Sounder

Illustrated by James Barkley

A boy's world shatters when his father is arrested, leaving him to find hope through his loyal dog, Sounder.

4.0 Goodreads · 31,773 ratings

116 pages· 22,582 words· Est. 3 hour read· 890L

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Bookroo's summary

In the harsh 19th-century South, a young boy's life is upended when his father, a struggling sharecropper, is arrested after a rare feast appears on their table. With his father gone, the boy must navigate a world of injustice, clinging to hope and the companionship of their loyal dog, Sounder. As he faces the challenges of growing up too soon, will the boy find the strength to endure and keep his family together? Discover a poignant tale of resilience and faith in this Newbery Medal-winning classic.

From the publisher

The Powerful Newbery Award-Winning Classic A landmark in children’s literature, winner of the 1970 Newbery Medal, and the basis of an acclaimed film, Sounder traces the keen sorrow and the abiding faith of a poor African-American boy in the 19th-century South. The boy’s father isa sharecropper, struggling to feed his family in hard times. Night after night, he and his great coon dog, Sounder, return to the cabin empty-handed. Then, one morning, almost like a miracle, a sweet-smelling ham is cooking in the family’s kitchen. At last the family will have a good meal. But that night, an angry sheriff and his deputies come, and the boy’s life will never be the same. A landmark in children’s literature, winner of the 1970 Newbery Medal and the basis of an acclaimed film, Sounder traces the keen sorrow and the abiding faith of a poor African-American boy in the 19th-century South.