On the first day of summer in 1944, a little redheaded girl is found abandoned on the steps of the courthouse in Way Down Deep, W.Va. Miss Arbutus Ward, proprietor of the local boardinghouse, comes forth to take care of little Ruby June, and over the next several years Ruby June comes to love her place in the world, way down deep in a hollow between the hills. It’s a tale of magical beginnings and the everyday magic of an ordinary place populated by a colorful cast of characters worthy of Dickens—old Miss Arbutus, Robber Bob, 90-year-old Mrs. Rife who throws rocks at passersby, the Fuller triplets who preach the Gospel in the streets, albino Granny Butler, Jethro the goat and Aristotle the wise owl. Eccentric characters, snappy dialogue and a richly defined setting make this a story to love. Those new to White will want to read all of the work by this master of Appalachian storytelling. (map, cast of characters) (Fiction. 10+)
