A Courtship on Huckleberry Hill

December 1, 2017
How dare she! That's the first thing that crosses Sam's mind when his younger brother Wally informs Sam that Elsie, the town's new schoolteacher, has been treating Wally badly. Ever since the accident that cost Wally one of his legs, he has had a difficult time adapting. So Elsie should be bending over backward to make things easier for Wally at school. However, once Sam actually meets Elsie, he discovers Wally hasn't exactly been telling him the truth about the new teacher, who turns out to be a caring instructor who believes Wally has been using his disability to get away with too much for too long. Although some readers might find the manner in which a disabled character is referenced in the latest addition to Beckstrand's long-running and popular inspirational Amish series, the Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill, a bit jarring, there is no denying the sensitivity and grace Beckstrand uses when dramatizing the challenges living with a disability presents, not only to those who are dealing with it themselves but also to family members and friends.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)