Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe

Cricket is the protagonist and narrator of Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe. She is independent and resourceful, largely because of the skills that her father and mother have taught her. Cricket’s pursuit of the Bird Room forms the central narrative of the book. It is through this pursuit that Cricket comes to a deeper understanding of herself, her mother, and the power and limitations of Familial Love and Devotion. Cricket’s adventure puts her in many difficult situations that the average 12-year-old might not be able to cope with. She can survive in the woods thanks to the things that her father taught her. Though Daddy is dead during the main timeline of the book, Cricket is guided and supported by his love for her.

Cricket is able to solve many of Bob’s clues because she is able to Observe the Beauty of the World and notice small details that other people do not. This skill she gets from her mother. Even though neither of Cricket’s parents is present in the story’s main narrative (except for Cricket and Mama’s meeting at the cemetery in Chapter 44), Cricket relies on the influence of Mama and Daddy to guide and support her on her adventure.