Old Ben

by Jesse Stuart

Old Ben is the name of a big black bull snake, that Shan finds. In this story Jesse Stuart writes about the tensions in Shan’s family where his father feels that “the only good snake is a dead snake.” Through his gentle ways, Shan befriends the snake and eventually brings about new appreciation by his family for the snake.

Genres: Childrens

64 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Jesse Hilton Stuart was an American writer known for writing short stories, poetry, and novels about Southern Appalachia. Born and raised in Greenup County, Kentucky, Stuart relied heavily on the rural locale of Northeastern Kentucky for his writings. Stuart was named the Poet Laureate of Kentucky in 1954. He died at Jo-Lin nursing home in Ironton, Ohio, which is near his boyhood home.

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good

[Zhane]

it was a good story

[Korey Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic, brings back old child hood memories

[Sarah Loft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both my 8 and 5 year old are Jesse Stuart fans, as am I. Long after finishing his books (this one included) my girls keep asking me to read/re-read them. Equally, if not more, appealing to boys. A lovely, nature-focused, engaging story about a snake and a young boy.