Mama Say's It's Hogwas

This book reveals one little girl’s struggle to maturity in a small town and in a large family, her parents and seven siblings. The times of 1930s and 1940s encompassed such disasters as the Great Depression and World War II.

The small town of Rosebud, Texas, is described and serves as a backdrop for the author’s experiences.

John Alexander Baily, the child’s grandfather, offers a hands-on description of the depression era in his Personal Diary and Farm Journal, 1895-1947.

World War II is discussed as it relates to the community and some of the heroes it produced.

The book captures the scary wonder of childhood—and its aloneness. Even in the midst of a large family the author seems alone. She wonders and observes but she is unable to share her thoughts with anyone, especially her mother. The scarcity of affection and the rocky relationship of her parents weigh heavily on the child throughout the book.