Ron Jones (1)

Reread 8/18-8/19/2016

Someone lent me this book. I had though I’d probably already read it, most likely when it came out in 1982, and when I got to a particular page I knew I had. I might even own a copy. I have some books tripled up so it might be in the back somewhere. I also know I saw the tv movie of the book The Acorn People, also by this author, and I might have read that book too. I continued with the reread so I’d know how to rate it. I read the book so long ago, probably nearly show more three and a half decades ago, that I needed to jog my memory, and I was basically enjoying reading it so I continued. I reread it over a 24 hour period. It’s a short book and a fast read.

I always enjoy San Francisco settings in books, and here I also knew the workplace the author describes. I knew the place, the general time period, and I’m more than 50% certain I recognized one or two or three of the kids described in the book, or some of the kids he used for composite characters.

Because of that I found it a bit of a sad read, but that was okay.

I notice very few readers have shelved it at Goodreads. It is an old originally published in paperback book, decades old, and likely out of print, so that’s not surprising. The book has very low ratings, and I guess I understand that too, but maybe because of my particular circumstances, I really liked it. Prior to my rating/review at Goodreads the book had no written reviews and only 4 ratings, one 4 star, one 3 star, and two 2 star. While 11 members have shelved the book at LibraryThing, apparently they’re all on the to read shelf, as there were no ratings/reviews before mine. show less

I liked most of it. Issues of dignity and rights are addressed in an easy-going style. It shows its age in places.

Ron becomes a summer camp Counselor at Camp Wiggen. He envisions a fun filled active summer until he meets his campers. These campers teach him that severely diabled children are just like him. They are filled with encouragement, determination, and friendship.

A quick, ok read. Counselor and handicapped children come alive at camp. Pretty straight forward. Still, the epilogue really pulls at the heart strings!