For avid readers, there are a few times in your life that you stumble upon something truly special. You discover a book that you not only give to friends, but that you put into the hands of your own daughters. You unearth a gem so valuable that you keep it on your nightstand long ¬after you finish just to know it is there. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman is one of those titles.

Hoffman is able to be both heartbreaking and hilarious as she adjusts the blinds to peep into the life of southern eccentricity. We follow twelve year old CeeCee who has been a long-time caregiver to her mother, the former Vidalia Onion Queen of 1951. Now CeeCee is to be cared for by an unknown aunt and a troupe of southern belles who band together to heal her and provide her with a stability she has never known.

They say it takes a village to raise a child. Perhaps it just takes an Aunt Tootie and the strong and wonderful women she spends her days with. Yes, this one is that valuable gem you will hang on to.