Parents' Guide to

Kindred Souls

By Sally Engelfried, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Gentle tale of a boy fulfilling his grandfather's last wish.

Book Patricia MacLachlan Family Life 2012
Kindred Souls Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 1 parent review

camtdmremjam
camtdmremjam Adult
April 17, 2012
age 9+

Sweet book, although a little sad.

I was drawn into this book by the cover illustration. I was in the children's section of the library with my 7 year old and I decided to read it first to see if it would be a book she could read (she reads at a fourth grade level). After reading it last night, I think she will have to wait to read it. I think when she is nine or ten, I will allow her to read it. I just think for her it would be a little too sad. I loved it and think it is a good quick read for adults. I cried as it reminded me of my own dad passing and different things we did before he died. It is a good book if you are dealing with death in the family.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Jake knows his 88-year-old grandfather, Billy, will live forever. Every day during the summer, Jake and Billy take the same walk around the farm. And every day, when they come to the small wall that's all that remains of the sod house Billy grew up in, Billy says, "I miss that sod house." When Billy gets sick and has to go the hospital, Jake is sure he'll be OK. All the same, he decides to rebuild the sod house for Billy. Jake's parents and siblings get drawn into the project, too, and it becomes a bond among all of them as they anticipate Billy's homecoming. The sod house comes to mean both the beginning and the end of something for Jake.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Patricia MacLachlan's gentle pace matches the summer days on Jake's farm; not much happens in KINDRED SOULS, but it's pleasant and warm. Jake witnesses various phases of life on the farm -- a calf is born, the hummingbirds get ready to go south -- and always, in the midst of the modern-day tractors and computers, the past is kept alive through his grandfather's memories and Billy's interest in them. It's a sweet and honest look at a boy's last days with his grandfather, from the Newbery Award-winning author of the Sarah, Plain and Tall series.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why it was so important to Jake's grandfather to have the sod house rebuilt. Why do you think Jake didn't want to do it at first?

  • What do you think Jake's grandfather means when he tells Jake he's a kindred soul? Do you have a kindred soul?

  • What does Lucy the dog do that might indicate she really is an angel, as Jake's brother suggests? Does she do anything to indicate she's just a dog?

  • If you've read other books by Patricia McLachlan, how does this one compare?

Book Details

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