Here Today (novel)

Here Today (ISBN 9780439579445) is a children's novel by Ann M. Martin. It was first published in 2004. It takes place in the 1960s. It is about Ellie, an 11-year-old whose mother is irresponsible and whose siblings are argumentative. She gets bullied and treated like she does not exist along with her best friend, Holly.

Plot summary

Eleanor Roosevelt Dingman (Ellie) is an 11-year-old girl who lives on Witch Tree Lane and, along with the other people who live on the street, is hated by the other children in school. Holly and Ellie have been given a hard time by the popular girls in their school (the Sparrows), but since the death of late president John F. Kennedy it has temporarily stopped. Ellie's life is turned upside down when her mother decides to go into show business. Her mother has asked Ellie to call her Doris (after Doris Day). Ellie's mother has been overcome with grief for the newly widowed mother, Jackie Kennedy, but realizes that life is short so she goes to New York to "become established".

As her life progresses, Ellie discovers she has more power than she thinks and can change her life no matter what the situation. When Doris moves to New York, Ellie is forced to take care of her family, as well as deal with life without Doris. Doris then decides to move to Hollywood, and Ellie has finally had enough. Even though life will not be the same, Ellie is still happy and content.