Rita Simonoff

Sidekick Rita Simonoff

My book, SIDEKICK, is a historical fiction story about a thirteen-year old girl growing up on a farm in Eastern Colorado in the 1940's. She is a pretty, bright, and healthy teenager who enjoys athletics but does not like the hard work that she endures on the farm. Her dysfunctional home life keeps her from thriving as normal teenagers should. She has a younger sister, who suffers the same domestic drama that she does. The two sisters work together, play together, take piano lessons together and even sleep in the same bed. The good thing is that they can console each other. Both girls are overwhelmed with the many problems that are beyond resolution for such young adolescents. Since the parents are incapable of managing their finances and health concerns, how can they possibly be good parents for their children? The acts of aggression by the father cause the girls to be fearful and insecure. These acts become progressively worse and could cause lifelong psychological scars for the two young sisters. This book depicts the climate in the 1940's on the country plains of Colorado. There are no televisions, computers or cell phones.