Laura McHale Holland is a writer, editor and occasional storyteller living in southern Sonoma County. Her award-winning memoir, Reversible Skirt, was recently released by Wordforest, and her short fiction has appeared in The Best of Every Day Fiction Three, as well as the 2009 and 2010 Vintage Voices anthologies. She has also been a feature writer for such local publications as NorthBay biz, the Noe Valley Voice, and the original San Francisco Examiner. She is posting new flash fiction weekly in 2011.

The mother of three small girls committed suicide leaving their father to raise them. More than anything he wanted to keep them together. In haste he remarries and tells his children his new wife is their mother. For a while the girls live with their grandmother. When their father brings them back home, their mother does not look the same. The youngest child, Laura, believes her mother must have gone through a magical transformation. She does not understand what has happened. The "mother" has very strict rules to the point of abuse. After the death of their father the "mother" becomes openly abusive. The three girls form an alliance. They vow to remain together just as their father wanted.

Reversible Skirt is an amazing story. It is written through the eyes of a young child. The three girls believed they were responsible for their mother's death. I felt so much love for Laura. I wanted to hold, hug and protect her. This tale captivated me from the first page to the last. I read this book twice before writing this review. There are many types of abuse. This book sheds light on child abuse.