Belle Prater’s Boy
By Ruth White
ISBN: 0374306680, c.1996
Twelve-year-old Gypsy is all excited when her cousin Woodrow moves in with their grandparents next door. Woodrow’s mother, married to a coal miner in a remote holler, has disappeared without a trace, and Gypsy hopes that Woodrow will divulge some new clues. She is puzzled by Woodrow’s calm acceptance of his mother’s disappearance, especially since she herself has never gotten over her father’s death. When Woodrow finally reveals that he’s been keeping a secret about his mother, Gypsy begins to understand that there are different ways of finding the strength to face the truth.
Awards:
Newbery Medal, ALA Notable Children’s Book, School Library Journal Best Books Award
Karrie's Corner 