Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Darlene Joyce “DJ” Schwenk is a cow. At least that’s what Brian Nelson, quarterback from the rival high school football team, just called her. It’s not because of her looks… although she is built like rest of the Schwenk kids; big and strong. It’s not because she’s lazy… just the opposite, she been running the Schwenk dairy farm by herself since her father had to have hip surgery. And it’s not because she’s dumb; although she’s nearly flunking out of English because of all the work, she certainly knows about dairy farming and, of course, football. Everybody in Red Bend, Wisconsin basically breathes football. Her father even names the cows after football players. And of course growing up with two older brothers, Bill and Wes, who are practically football legends for Red Bend doesn't hurt either. No, Brian just called DJ a cow because she does what she’s told and doesn't speak up for herself. OK, Brian’s got her on that one. No one in the Schwenk family speaks up for themselves. Heck, younger brother Curtis hardly speaks at all. Her older brothers, Bill and Wes, haven’t called since they took off to college after the fight with their dad; that was seven months ago. DJ hardly sees her mom since she became teacher and acting principal of Red Bend High school. As Brian says, “When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.” DJ has given up playing sports to run the farm and she’s exhausted plus she’s just been asked to be the personal trainer for whiny, spoiled, rich Hawley football quarterback Brian Nelson for the summer. But does she say anything about it? Nope. She just does what she’s told, just like the cows.

DJ soon finds out that she likes training for football with Brian, she likes talking with Brian… she likes talking (and she likes Brian too). DJ finds her voice and figures out what will may her happy; playing football for the Red Bend High School football team! What will the football team say about that? What will her family say? What will Brian say? She’s certainly not acting like a cow now! Read Dairy Queen; an amazing, empowering and utterly enjoyable story about finding your passions and learning to find your voice.