Padgett Gerler's Reviews > Feral Maril & Her Little Brother Carol

I have had the joy of reading all of Leslie Tall Manning’s books—all of them stand-alone, all of them delightfully different, all of them true gems.

Ms. Tall Manning’s newest creation, Feral Maril and Her Little Brother Carol, is the heart-wrenching story of Marilyn Jones and her young, challenged brother, Carol, whose family is in shambles and just can’t seem to catch a break.

Shuttled from her prison-bound mother to foster care to an ex-con father figure, Marilyn is shoved into a multitude of adult situations and decisions while still a child. Kept afloat by her hope of the Tan Man and her love for her little brother, Marilyn survives a seemingly unsurvivable childhood with grit, resourcefulness, and sheer determination.

Feral Maril and Her Little Brother Carol is a hard-to-put-down book. Once I met Maril, I felt I couldn’t abandon her until I saw her through to a safe and comfortable landing. I loved everything about this story…one of the author’s best.