Belle Prater's Boy
by Ruth White | Grades 6-8
Belle Prater's Boy by Ruth White is a coming-of-age novel set in the 1950s in the coal-mining town of Coal Station, Virginia. The story follows twelve-year-old Gypsy Arbutus Leemaster, whose life takes a turn when her cousin Woodrow Prater comes to live with her family after his mother, Belle, mysteriously disappears. Through their developing friendship, both Gypsy and Woodrow confront family secrets, personal losses, and the quest for identity. The novel beautifully explores themes of resilience, the power of imagination, and the complexities of human relationships, all while painting a vivid picture of small-town life in mid-20th-century America.