The Friend

BY SARAH STEWART; ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID SMALL

Brief Description:
In this autobiographical portrait, Stewart's spare text and Small's light-filled illustrations convey the shared loneliness felt by Belle, the daughter of wealthy parents who are never home, and Bea, the African American housekeeper who spends her days away from her own family caring for Belle and Belle's parents' opulent house. Bea ably tends to the home chores with Belle in tow (not always helping), then when she finishes she and Bea spend time together walking on the beach. In the absence of their own families, they form a visibly strong bond which culminates in Bea literally saving Belle's life. This is the story of love and care in the midst of the chasm of class and race.

Farrar, Straus 2004 48 PP Cloth

$16.00 (in stock)