The Boy on the Porch by Sharon Creech (review)

One summer day, young couple John and Marta find a young boy curled up asleep on the porch, in his pocket a note: "Plees taik kair of Jacob" and a promise to return. Over the next few days, Jacob quickly integrates into the family, although it becomes clear that he's either unwilling or unable to speak, preferring to communicate instead by tapping in rhythmic patterns that indicate his mood. He's also an imaginative painter and natural guitarist, and after months of trying to find his parents, the couple begins to think of him as family. When a man proving his paternity with Jacob's birth certificate shows up, though, they're forced to turn the boy over to his him, and their house feels startlingly empty—until a friend suggests the two apply to be foster parents, sparking a new life course for the couple. Creech's signature voice from Walk Two Moons (BCCB 1/95) and Ruby Holler (BCCB 7/02)—lyrical and quaint, without being inaccessible or contrived—reappears here ("The three foundlings—beagle, boy, and cow—formed an easy alliance, glomming on to each other like old pals"), while slim chapters and easygoing folksy dialogue enhance readability. Jason is an almost otherworldly interlude in John and Marta's lives, with an intelligence and charming demeanor that shimmers through in spite of his silence, while the couple themselves are a personable pair, both emotionally complex and kindly relatable. This sensitive tale, suitable for both reading aloud and reading alone, is a tender exploration of the power of a found family and the depth and value of temporary connections, a testament to the connections that can be forged when openness and magnanimity prevail.