The Boy on the Porch

June 10, 2013
Newbery Medalist Creech’s slim, understated story about a young childless couple who find a small boy of indeterminate age asleep on their farmhouse porch one morning has a fablelike quality. Accompanied only by a note reading, “Plees taik kair of Jacob. He is a god good boy. Wil be bak wen we can,” the boy doesn’t speak, but he overflows with creative gifts and has an affinity for communicating with animals. The novel is set in a rural area, where town means a general store, a schoolhouse, and a sheriff’s office, and in an earlier era—telephones aren’t commonplace, but trucks, cars, and trailers are standard. Creech’s quiet tale movingly follows Marta and John’s evolution from puzzlement over Jacob’s mysterious appearance to a deepening love for him and a fear that somebody will return to claim him. While the target audience may not find the novel’s point of view, which is focused entirely on the adult couple, initially compelling, the suspense surrounding Jacob’s origins and his future makes it a page-turner for readers of any age. Ages 8–12. Agent: Amy Berkower, Writers House.

September 1, 2013
Young married couple Marta and John live a quiet life together on their farm until one day a sleeping boy (age six? seven? eight? They're not sure) appears on the front porch. In his pocket is a note: "Plees taik kair of Jacob. He is a god good boy. Wil be bak wen we can." Jacob doesn't speak, but he appears to understand Marta and John, and is able to communicate well with animals. The grownups do a little investigating to try to figure out where he came from, but they are tentative about it; truth be told, as they grow closer to Jacob, they begin to think of him more and more as their own. Creech's novella is very much the adults' story. It is from their perspective, and it is leisurely paced and contemplative. The setting has an old-fashioned feel; time and place aren't identified. The story's events are bittersweet, with a satisfying resolution. It's the sort of book that a grownup in a wistful mood might want to read in one sitting, but there is also some child appeal: short chapters (most are just two pages) are well suited for reading aloud, and the mysteries of Jacob's talents and his past could provoke discussion. elissa gershowitz

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