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Description edit
Lesley Kagen returns with the sequel to her national bestselling debut, Whistling in the Dark . Whistling in the Dark captivated readers with the story of ten-year-old Sally O'Malley and her sister, Troo, during Milwaukee's summer of 1959. The novel became a New York Times bestseller... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Summary edit
Sally O'Malley promised her dying father that she would keep her adventure loving sister safe. She tries her hardest, but her sister, Troo, takes lots of risks, sneaks out at night, and puts herself in harm's way while all of the people of Vliet Street have to worry about a cat burglar and a... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)
Characters/People edit
- Sally O'Malley: The main character in the story. She is Troo's Irish twin sister and Dave's daughter. She has blond hair, long legs, and deep dimples.
- Margaret "Troo" O'Malley: The Irish twin of Sally. She is the daughter of Donny O'Malley. She has red hair and freckles.
- Detective Dave Rasmussen: Sally's father who bends over backwards to take care of the girls. He was promoted from a police officer to a detective.
- Donny O'Malley: Troo's father and the man Sally thought was her father. He died after a car accident.
- Hall Gustafson: The main Sally and Troo's mother married after Donny died. He worked at a shoe store called Shuster's Shoes. He's in prison for murdering Mr. Jerbak.
- Mr. Jerbak: He owned Jerbak's Beer 'n Bowl. He was killed by Hall with a bottle of Old Milwaukee.
- Mrs. Kambowski: She's the boss of the Finney Library. She teaches Troo French words.
- Bobby Brophy: He was a playground counselor who almost murdered and molested Sally the previous summer.
- Nell Callahan: Sally and Troo's half-sister who is eight years older than them. She's a graduate of Yvonne's School of Beauty.
- Helen Gustafsen: Sally, Troo, and Nell's mother. She lives with Dave, but they're not married.
- Mary Lane: Sally and Troo's best friend. They always call her Mary Lane because there are so many Mary's where they live.
- Wendy Latour: She's a mongoloid girl who likes to run off and then show up in strange places. She has many siblings, but Artie watches out for her.
- Artie Latour: Wendy's brother.
- Granny: Helen's mother who has dinner with them.
- Greasy Al Molinari: He stole Troo's bike and pushed Nell down. He was sent to a reform school, but he escaped.
- Uncle Paulie: Sally, Troo, and Nell's uncle. Helen's mentally challenged brother.
- Lizzie: Sally and Troo's little collie.
- Charlie Fitch: He's an orphan who ran away from the orphanage. He's Artie's best friend.
- Willie O'Hara: He used to be Troo's boyfriend. He moved to Vliet Street from Brooklyn,New York, after his father ran off with his secretary.
- Mrs. O'Hara: Willie's mother. She's getting her life together after her husband ran off with his secretary.
- Mrs. Marta Goldman: She was the landlord who lived on the lower level of the house where Sally and her family lived when her mother was married to Hall. She lives with her husband who no one ever sees.
- Debbie Weatherly: The new playground counselor.
- Mr. Lane: Mary Lane's father who works at the zoo feeding the animals.
- Mrs. Kenfield: She runs Kenfield's Five and Dime.
- Mr. Chuck Kenfield: He is distraught because he sent his unwed daughter away to have her baby, but she ran away from the hospital with the baby, and no one has seen her since.
- Dottie Kenfield: The Kenfield's daughter.
- Eddie Callahan: He married Nell after he got her pregnant.
- Aunt Betty Callahan: Father of Eddie, and best friend of Helen.
- Michael Patrick Gillespie: He's known as Father Mickey, and all of the women in the parish find him to be quite handsome.
- Fast Suzie Fazio: She's three years older than Sally and Troo. She knows all of the gossip. Sally doesn't like her very much.
- Jimmy "B.O." Montanazza: He's a boy who goes to school with Sally and Troo. He smells bad.
- Sister Raphael: She is the principal at the Mother of Good Hope School, the school Sally and Troo attend. She's also in charge of good deeds. She wants to kick Troo out of school for her bad behavior.
- Mrs. Bertha Galecki: Sally reads Nancy Drew books to her as one of her good deeds she does for her school assignment. She is cared for by Ethel because she has a heart condition. Her home is next door to Sally's home.
- Ethel: She's a large black woman who is Mrs. Galecki's caretaker. She has a cheery attitude even though the people on Mrs. Galecki's street are prejudiced. She is one of Sally and Troo's best friends.
- Peggy Sure: She's Eddie and Nell's baby girl. Her name was supposed to be Peggy Sue, but the nurse spelled it incorrectly on her birth certificate.
- Mr. Gary: Mrs. Galecki's son.
- Ray Buck: Ethel's boyfriend.
Quotes edit
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“That's a happy ending, which I admit I am a sucker for. Since they pay a visit to you so rarely you just gotta throw down the welcome mat when they show up, right?”
Sally O'Malley
Setting & Locations edit
- Camp Towering Pines: A camp for girls located in Rhinelander.
- Vliet Street: The street where Sally and her family rented the upstairs from the Goldmans.
- Feel Good Cookie Factory
- Mother of Good Hope Church
First Sentence edit
That summer earned itself a place in the record books that's never been beat.
Authors & Contributors edit
- Lesley Kagen (Author)
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
- Dewey: 813
Subjects edit
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