Belle Prater's Boy

By: Ruth White

Narrated by: Alison Elliot

Length: 3 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

When Belle Prater disappears, Belle’s boy, Woodrow, comes to live with his grandparents in Coal Station, Virginia. Woodrow’s cousin Gypsy is the town beauty, but she has hidden sorrows and secrets of her own. She wonders how Woodrow can accept his mother’s disappearance when she’s never gotten over her father’s death. That’s when Woodrow tells Gypsy the secret about his mother.

©1998 Ruth White (P)2008 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"White gives her protagonists the courage to face tragedy and transcend it - and the ability to pass along that gift to the reader." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Ruth White creates a satisfying feeling of community.....An admirable, stirring book." ( The New York Times Book Review)

Short and sweet

This was a soothing story to listen to. I feel calmed by it and the narrator did an excellent job with the characters.

one of the best fictions I've read

this was a fantastic audiobook that I have listened to over and over again. definitely recommend!

Nostalgia

I read this book in 6th grade (2001) and it always stuck with me. I’m so glad to have found it again. Listening as an adult, the themes stood out more. It made me cry quite a few times listening. Wonderful book. I hope children still read this in schools.

great book!

a marvelous comming of age tale. a great book for any kid. teaches you a lot about how to look at someone else, or yourself.

the story

i loved how it was about virginia and the mountains it also talked of the blankenship’s that’s my
last name too bc and it is a cool mystery you can imagine about

Incredibly kind treatment of parents’ pain

A parent’s abandonment is something extremely difficult for children- and even adults- to understand. This book is NOT one that wallows in the grief- but touches it and attempts to kiss it- not better, but with human understanding and forgiveness. Lots of humor and hope hand in hand with unspeakable grief.
Masterful!!!
Reader was great, though did not care for the music that chimed in occasionally. It took me out of the story and made me think about production choices. But overall- a wonderful, thought provoking book.

A perfect analysis of dealing with trauma.

I love the flow of this story. Everything fits and there is no superfluity. Anguish meets forgiveness.

Engaging quick listen

An engaging and heartwarming story. I listened to it before assigning in homeschool curriculum. Great message about family secrets and why family members hurt others. “It’s not that they don’t love you. It’s that their pain is bigger.”

AN ENGAGING AND MEMORABLE BOOK!

So many memories came back to me of listening to this when I was a young kid. I can still remember the places and characters I had so vividly imagined when hearing it the first time. The story is written with great talent. The greatest fears and struggles of young preteens interwoven with valuable life lessons and special moments that each of us can look back and remember from our own childhood. A great balance of happy and sad times, and perhaps even the things which we as children never quite knew how to talk about. This book is sure to be a great trip down memory lane and a ride to the edge of your once young imagination.