Girls Aloud

A Novel

By Judith Arnold

Publisher: The Story Plant

Imprint: The Story Plant

Once Ellie Gillman waves her husband off on his grand adventure—a cross-country bicycle trip to publicize the perils of climate change—she realizes she's got her own environment to take care of: the environment of her home, her daughters, and her cozy New England town. While Scott Gillman pedals his way to fame and glory, Ellie mops up the messes of day-to-day living.

The house has a roof problem. The town has a litter problem. Ellie's boss is a walking, talking problem. Ellie's best friend has marital problems. Teenager daughter Abbie is turning rebellious, and younger daughter Misha is devastated when a good friend forms a club with a bunch of his buddies to celebrate her father's bike ride and forbids her from joining. Why? Because, he messages her, “No Girls Aloud.”

Forget about that. Ellie and her daughters are going to be “aloud.” They're going to make noise. As Ellie learns, if a girl wants to be heard, she has to speak up, speak out, and bang some pots and pans.

$27.95