What is the author's style in A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana by Haven Kimmel?

"A Girl Named Zippy" is a non-fiction memoir written in first person narrative. The author, Haven Kimmel, uses first-person narrative to detail accounts of her childhood growing up in Mooreland, Indiana. She does not simply replay the events of the past, but narrates with the perspective of young Zippy. When she recounts stories from when she is younger, there is a naivete to the voice. It is clear that the narrator is not privy to the wisdom or maturity of the older Zippy who is writing the book. For example, in "The Lion," Zippy truly believes that she belongs to the mafia and that the certificate she receives from her father is authentic, although the adult Zippy who is writing the book can clearly see past that. This perspective is truly first-person and not omniscient—the only information the reader gains is what Zippy the narrator sees and discovers. At times, Kimmel will refer to "we," typically meaning herself and another Mooreland resident.

Kimmel is a storyteller and although she includes tangents within each story, the information provided never strays beyond Zippy's experiences. Since Kimmel speaks through the voice and perspective of a young child, she is not 100% trustworthy. Zippy's imagination frequently runs wild and she is not always grounded in reality. For example, Zippy maintains that Edythe, a Mooreland neighbor who was once good friends with her mother, is a witch. Edythe's actions and behaviors only serve to confirm Zippy's belief, although it is very unlikely that she was actually trying to kill Zippy. In addition, Zippy's naivete makes it difficult to determine the truth. When her mother tells her that she was adopted from a band of gypsies traveling through Mooreland and her father says that Zippy's sister is not his biological daughter, Zippy believes both of them without question. As a child, Zippy also has an overconfident belief in herself and her skills, frequently making comments about being the best at jumping on the couch and having a gift with animals. This contributes to a bias to the way the other characters in her life are described.