The Golden Dream — Jean Nielsen

This poignant YA novel is set in California at the beginning of the 1960s real-estate boom. Starli Ryland is the daughter of a stubborn orange grower and his dreamy artistic wife. The book tells the story of Starli's tumultuous senior year as she finds new friends, new ideas and even a new love growing from the ashes of her old way of life.

Inside the house Starli's mother was still waiting up. “Oh, mother,” she cried, “Avery brought me home, and then Daddy…”
“Hush, dear, I heard it all.” Mrs. Ryland was very gentle.
“It's the first time a boy has every liked me. And he said such wonderful things. Then Daddy began to -- but maybe it's all just a dream.”
“But it isn't, Starli, so you might as well make the best of things. They're going to get better. They have to, because I'm afraid they can't get much worse.”