โA story rich in precise, gorgeous language . . . Tragedies old and new weave a tiny Kentucky town into the center of the universe.โโBooklist (starred review)
ย
With a Hammer for My Heartย is the story of Lawanda, a precocious, poverty-stricken fifteen-year-old girl from Cardin, Kentucky, who dreams of attending college. When Lawandaโs friendship with an alcoholic World War II veteran named Garland is misinterpreted by their fellow townspeople, a tragedy calls her future into question.
ย
โA compelling, skillfully told story . . . Lyonโs finest achievement.โ โLexington Herald-Leader
ย
โ[A] rich tale of healing, redemption, and social responsibility.โ โPublishers Weekly
ย
โLyon consistently reveals in her work an ability to render the peculiarities of the people and the places she knows best, while at the same time exploring concerns that lend her stories and poems universal appeal. The same is true of With a Hammer for My Heart, a powerful first novel that catapults Lyon into the ranks of other well-respected contemporary novelists.โ โThe Southern Register
ย
โThe dialogue in this wonderful story is moving, often funny, and always true to life. YAs will find in Lawanda a revealing picture of a young woman struggling to become her own person in the midst of a loving family whose members think they know whatโs best for her.โ โSchool Library Journal