I am currently reading Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O’Neill. I am about a third of the way into the book and I am really enjoying it so far. I often find that the books I read for school feel like a chore to complete. This has not been the case for Lullabies for Little Criminals whatsoever. I found that this book grabbed my attention right from the beginning of the first chapter. Lullabies is told from the point of view of Baby, a 12-year-old girl, who at the beginning of the story is living in Montreal with her father Jules, who happens to be a broke drug-addict. Baby was born when her parents were both only 15 years old, and her mother died when she was very young.
Jules often prioritizes his needs over Baby’s, especially when it comes to his drug addiction. On Baby’s 12th birthday, Jules has one of his friends over (a fellow drug addict) who suddenly says, “Let’s go get some chocolate milk!” (O’Neill 9). Baby then goes on to explain that “Jules and his friends had been calling heroin chocolate milk for years” (O’Neill 10) and that “they did it so they could at least pretend that I didn’t know what was going on.” (O’Neill 10). Baby is eventually put into a foster home outside of Montreal, but not as a result of Jules’ neglecting behaviour. Jules is being treated in the hospital for tuberculosis. At the foster home, Baby begins to feel a sense of community, as she is surrounded by other kids facing similar issues to her own.
I have found that although I cannot relate to the problems that Baby is facing, I can relate to some of the feelings she is experiencing. After visiting Jules in rehab, Baby comes to the conclusion that to be able to bond with her father again, she needs to become a drug addict. Baby thinks that being a drug addict is the key to being a cool adult, which is exactly what she wants to be. Baby is in a rush to grow up, and I remember feeling this way when I was 12, although it was for a totally different reason (I had no intention of becoming a drug addict). Baby later reflects back on how she felt at this time and realizes that she was upset for the wrong reasons. “I don’t know why I was upset about not being an adult. It was right around the corner. Becoming a child again is impossible. That’s what you have a legitimate reason to be upset over.” (O’Neill 77).
Lullabies for Little Criminals is written in first person, from the point of view of Baby. I think that this has really helped me enjoy the story to the fullest. In my opinion, first person point of view helps the reader to connect with the characters in the novel and understand what they are going through. I was worried about being able to connect with this book’s characters, but Heather O’Neill has done a wonderful job creating a character that is someone you want to get to know better.
“Childhood is the most valuable thing that’s taken away from you in life, if you think about it.” (O’Neill 77)
Let me know what you think in the comments!
Works Cited
“Heather O’Neill.” HarperCollins Canada, http://www.harpercollins.ca/author/cr-100079/heather-oneill/.“Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O’Neill.” Goodreads, Goodreads, 17 Oct. 2006, http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22207.Lullabies_for_Little_Criminals.“MTL Moments.” Tourisme Montréal, 9 July 2019, http://www.mtl.org/en.ONeill, Heather. Lullabies for Little Criminals: a Novel. Harper Perennial, 2016.“Tuberculosis (TB).” HealthLink BC, http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/hw207301.
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