“The author-memoirist describes growing up Mennonite; her story affords glimpses into this religion’s traditions and rituals. This memoir will interest readers who want to learn about growing up Mennonite.”

“Not since Kathleen Norris’s Dakota: A Spiritual Geography have I read a more beautifully written or movingly told story, one whose minute particulars become a portal into universal significance. I promise: you will be transported.”

“Recalled with fairness and wit, this tale of growing up after World War II shows how Mennonite life in Dutch Country—and all of America—changed.”

“Shirley Showalter tells a compelling story of spiritual and cultural formation. Hers is a delicate dance between the tug of the outside world and the restraints of her birthright community.”

“Whether she is wearing her new letter jacket or biting a worm in two on a dare from her father, the young Shirley will win your affection.”

“Shirley Showalter is both a thoughtful historian and a balanced, inner journalist. She affirms—with detail, honesty, and humility—the need to break our own trail while honoring tradition.”

“Showalter’s portrait of this extraordinary little girl who wants to be ‘big’ will captivate and enchant readers of all generations.”

“This memoir provides an authentic rendition of a plain Mennonite girlhood, so rich in sensory details that it magically transports us into that world.”

“Shirley’s stories resonate powerfully with the tension we all live with—between our own aspirations and the expectations of others. You must read this book, and when you do, hang onto your hats and prayer coverings!”

“She’s a smart, sweetly blushing, baseball-loving, convertible-driving, taking-on-the-bishop kind of girl who delights and inspires.”

“Blush is a collection of memories by a woman born with a knack for flirting with boundaries.”

“With spunk, candor, authentic color, and page-turning style, Shirley Showalter takes us into a girl’s experience of the threshold between tradition and cultural shift.”

“Like a blush, Showalter’s engaging story deepens and intensifies as we discover that there is no such thing as a small life.”

“Shirley Showalter drew me in with the very first lines of her introduction—an audacious confession that sounds the depth of her endeavor.”

“Reading Blush is like eating the most delicious hot apple pie served with something tart, fresh, and zingy. Read it to be inspired by a brave woman willing to find her own voice.”

“To read Shirley Showalter’s beautifully written memoir is like stepping into a childhood as far from mine as the moon. Her story is one I longed for my whole life.”