My One Hundred Adventures is the story of 12-year-old Jane who lives with her mother and younger siblings in a beach house in Massachusetts. Jane is happy with her life, but prays to have one hundred adventures. The first fourteen of these adventures happen that summer as Jane begins helping the local pastor deliver Bibles, is roped into babysitting the children of a dislikable woman, and is visited by a number of men who could be her father. Peppered with incidents involving hot air balloons, a search for a "poodle portal," psychics, and a road trip to California with an old woman, these different adventures eventually come together as Jane comes to learn a bit more about life and other people's motivations. The people in Jane's life, especially the adults, all seem to be full of crazy quirks and their characterization really steals the show as they balance Jane's somewhat more conventional personality. This book is narrated by Jane, who has a deeply poetic voice that is wise and poignant beyond her years. Despite Jane's wisdom, her train of thought and logic remains truly that of a child, a blend that is difficult to achieve but expertly done here. The imagery and language used is beautiful and will appeal to most, but along with the episodic nature of the novel might turn away some readers who seek more straightforward language and plot. Fans of author Polly Horvath (Everything on a Waffle) will certaily enjoy this book, as it is fairly comperable to past books in terms of tone, literary voice, and quirkiness.
Overall Grade: A-
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