How John Became a Man

After his mother's death, little John tries to answer his father's plea to grow into someone he can depend on. Life on the western prairie offers plenty of freedom: John and his cousins herd cattle, play beside waterholes left by buffalo, and learn from one another's examples. When an older boy's trick sends Charley into deep water, their everyday play becomes dangerous. Isabel C. Byrum uses these childhood scenes to show how strongly companionship and guidance can shape a boy's choices.

Presented by the author as a true life story, this Christian tale for young readers combines family troubles with direct lessons about conduct. As John grows older, distance from his father and the influence of his stepuncle Ed complicate his home life. Ed's stolen tobacco brings secrecy into their relationship. Readers interested in religious children's literature will find both a prairie childhood and an earnest argument for parental responsibility, prayer, and careful habits.