Little Children

Little Children by Tom Perrotta
My review
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I don’t remember where I heard about this book, but I do remember that I put it on my reading list because it was essentially about the “secret” lives of stay-at-home parents who visit the local playground with their kids. Tom Perrotta does a great job showing us the needs and desires of these parents, as they search for meaning (and love) in their lives. The characters are lots of fun too: Sarah, the former feminist who swore she wouldn’t be the SAHM and ends up marrying an internet porn addict; Todd, the “Prom King,” who seemingly has a perfect life, except for when his wife gets home from work and his son and wife both ignore him the rest of the day; Mary Ann, the perfect Stepford wife who plans every detail down to her 9pm on Tuesday roll in the hay; and Robert (not a parent), who moves back in with his mother after spending time in jail for exposing himself to a Girl Scout. The characters weave in and out of each other’s lives throughout the book, ultimately ending up at the playground for a final confrontation. Along the way, they find out more about themselves than they even wanted to know. Great stuff.
Next up is Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman, a collection of short stories by Haruki Murakami.