with this book was that the author is about the same age as I, and she grew up in relatively the same area. As I made my way through the book I looked for more information about her. I would say we are pretty much on opposite ends of the political/social spectrum (I'm very conservative, she is not). However, that does not change the fact that Haven (Zippy) is a fantastic story teller. She has the rare gift to put bits of humor in line after line. Humor, of course, is a personal thing but I found Zippy to be a real treasure of a book.

Perfect Narration; wonderfully fun.

This book was such fun. The narration, done by the author, was such that you could almost see Zippy, well, zipping about. She sounds adorable and the book was very enjoyable to me.

They say that still waters run deep and I believe that Zip is an example of this -- she thinks and feels deeply. I loved it.

Gifted telling of everyday life. Loved it!

What does Haven Kimmel bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her manner of storytelling. Her tone. She describes all of it perfectly, as it was to her.

Any additional comments?

The story about the dog-sitting just tore me up, it was so beautifully told. The descriptive phrases were not just the 'old usuals' but something that struck me deep in my heart.

Such a great book to listen to!

I knew I wanted to get the two Zippy books, and then they went on sale recently. Perfect opportunity, and I downloaded them both.

I just want to commend the author, Haven Kimmel, on her wonderful writing and narration skills. All in all, it was a truly fun listening experience! Kimmel's Zippy voice was amazing--obviously, no one could do it better than her, as she IS Zippy! This book is very funny and had me laughing out loud many times. Zippy tells of her childhood in short "essays" and you really get a feeling that she was an amazing child who made her own way in the world by necessity, as her parents were lacking in many parenting skills. There was just a touch of the bittersweet in this book if you "listen" between the lines, as parenting Zippy was not a priority for her parents. Zippy quickly became her own person and she had quite a memorable childhood despite what was lacking in her parents. I felt I could listen to Zippy's stories endlessly and was sorry when the book ended. Luckily for me, I had the sequel, "She Got Up Off The Couch" waiting in my library.

Highly recommended.--not a child's book but a book for the young at heart.

Life -changing discovery

I discovered Zippy after stumbling cross Kimmel's audio book "She Got Off The Couch" on our Alabama library shelf. I had to find more of this author! Having a connection to Indiana (growing up in a small town not far from Kimmel's dear Mooreland) and hearing the story retold in the author's own voice, recounting pieces of home was so addictive I couldn't stop. I felt connected to her and the family she shared with the world with poignant humor. I became a fervent fan and even cruised through her hometown with my dad in his '60 Chevy on my next visit home - and toured the Wright Brother's museum around the corner. Unforgettable memory made with my dad. If someone can turn their family dysfunctions into an enjoyable experience - anything is possible! I own both of her autobiography paperback books now, but nothing beats the first experience with a Haven Kimmel masterpiece retold in her own voice! Just do it. You won't regret it. "Life-changing" is appropriate, but doesn't even begin to do it Justice.

Very cute story and fun humor

I enjoyed the walk down memory lane and related to it all. Haven Kimmel did a great job narrating her own story, which isn't always the case ---to find a good author who can read her own story. zippy did both well.

Everything is good about this

I don’t know how I found this book but I definitely recommend it. Curious to know if “she got up off the couch” is the sequel

Love, love ,love!

I live and grew up in Indiana. Love this book. Wonderfully wrote, and wonderfully read.

Wonderful Story about Growing Up

This book reminded me of the million hours I spent riding my bike and running the neighborhood. it brought a smile to my wounded heart and reminded me the my Zippy is still alive deep down in my soul

Hilarious imagery , comical descriptions :)

This author offers a very humorous account of growing up in a smalltown.