This is a nice story about two young sisters (Sally and Troo) who survive a summer in 1959 with their mother hospitalized with hepatitis and their drunken stepfather out of control. A murderer and molester is on the prowl in their neighborhood.

This book is an easy read and will keep your attention throughout the story.

Our book club enjoyed this book tremendously. We also had the opportunity to chat with the author via conference call during our regular book club meeting. I would highly recommend it! Lesley Kagen was fabulous...very friendly, down to earth. She added a lot to our discussion and gave us background on the writing of her book.

The thing I liked most about this book was that it was told from Sally's perspective, a 10 year old girl growing up in 1959. It was unique and captivating and heartbreaking and laugh out loud funny at times. Overall a very enjoyable read!

I loved the rememberance of what is remembered by me as a time of innocence and imagination and a time when we all felt so safe in absolutes as the end of the 50's. I loved the first person account of an imaginative and bright and loving little girl that was naive and knowing at the same time. Loved the story and the character development.
Would highly recommend this for a book club or just a personal read.

Many of the women in our group grew up in this era. It evoked many joyful memories and some not so joyful. It lead to good discussion.

Even with the threat of a murderer, this book recalls a certain innocence, trusting, and sense of community that will never be regained. Being of a "certain age," the women in our group remembered fondly "Sky King," "Red Light, Green Light," and other activities and characters from their own childhoods.

Whistling in the Dark is a quick and fun read. It's comical to get a glimpse into the inner workings of a 10 year old's mind. I couldn't help but laugh at the funny lingo and unique way she views the world.

Lesley Kagen's command of idioms and speech patterns of people from differing backgrounds is amazing. You want to turn the page and learn more of the story.

This book will transport you back into your own childhood. It is written in the perpective of a young girl, Sally O'Malley. Her relationship with her younger sister is so sweet and the book is hard to put down. Well Written.

Being from Milwaukee I especially enjoyed this book. It felt like I was transported back to my own childhood.
Half way through I tried to read slower just to make the story last longer.

Our whole book club loved this book. It was a quick, easy read, but was touching and heart-warming at the same time. Lovely book!

The relationship between the sisters was not believable. Not many children would be so selfless and "protect" another sibling that way.

p.s. I thought book club was next Wednesday.

This was a fun, engaging read. At only 336 pages, it's a easy length to finish quickly, which you'll want to do!
Set in 1959 in Milwaukee and told from the viewpoint of a 10 year-old girl, it's an interesting glimpse into a time before anyone in our club was born set in a location familiar to our book club.
Even with all the tragedies that befall the family and her sense of impending doom, Sally still strikes me as an optimist - she is always looking to the future... if she isn't "murdered and molested" before then. (Her constant repetition of this phrase was comical.)
Some might think the ending is predictable, but I didn't see it coming which made the book all the more enjoyable for me.

This is a book which is set in Milwaukee and refers to familiar landmarks past and present. This is really interesting. The voice is of a 10 year old girl which is cute and funny at times but grated on my nerves as well and caused me not to want to pick up the book.

A really good read I couldn't put this book down.

Half of our group lived in the Milwaukee area at some time and easily could picture the Milwaukee Zoo and it\\\'s surrounding neighborhood; remembering the freedom of the 50\\\'-60\\\'s compared to today.
A fast-paced novel written by single view of a young child; not a predictable story line. Revealed the maturity of the parents as well as the writer.