Miss Ophelia

Set in rural Viginia in 1948, Miss Ophelia is a a remarkable debut novel that explores the issues of abortion, adultery, and skin color through the reminiscences of Isabel (Belly) Anderson in the autumn of her life. When eleven-year-old Belly takes piano lessons from Miss Ophelia, she discovers a secret about her beloved teacher that forces her to learn what it really means to be an adult. Like Gloria Naylor and Toni Morrison, Smith has a feel for the irrevocable moment when innocence falls away and life changes forever.