What I saw and How I Lied

              What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell is a novel about the life of a 15 year-old girl named Evie Spooner living in the period after WWII. She goes through many difficult stages of life with her beautiful mother, and the lack of a responsible father. Then, her mother met young Joe, and they soon fell in love, presenting Evie a real father. However, Joe left to enlist in the army, leaving Evie without a father again. When Joe comes back, all Evie hope is to have a normal life. But the war had left Joe with dark memories that makes him angry and irritated all the time. In the novel, the theme growing up is always presented in parts of Evie Spooner's life, which makes her to become more mature.
            In the beginning of the book, Evie and her best friend Margie Crotty is presented to readers trying on candy cigarettes and talking about wearing lipstick. All Evie wants is to grow up, to become her beautiful mother who catches the attention easily. Evie says in the book, "the way she held a cigarette, the way she danced in the kitchen, they way she could make supper with a cocktail glass in one hand-- that was movie star glamour. You could almost forget she was just a housewife from Queens."  Evie is jealous of her mother's beauty, and want to become her. But her mother, Beverly is overprotective. She claims she doesn't want Evie to grow up too soon, even though Evie is almost 16. At this point, Evie is still a child.
          When Joe return from the war, Evie thought they would finally return to normal life. So when Joe suddenly decide to take the family to Florida for vacation, she is thrill. They met the rich Graysons, and one day Evie decide to dress up fancy like Mrs.Graysons. When Mrs.Grayson found out, despite her mother's protest, she dressed up Evie into an outstanding woman. This is the first time Evie had experience growing up. And because Evie thought she is glamorous, she went to a dance where she met a movie-star gorgeous man named Peter Coleridge. The 21 year old named her "pussycat" and gave her attention she had never receive from a boy, let alone a man. 
         In addition, Evie also experience deciding what's right or wrong. When Peter acknowledge Evie about Joe stealing Jewish people's property during the war, she felt that is wrong and know something has to be done. Therefore after knowing the Graysons are jewish, she decides to take the money and return it. By doing this, Evie can decide the justice in the world, and finally achieve the goal of maturing.
         In conclusion, by going through the many events in one summer, Evie slowly mature from a girl to a young woman. Growing up is slowly built up by experience. Even though Evie depend heavily on her family, she learn to grow up and become independent. She discover the true her and know what is right.