Review: The Loner by Ester Wier

Synopsis: He has no home, no name, nothing. Once, he remembers, there was a mother who was nice to him, but that was too long ago. He has to rely on himself now, and himself only. Wandering westward, picking fruit on various farms to make money, that’s the way things are. If you don’t keep up with the rest of the pickers, you’ll get left behind. Then he realized that there are people who care, who want to care for him. They befriend him, give him a name, an identity – everything he’s ever longed for. Life is good. But is it too good to last?

Review: Slow, steady book about what it means to rely on others, to love and be loved. Might be a bit boring for the modern child, but worth reading. There is adventure and danger and character growth. Advice: Death is a theme in the book. Animals die in a snow-storm. A side-character dies by being caught in an agricultural machine. While the scene is not graphic, it is clear what happens. Another character is dead before the story opens and that event weighs on the main character. Parents should be prepared to read this with children and answer questions about death.

Bookmarks: 3.5 of 5

Awards: Newbery Honor, 1964

ISBN: 0-590-44352-6
Year Published: 1963
Date Finished: 8-5-18
Pages: 151