Our current
novel: Belle Prater's Boy by Ruth White
Gypsy
does not know her cousin Woodrow very well. Of course she, like everyone
in town and all around, knows that his mother Belle just disappeared
one day and has not been seen or heard of since. But she doesn't know
much about this odd looking little boy with his crossed eyes and his
shabby clothes. She soon finds out though that Woodrow is a very special
sort of boy, a very special sort of friend who will stick by you though
thick and thin.
When Gypsy gets sick it is Woodrow who does his best to keep her company,
making her laugh and bringing her a wonderful visitor. And when Gypsy
is forced to confront what happened to her much beloved father, it is
Woodrow who helps her get through the pain of it all, defending her
and holding her up until she is ready to accept the dreadful truth for
herself. In her turn Gypsy is there for Woodrow as he shows himself
and the whole world that he is not just "Belle Prater's Boy."
He is also Woodrow, the boy who is clever, funny and who has a wonderful
way with people.
This remarkable book reaches deep into the hearts of two children who
have been hurt very badly by the people they love the most. Both them
of them have been abandoned, have been left by parents who could not
take their lives anymore and who had to run away. We cannot help admiring
both Woodrow and Gypsy for their courage and the acceptance they discover
together for their loss. We come to see how alike these children are
and how hard they have to work to overcome what life has thrown at them.
With wonderful humour, sensitivity, and unparalleled skill, Ruth White
takes us to the little town in Virginia and wraps us up in a story which
reminds us that there is nothing in the world quite like a true friend.
This book won the Newbery Award.
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