Belle Prater's Boy





Title: Belle Prater's Boy

Author: Ruth White

Readability: Grade level Equivalent: 5.5, Lexile Measure: 760L

Genre: Mystery and Suspense, Realistic Fiction

Theme: Death, Grief, and Loss, Parents, Friends and Friendship

Characters: Belle Prater, Everett, Woodrow, Granny and Grandpa Ball, Gypsy Arbutus Leemaster, Love, Porter Dotson

Awards: Newbery Honor Book, Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards Honor Book

Published: 1996

Publisher: Douglas & Mcintyre Ltd.

ISBN: 0-374-30668-0

Summary: This story begins with the disappearance of Belle Prater.  She lived in the Appalachians with her husband and her son.  Belle's disappearance inhibits the move of her son to go live with her parents in Coal Station, Virginia.  Woodrow's aunt and cousins live next door to his Grandparents and his cousing Gypsy takes an interest in his mothers disappearance.

Classroom: Due to the unanswered questions in this story, it would be great to use with a lesson on foreshadowing.