The Education of Dixie Dupree

Narrated by the sweet young voice of Dixie Dupree, this book captures the small town Alabama life of a dysfunctional family in 1969. Dixie's father drinks, her mother has a hair trigger temper, money is tight, her support system is unreliable - but amazingly this young girl remains optimistic.

The story tackles the problems of poverty and a broken family, showing how abused children cope and too often feel responsible while struggling to know whom to trust. Adults are frequently in denial or so engulfed in their own battles that they cannot help. A tough subject handled with empathy, this makes a powerful Book Club choice.

IndieNext Pick

A remarkable debut from the author of The Saints of Swallow Hill, composed in a voice as sure and resonant as that of The Secret Life of Bees. This story about mothers and daughters, the guilt and pain that pass between generations, and the truths that are impossible to hide, especially from ourselves, will take readers on a heartfelt and heartbreaking journey.

"Young Dixie Dupree is an indomitable spirit in this coming-of-age novel that is a heartbreaking and honest witness to the resilience of human nature and the fighting spirit and courage residing in all of us." -The Huffington Post, Kim Michele Richardson, author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

"An important novel, beautifully written, this is a story to cherish." -Susan Wiggs, # 1 New York Times bestselling author

In 1969, Dixie Dupree is eleven years old and already an expert liar. Sometimes the lies are for her mama, Evie's sake-to explain away a bruise brought on by her quick-as-lightning temper. And sometimes the lies are to spite Evie, who longs to leave her unhappy marriage in Perry County, Alabama, and return to her beloved New Hampshire. But for Dixie and her brother, Alabama is home, a place of pine-scented breezes and hot, languid afternoons.

Though Dixie is learning that the family she once believed was happy has deep fractures, even her vivid imagination couldn't concoct the events about to unfold. Dixie records everything in her diary-her parents' fights, her father's drinking and his unexplained departure, and the arrival of Uncle Ray. Only when Dixie desperately needs help and is met with disbelief does she realize how much damage her past lies have done. But she has courage and a spirit that may yet prevail, forcing secrets into the open and allowing her to forgive and become whole again.out.

1. Early on we learn that Evie loves her children - yet she cannot control her temper and takes it out on Dixie, sometimes severely. Why cannot the mother see the harm she is doing? What does she gain from abusing Dixie?

2. Evie dreams of moving back to her hometown and is unhappy with her current circumstances. What role might this dissatisfaction play in her relationship with her children? Could it have influenced her husband's decision to end his life?

3. Why is Dixie's brother not as much of a target?

4. There are many forms of child abuse - physical, mental, sexual. Discuss child abuse in general and then specifically as it relates to Dixie. Is poverty a catalyst for any form of abuse? Does abuse stem from being mentally unstable, and if so, is that an excuse?

5. Dixie's attitude remains constant throughout the book - hopeful and optimistic even as her life unravels. She makes excuses for the behavior she witnesses and experiences. Is this common among abused children? Is it because she only knows the life she lives and does not know any different?

6. Many people in Dixie's life could have helped her - her father, grandparents, teachers - yet no one did. Why do you think this is? Should they have known there were problems? Evie in particular has a history with her brother, Dixie's uncle, and should have known better. What emotions does this abuse elicit in you?

7. Several times Dixie thinks about telling an adult. She ends up telling her brother, who does not believe her and has no real power to help. Why does she lie to adults about her situation instead of speaking up? What motivates her to keep quiet?

8. Why do you think Dixie's father took his own life? From Dixie's perspective, is this the same as abandonment?

Dixie Dupree, an eleven-year-old with an earnest voice and a determined heart, narrates a story steeped in hardship and hope. The novel invites discussion about why parental love sometimes fails to prevent abuse, how children rationalize danger to survive, and how communities overlook warning signs. Consider the roles of poverty, denial, and shame in Dixie's troubles - and the forms of resilience that help her endure.