by L. M. Alcott
First published 2022
Ben Brown arrives unexpectedly when his dog Sancho steals cake from Bab and Betty's tea party. The runaway circus performer hides in their barn with his faithful companion. Ben knows horses well from his circus days. The Moss family takes him in and finds him work on a nearby farm driving cattle and tending horses. Ben believes his beloved father has died, leaving him to grieve alone until kind Miss Celia helps him heal. He moves in with Celia and her fourteen year old brother Thornton, gaining both family and schooling. Yet Ben struggles with his new quiet life after years of circus thrills. Adventures still find him. Sancho disappears and returns injured with his tail cut short, making the dog forever wary of strangers. Someone accuses Ben of theft. Miss Celia gets hurt and Ben takes a dangerous ride on her horse Lita to help. He wins an archery contest, barely defeating Bab. Through each challenge, Ben slowly discovers his place among friends who care for him. The boy who ran from the circus finds something he never expected in this new home.
Genres: family, historical-fiction, adventure, coming-of-age, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Moss Family Farm
Period: 19th Century
180 pages · Paperback · Lulu.com