Creech, Sharon. Saving Winslow. Vincent Moustache, Illus. Fiction. J. Cotler/HarperCollins, 09/2018. 165pp. $16.99. 978-0-06-257070-3. PLB $17.89. 978-0-06-25702-7. OUTSTANDING . GRADES 3-5.
Louie is tasked with caring for a baby miniature donkey and worries he won’t be able to help it survive, so it can return to his uncle’s farm. New neighbor Nora is pessimistic about the donkey’s fate, but Louie was a premie and relates to the animal’s plight. Louie also misses his older brother who is away in the military. There are other parallels in the lives of the humans that influence how they feel about the donkey, named Winslow by Louie. The narrative has an economy and simplicity that will serve reluctant readers and those who read transitional novels but who can appreciate the depth of this plot and characters. Memorable with relatable characters (who are never identified by ethnicity) and a timeless setting, this should have wide appeal.
Penny Peck, San Jose State University, iSchool