Taking Care of Moses [Hardcover]

Barbara O'Connor (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

Who left the baby at the Rock of Ages Baptist Church?

Randall Mackey has a secret. He knows who left the baby on the steps of the Rock of Ages Baptist Church. But he can't tell anyone, not even his best friend, Jaybird. And he certainly can't let Jaybird's little sister, Althea, find out because she'd be sure to shout it from the rooftops. Randall can't tell because Queenie Avery was also there, and he wants to protect her. Poor old Queenie seems to be getting more and more forgetful these days. And now that she's begun to wander, folks in town want to send her away, which would break Mr. Avery's heart. While Randall's busy worrying about doing the right thing, everyone in town is discussing who should take care of baby Moses, and it isn't long before a feud breaks out. Randall has to come up with a plan that won't hurt those he most wants to help. And he's got to do it quickly before the situation gets completely out of control.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7–Randall Mackey, 11, has a secret: he knows who left a baby on the doorstep of a local church, but he can't tell because he wants to protect an elderly neighbor. What transpires is a battle between the white minister's wife, who wants the infant, and black Miss Frieda, who is authorized for foster care and believes that the child should be "with his own kind." The tensions that ensue split the black and white communities, and the congregation as well. While Randall's reluctance and indecision are a little drawn out, overall this is a funny and touching story. It shows how barriers between the races can be broken down by simple friendliness, and has plot elements that include child abandonment, the role of the Baptist church in a small South Carolina town, and an examination of summoning up the courage to do what's right. O'Connor sweetens everything with an earthy humor and a great ear, with dialogue peppered with phrases like, "…you take to babies like a snake to a woodpile." Randall's friend Jaybird has a sassy young sister who has some of the best insults in the book, and the dialogue between the friends is right on target. O'Connor's take on situations is psychologically astute; she describes well how children sometimes manipulate the adults around them, and how perceptive they can be about adult secrets.–Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-6. Randall has a secret. Only he knows who abandoned a newborn baby on the steps of the Rock of Ages Baptist Church. The rest of the congregation and community buzzes with gossip and takes sides over who should raise baby Moses: the minister's childless wife, who is white, or the black foster mother who feels that the African American baby belongs "with his own kind." Meanwhile, Randall deals with his own quandary: should he tell what he knows? The author of Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia (2003) and Moonpie and Ivy (2001) creates a strong sense of this small South Carolina community, where church ties draw segments of the community closer together, though not always into close harmony. Against this realistic backdrop, she places characters whose idiosyncrasies make them believable; memorable, convincing portrayals of interracial friendships and spats; and a sympathetic child who struggles to make a good decision when neither choice seems clearly right. A rewarding read. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 1st edition (September 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374380384
• ISBN-13: 978-0374380380
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,247,065 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Barbara O'Connor was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina. She draws on her Southern roots to write award-winning books for children in grades 3 to 6. Her awards include the Parents Choice Gold and Silver Award, American Library Association Notable Books, and IRA Notable Books for a Global Society. Her books have been nominated for children's choice awards in over 20 states and voted as a state favorite by children in South Carolina, Indiana, Kansas, and South Dakota. When Barbara isn't busy writing, she travels to schools to conduct writing workshops with young students, works in her garden, walks with her dogs, and thinks up ways to avoid cooking.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars O'Connor Does it Again!, December 18, 2005

By 

A NE Reader (New England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Taking Care of Moses (Hardcover)

Barbara O'Connor writes beautifully sensitive stories with great big helpings of humor and humanity. She creates characters, settings, and situations that live on in the reader's mind and heart long after the reader reluctantly closes the book. In TAKING CARE OF MOSES, one noble child (Randall) struggles with his conscience, wondering what's right, as he secretly feels torn between two good impulses. All the while, sympathetic and engaging characters dance around the storyline, adding humor and realism to the story. From beginning to end, this is a great read!

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny characters dealing with a serious situation, March 13, 2005

By 

HenderHouse (Libertyville, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Taking Care of Moses (Hardcover)

Fast-paced and fun, TAKING CARE OF MOSES features an 11-year-old boy who knows the answer to the most burning question in his small town: Who left a little baby on the church steps? Randall is torn between telling the truth, which might cause someone harm, and keeping the secret, which might harm someone else. Woven into this main conflict are hints of other conflicts relating to issues of race, poverty, and growing old alone. These serious topics are significantly lightened by lively, funny dialogue with a strong Southern accent. This is a good read-aloud that will generate many points of discussion.

5.0 out of 5 stars Equally appealing to both boys and girls. . ., February 12, 2005

By 

Jessica Swaim "children's book author" (Parker, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Taking Care of Moses (Hardcover)

This beautifully written novel has all the ingredients kids
love -- flawed but likable characters, a secret, suspense, humor, snappy dialogue, and a satisfying ending.
Sure to be a hit for individual reading or as a classroom readaloud.