Author: Sharon Creech
Genre: Bluebonnet
Age Group: 4th - 5th
Summary:
10-year-old Louie is determined to save an ill newborn mini donkey, despite being told he probably will not make it. His parents try to remind him of how frail newborns are and what is most likely to come. However, Louie refuses to hear it and moves to the basement with his new friend named Winslow. He feels a connection with Winslow because they both entered the world with traumatic beginnings. Louie was born two months early and fought for his life, however, he survived. This makes Louie question if his parents thought this about him when he was younger, and if they were told he was not going to make it either. While all this is occurring, Louie is dealing with his brother joining the army and not being home anymore. This saddens him and he does whatever he can to be close to him again, such as wearing his sweatshirts or rereading postcards from him with hopes he will be home soon. He brings all this to his best friend Nora who did lose her baby brother and has a negative look on anything small and frail surviving. This changes though, when she meets Winslow. Together they take care of him and protect him at all costs. Eventually, Winslow is sent to live at a different farm, but joyous news because Louie's brother is coming home and he cannot wait to see him.
I would use this book in my classroom to help those dealing with anyone in the military since it has that aspect of the emotions that Louie feels. I would also use this book to show how no matter the circumstances you can always find the positives.
I think the age group would be 4th through 5th because it has a lot more words and has a higher order of thinking.
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