A Girl Could Stand Up

Surprising and wise, A Girl Could Stand Up bristles with charm and introduces one of literature's most unforgettable young heroines. On an outing to celebrate Elray's sixth birthday, her parents are killed in a freak accident. The day of their funeral, a pair of woefully unprepared uncles is sent in to care for her: Uncle Harwood, a macho, hard-drinking photographer who's always on assignment, and Ajax, a thirty-something cross-dressing uncle who prefers to present himself as an "aunt." But the beating heart of this novel is the love story that develops between Elray and her friend Raoul. Their secret adventures in their search for invincibility take them from the crypts of the Washington Cathedral to a life-threatening swim in the waters of the Potomac. Marshall has created a big-hearted world that is hers alone. Reminiscent of John Irving's Hotel New Hampshire, A Girl Could Stand Up is a testament to a new idea of family in its imperfect but shining state.