Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm

I've been meaning to read this book since it came out with really good reviews in 1999. It's a Newbery Honor book and is based on the author's grandaunt. The story takes place on the Nasel River in the state of Washington in 1899. May Amelia is the only girl in her family-- in fact, the only girl in the whole Finnish-American settlement on the Nasel River. She has 7 brothers and is a character you've gotta love. Although the main character is a girl, boys will enjoy this book, too. Nothing "girly" here-- May Amelia does go to a dance in Astoria one night, but finds it boring and doesn't stay long. Instead she has an adventure with a Chinese boy who is a friend of hers who tells her that she's not very good at being a girl, but is "heaps more fun than a real girl." Great characters and a beautifully told story.