• A Girl Named Zippy

  • Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana
  • By: Haven Kimmel
  • Narrated by: Haven Kimmel
  • Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (537 ratings)

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A Girl Named Zippy  By  cover art

A Girl Named Zippy

By: Haven Kimmel
Narrated by: Haven Kimmel
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Publisher's summary

When Haven Kimmel was born in 1965, Mooreland, Indiana, was a sleepy little hamlet of 300 people. Nicknamed "Zippy" for the way she would bolt around the house, this small girl was possessed of big eyes and even bigger ears. In this witty and lovingly told memoir, Kimmel takes readers back to a time when small-town America was caught in the amber of the innocent postwar period - people helped their neighbors, went to church on Sunday, and kept barnyard animals in their backyards.

Laced with fine storytelling, sharp wit, dead-on observations, and moments of sheer joy, Haven Kimmel's straight-shooting portrait of her childhood gives us a heroine who is wonderfully sweet and sly as she navigates the quirky adult world that surrounds Zippy.

©2001 Haven Kimmel (P)2001 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"Filled with good humor, fine storytelling, and acute observations of small-town life." (Library Journal)
"Kimmel's smooth, impeccably humorous prose evokes her childhood as vividly as any novel." (Publishers Weekly)
"Almost dreamlike in some of [her] elusive storytelling, [Kimmel] pulls off a feat that's harder than it looks: write for adults from a child's perspective...Zippy's parents must have done something right to produce a girl who could write such a simple and lovely book." (USA Today)

What listeners say about A Girl Named Zippy

Average customer ratings
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Absolutely delightful!

This is the cutest memoir! Read by the author, who does a beautiful job and makes it seem more real and authentic. She even sings some of the childhood songs she talks about.

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Super cute!

I'm from Indiana, so the story of Zippy rings very close to home. Super sweet read!! 😁

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Light Entertainment

This made me laugh so hard! Zippy lifted my spirits at the end of the day!
She came out with things we all wished we had thought of first!

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Such a wonderful surprise!

I did not expect this book to be so incredibly meaningful. Haven Kimmel does a wonderful job writing a book that is written from the child’s perspective. It’s funny and poignant. I’m so glad I read this.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

My FAVORITE Audible book... ever!

I have never read nor listened to a more charming and entertaining book than Zippy. Haven Kimmel connects with every inflection and believeable word. Each short chapter is a gem of insight into the life of this precociously honest child. If YOU grew up in a small town, you'll identify and appreciate all the memories that will be revisited. The sequel is equally wonderful. Its a great "read" on road trips. Seriouly... my favorite book ever.

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7 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Tom Sawyer's Little Sister...

As if Tom Sawyer's "little sister" had written her autobiography in a series of droll vignettes, except Ms. Himmel is a real girl, and her stories are artfully told. She writes really well, reads well, and tells a touching story about growing up in a kooky but loving home, in a community where mother is devout, father is skeptical, and the lady across the lane might just be an old witch. Recommended.

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Nostalgic and charming

A delightful memoir ! I loved Haven Kimmel's reading, it felt like she was sharing her memories of the quaint and quirky people of Moreland, Indiana. Lovely.

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Amazing!

I love this book so much. The author makes you laugh and cry all at the same time. I could read/listen to her stories forever. I loved it so much that I also got her second book "she got up off the couch" which was also absolutely hilarious and wonderful.

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Wonderful

I loved Zippy and didn't want this book to end. I immediately bought the sequel. Kimmel's narration is sweet and charming in keeping with the story.

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A brilliant depiction of childhood!

Kimmel provides a vivid account of her experiences in a household with a Quaker mother and nonconformist father in a quiet, rural community. She brings back the wonder of childhood, with the reality of human foibles.

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