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James Lincoln Collier
Marshall Cavendish
Hardcover
5 3/4 x 8 1/2 inches
185
0-7614-5174-9
2004
10 - 14
3
$15.95
$10.50
Synopsis
Me and Billy is a rollicking adventure by Newbery Honor-winning author, James Lincoln Collier, about two orphan runaways in search of gold. It is also a relational story about two friends who discover the differences in their individual make-ups.
Description
Billy and Possum (the "Me" of the story) have known each other forever. They began life as orphans together in Deacon Smith's Home for Waifs and are best friends. Billy is full of spunk and can lie himself out of any scrape. His brazeness enables the boys to escape the home and begin a new life of adventure searching for gold. On their trek they encounter a slim-slam man, witness a murder, meet the Singletarys, and finally find their lake of gold. On their adventures Possum also begins to realize that there are intense differences in their personalities. Possum questions if his friendship with Billy can endure those differences. A story written in the flavor of Huckleberry Finn and at the time of the gold rush fever, it is a can't-put-down-book.
Why I chose this book
On one level Me and Billy is a great adventure story with interesting dangerous characters straight out of the old west. On a deeper level this is a story that should cause the reader to question if friendship should be protected at any cost. Are there ever traits in a friend or choices made that should end a friendship? Written for 10 to 14 year-olds, it hopefully will cause these readers to look at their personal friendships with discernment.
