by Irene Hunt
First published 1985
Twelve-year-old Jeremy lives in the shadow of his father's anger and shame. His mental disabilities make him a constant disappointment to the bitter mountain man who cannot love what he sees as a broken son. The boy knows only harsh words and cold rejection from the man who should protect him. When the pain becomes too much to bear, Jeremy flees into the wild mountain country. Lost and alone among the peaks and valleys, he encounters a stranger who sees past his limitations. This man offers Jeremy something he has never experienced: patience, kindness, and acceptance. For the first time, the boy discovers what it feels like to have a father figure who values him. In the wilderness, Jeremy must choose between the family that rejected him and the new relationship that offers hope. The mountains become both refuge and testing ground as he learns about his own worth and the different forms that love can take.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, abuse, 20th-century, coming-of-age, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, redemption
Setting: Mountains
Period: 20th-Century
Hardcover · Atheneum
Content warnings: abuse, mental-illness