Elusive Common Sense

<p>In Book 1 of the Growing Up Alex series for young readers it is April 1960 as title character Alexandria Kelley prepares for her sixth-grade spelling bee amidst a backdrop of stresses at home and school. Author Betts Arney writes in Alex's voice as she navigates the challenges of pre-teen adolescence. As Alex explains:</p><p><br></p><p>I was looking forward to the school spelling bee and the end of sixth grade. I wanted to win first place to make my parents proud of me especially my mother. But then all heck broke loose!</p><p><br></p><p>The weeks before the end of the school year were turning out horribly. Almost every day my mom asked Alexandria McKenzie Kelley don't you have any common sense?</p><p><br></p><p>I decided to find an answer to my mom's question no matter how hard I had to search. I made a terrible wish to end my mom's constant questioning and to get her to stop blaming me for things I didn't do!</p><p><br></p><p>Nothing turned out the way I wanted. But maybe that was a good thing.</p>