#72 Jip: His Story

Katherine Paterson is one of my favorite authors. If you haven't read any of her books, you are certain to do so in the next few years: Bridge to Terabithia, The Great Gilly Hopkins, Jacob Have I Loved, The Same Stuff as Stars. I chose to read Jip because it was one of her books that I had never read.

Well, I am so glad I finally read it! The only thing Jip knows about where he came from is that when he was a baby he was found on the side of the road, supposedly fallen out of a wagon driven by the gypsies (Hence, the name: Jip). Because the community is poor, Jip is raised on a farm. Although he always wonders why no one ever came back for him, he considers the poorhouse home and at a young age does most of the work around the place.

When a stranger starts showing up asking Jip about his past, Jip begins to question where he came from. It isn't until he comes face-to-face to the man who may be his father that Jip learns his story and decides what to do next.

This book is an excellent historical fiction book and ties in really well with many of the other stories we read about the underground railroad. So much is included in this book: friendship, loyalty, respect, family, the importance of education. It is beautifully written, and is now one of my favorites. I encourage you to read it as well: it will certainly cause you consider some important issues!

You can find out more about Katherine Paterson at her website: http://www.terabithia.com/index.html.