 |
Josephine Wilkins was born in 1896. In 1967, her granddaughter realized the significance of the history Wilkins had seen and began asking her questions about her life. Her grandmother told many stories about life as one of ten kids, many of these adventures taking place while wearing her red boots. She spoke of milking cows, making butter, and becoming too attached to a pig she raised.
Wilkins also recounted stories of her parents’ discipline, morals, and unlimited love for her. She told the story of why she never rode a horse, of logrolling in the river, and the unusual way her father taught her not to panic when confronted with a mountain lion. She spoke of hardships, such as the flu, the brother who was no longer welcome after speaking about evolution, and the sister with a traumatic brain injury. Also, she told of the harrowing story of the demise of her red boots that nearly left her unable to walk.
Bradrick recounts her grandmother’s early life through a selection of well-written stories. Bradrick’s writing is clear, and she finds the right details to really set the stories in the appropriate time and place. These stories, which deal with what would have been commonplace at the time, seem extraordinary today. They show life as raw, dangerous, and electric in a way that feels a bit lost to the modern world. There are quiet lessons here about fear, parenting, and the disconnect that takes place for so many in today’s always-on, always-connected life. Readers interested in a realistic portrayal of a child’s life during this period will find this book an engaging and entertaining read.