“Buttons” – A Little Girl Takes Her Tormentor To Task – Short Story Review

“Little girls, like butterflies, need no excuse.”

~ Robert A. Heinlein

Tillie has dealt with more and seen more than her young years should have. The circumstances of her grandmother as her guardian and her mother’s absence are just the beginning. But, when a fourth-grade boy corners her in the woods, all that knowing will come in handy. Author Meagan Lucas sets up a battle of wits between two kids in the story, “Buttons” that you won’t soon forget. “Buttons” is part of Meagan’s Anthony Award-nominated collection, HERE IN THE DARK.

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The Plot

Tillie is about to start third grade after the summer winds down in a few weeks. Her racket about the house is distracting Meemaw from her afternoon stories (if you’re from the South, you know that’s slang for soap operas). All Tillie wants to do is read a book and sneak a few cookies, but she reluctantly obeys Meemaw and goes for a walk in the woods near the house.

From the beginning, it is clear that Tillie lives an isolated life, both geographically and socially. She lives outside of town down a dirt road. She infers that she can’t invite anyone to her home because of Meemaw’s usual “collection” of pets, which Tillie refers to as “Buttons”.

Her grandmother reinforces a notion of proper behavior. Little girls should be seen but not heard, keep their knees together, and always wear a smile. Meemaw eludes to Tillie’s mama not following these rules. The reader never knows what became of her...… To read the entire blog, head to Killer Shorts Reviews.