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Saving Winslow
Indie Next List Pick · ALA Notable Children’s Book · Texas Bluebonnet Award Winner “A winning tale of love.” — Kirkus (starred review) Perfect for fans of Charlotte’s Web and The One and Only Ivan, Saving Winslow is an uplifting modern classic in the making about a young boy who befriends an ailing newborn donkey and nurses him back to health, from New York Times bestseller and Newbery Medal winner Sharon Creech. Louie doesn't have the best luck when it comes to nurturing small creatures. So when his father brings home a sickly newborn mini donkey, he's determined to save him. He names him Winslow. Taking care of him helps Louie feel closer to his brother, Gus, who is far, far away in the army. Everyone worries that Winslow won't survive, especially Louie’s quirky new friend, Nora, who has experienced loss of her own. But as Louie's bond with Winslow grows, surprising and life-altering events prove that this fragile donkey is stronger than anyone could have imagined. Written in the spirit of Creech favorites Moo and Love That Dog, this standout tale about love and friendship and letting go will tug at the heartstrings. “This heartwarming story is sure to be a hit with fans of E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web and Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie .” — School Library Journal (starred review) “Creech packs a tremendous amount of emotion between the lines of her understated prose. Animal lovers in particular will relish Louie’s hard-won triumphs and find joy in Winslow’s strength.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Woven into this narrative is a convincing portrayal of human growth and blossoming—the story is told simply but subtly, celebrating the unexpected strength of the vulnerable.” — Horn Book (starred review)
176 pages, Hardcover
First published September 11, 2018
283 people are currently reading
5397 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Creech
76 books3,340 followersI was born in South Euclid, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, and grew up there with my noisy and rowdy family: my parents (Ann and Arvel), my sister (Sandy), and my three brothers (Dennis, Doug and Tom).
For a fictional view of what it was like growing up in my family, see Absolutely Normal Chaos. (In that book, the brothers even have the same names as my own brothers.) Our house was not only full of us Creeches, but also full of friends and visiting relatives.
In the summer, we usually took a trip, all of us piled in a car and heading out to Wisconsin or Michigan or, once, to Idaho. We must have been a very noisy bunch, and I'm not sure how our parents put up with being cooped up with us in the car for those trips. The five-day trip out to Idaho when I was twelve had a powerful effect on me: what a huge and amazing country! I had no idea then that thirty-some years later, I would recreate that trip in a book called Walk Two Moons.
One other place we often visited was Quincy, Kentucky, where my cousins lived (and still live) on a beautiful farm, with hills and trees and swimming hole and barn and hayloft. We were outside running in those hills all day long, and at night we'd gather on the porch where more stories would be told. I loved Quincy so much that it has found its way into many of my books—transformed into Bybanks, Kentucky. Bybanks appears in Walk Two Moons, Chasing Redbird, and Bloomability. Bybanks also makes a brief appearance (by reference, but not by name) in The Wanderer.
When I was young, I wanted to be many things when I grew up: a painter, an ice skater, a singer, a teacher, and a reporter. It soon became apparent that I had little drawing talent, very limited tolerance for falling on ice, and absolutely no ability to stay on key while singing. I also soon learned that I would make a terrible reporter because when I didn't like the facts, I changed them. It was in college, when I took literature and writing courses, that I became intrigued by story-telling. Later, I was a teacher (high school English and writing) in England and in Switzerland. While teaching great literature, I learned so much about writing: about what makes a story interesting and about techniques of plot and characterization and point of view. I started out writing novels for adults (published as Sharon Rigg): The Recital and Nickel Malley were both written and published while I was living in England (these books were published in England only and are now out of print.) But the next book was Absolutely Normal Chaos, and ever since that book I have written mainly about young people. Walk Two Moons was the first of my books to be published in America. When it received the Newbery Medal, no one was more surprised than I was. I'm still a little bit in shock.
After Walk Two Moons came Chasing Redbird, Pleasing the Ghost, Bloomability, The Wanderer, and Fishing in the Air. I hope to be writing stories for a long, long time.
I am married to Lyle Rigg, who is the headmaster of The Pennington School in Pennington, New Jersey, and have two grown children, Rob and Karin. Being with my family is what I enjoy most. The next-best thing is writing stories.
© Sharon Creech
For a fictional view of what it was like growing up in my family, see Absolutely Normal Chaos. (In that book, the brothers even have the same names as my own brothers.) Our house was not only full of us Creeches, but also full of friends and visiting relatives.
In the summer, we usually took a trip, all of us piled in a car and heading out to Wisconsin or Michigan or, once, to Idaho. We must have been a very noisy bunch, and I'm not sure how our parents put up with being cooped up with us in the car for those trips. The five-day trip out to Idaho when I was twelve had a powerful effect on me: what a huge and amazing country! I had no idea then that thirty-some years later, I would recreate that trip in a book called Walk Two Moons.
One other place we often visited was Quincy, Kentucky, where my cousins lived (and still live) on a beautiful farm, with hills and trees and swimming hole and barn and hayloft. We were outside running in those hills all day long, and at night we'd gather on the porch where more stories would be told. I loved Quincy so much that it has found its way into many of my books—transformed into Bybanks, Kentucky. Bybanks appears in Walk Two Moons, Chasing Redbird, and Bloomability. Bybanks also makes a brief appearance (by reference, but not by name) in The Wanderer.
When I was young, I wanted to be many things when I grew up: a painter, an ice skater, a singer, a teacher, and a reporter. It soon became apparent that I had little drawing talent, very limited tolerance for falling on ice, and absolutely no ability to stay on key while singing. I also soon learned that I would make a terrible reporter because when I didn't like the facts, I changed them. It was in college, when I took literature and writing courses, that I became intrigued by story-telling. Later, I was a teacher (high school English and writing) in England and in Switzerland. While teaching great literature, I learned so much about writing: about what makes a story interesting and about techniques of plot and characterization and point of view. I started out writing novels for adults (published as Sharon Rigg): The Recital and Nickel Malley were both written and published while I was living in England (these books were published in England only and are now out of print.) But the next book was Absolutely Normal Chaos, and ever since that book I have written mainly about young people. Walk Two Moons was the first of my books to be published in America. When it received the Newbery Medal, no one was more surprised than I was. I'm still a little bit in shock.
After Walk Two Moons came Chasing Redbird, Pleasing the Ghost, Bloomability, The Wanderer, and Fishing in the Air. I hope to be writing stories for a long, long time.
I am married to Lyle Rigg, who is the headmaster of The Pennington School in Pennington, New Jersey, and have two grown children, Rob and Karin. Being with my family is what I enjoy most. The next-best thing is writing stories.
© Sharon Creech
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 959 reviews
October 17, 2018
I wanted to love this so much more. I feel like, much like a tiny premature donkey, I wanted this story to get fatter as it went along, but it just felt too light, to short. Some heavy topics were brought up, but then just sort of pushed away again. I feel like, even for a book for young kids, she could have dug deeper.
January 13, 2021
"Okay," Louie said. "I accept the mission."
"What mission?"
"To save this pitiful motherless donkey."
And so begins a sweet little tale of a boy and hisdog donkey.
Louie's just an average kid who goes to school, spends time with his friends, and worries about his brother, Gus, who's recently joined the army. When the opportunity arises to raise an orphaned miniature donkey, he takes his task to heart. Others around him doubt that the tiny foal will survive, but Louie is determined to prove them wrong.
Sometimes Louie felt that saving Winslow would also save and protect Gus, like the two were connected somehow.
His newfound duties lead him to connect with a troubled young girl from his school, but things on the homefront are not turning out so well - Winslow LOVES to make noise . . . and the neighbors are starting to complain.
This is a heartwarming (and occasionally heartbreaking) story that's perfect for animal lovers of all ages.
Everybody say, "Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!"
"What mission?"
"To save this pitiful motherless donkey."
And so begins a sweet little tale of a boy and his
Louie's just an average kid who goes to school, spends time with his friends, and worries about his brother, Gus, who's recently joined the army. When the opportunity arises to raise an orphaned miniature donkey, he takes his task to heart. Others around him doubt that the tiny foal will survive, but Louie is determined to prove them wrong.
Sometimes Louie felt that saving Winslow would also save and protect Gus, like the two were connected somehow.
His newfound duties lead him to connect with a troubled young girl from his school, but things on the homefront are not turning out so well - Winslow LOVES to make noise . . . and the neighbors are starting to complain.
This is a heartwarming (and occasionally heartbreaking) story that's perfect for animal lovers of all ages.
Everybody say, "Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!"
March 13, 2021
I love Sharon Creech and I just finished reading her book Pleasing the Ghost with a book club in my classroom. The kids loved it and were looking for another book similar to it. The next day one of their second grade teachers showed up in my room with this treasure and said her son loved it but had outgrown it and was donating it to our classroom. I read it in one sitting and immediately bought multiple copies. I can’t wait to share it with my class. It has all the elements of the books they love, especially Because of Winn-Dixie. If you are a fan of upper elementary lower middle school novels, I highly recommend Sharon Creech.
June 3, 2018
Review closer to release date, but. . .this is Sharon Creech. You're already heading away from this post to pre-order. I won't keep you any longer.
August 26, 2021
A boy and his donkey, this one is for the farm kids and animal lovers.
September 16, 2018
Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech is a heartprint book that is masterfully told. And, while this is a story about saving a donkey, Creech has woven in so much more. It is a tale about a boy who struggles to find his purpose, a girl who’s afraid to love for fear of loss, and a family who misses a son who’s away serving our country. This is a story of believing and loving and finding ourselves. I highly recommend.
June 25, 2018
So great to have a new Sharon Creech novel out in the world. Sweet, heart-felt story.
August 28, 2018
You can't help but fall in love with Louie and little Winslow. They are both underdogs and when they team up they are invincible. Young readers will be reminded of the value of life and the beauty of living in community. Highly recommended!
Thank you to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for a digital ARC of this endearing new book.
Thank you to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for a digital ARC of this endearing new book.
October 14, 2018
I thought this was a better showcase for Creech’s formidable talents than some of her other recent books. Maybe a shade too “literary” at times, but I think both broadly appealing and unsurprisingly masterful.
September 13, 2018
A tender story about a boy who raises a tiny donkey. Perfect for elementary students.
February 1, 2022
Aww man. 2 stars just seems so harsh but 3 stars usually indicates I liked a book…and I felt nothing for this one. I was really hoping that Saving Winslow would make me feel whatever good middle grade books make me feel when I read them as an adult—warm and fuzzy or sad and about to cry, or a combination of those two moods. Unfortunately this book moved too quickly and felt rather surface level. I just didn’t feel connected to the characters or plot. But I liked the idea, so I’ll try another book by this author!
a note: lollll the audiobook author went ALL OUT for those donkey noises. respect.
✧ ✧ ✧
≪reading 31 books for 31 days of january≫
╰┈➤ 1. all that's left in the world by erik j. brown
╰┈➤ 2. the female of the species by mindy mcginnis
╰┈➤ 3. the battle of the labyrinth by rick riordan
╰┈➤ 4. exit west by mohsin hamid
╰┈➤ 5. don't call us dead by danez smith
╰┈➤ 6. warm bodies by isaac marion
╰┈➤ 7. the other side of perfect by mariko turk
╰┈➤ 8. the last olympian by rick riordan
╰┈➤ 9. counting down with you by tashie bhuiyan
╰┈➤ 10. a matter of death and life by irvin d. yalom and marilyn yalom
╰┈➤ 11. the new hunger by isaac marion
╰┈➤ 12. dorothy must die by danielle paige
╰┈➤ 13. starfish by lisa fipps
╰┈➤ 14. one true loves by elise bryant
╰┈➤ 15. chlorine sky by mahogany l. browne
╰┈➤ 16. for every one by jason reynolds
╰┈➤ 17. fight night by miriam toews
╰┈➤ 18. shooter by walter dean myers
╰┈➤ 19. wade in the water by tracy k. smith
╰┈➤ 20. we the animals by justin torres
╰┈➤ 21. locomotion by jacqueline woodson
╰┈➤ 22. the strength in our scars by bianca sparacino
╰┈➤ 23. forbidden by tabitha suzuma
╰┈➤ 24. the song of achilles by madeline miller
╰┈➤ 25. burned by ellen hopkins
╰┈➤ 26. muted by tami charles
╰┈➤ 27. one of those hideous books where the mother dies by sonya sones
╰┈➤ 28. i’d rather be reading by anne bogel
╰┈➤ 29. and the ocean was our sky by patrick ness
╰┈➤ 30. saving winslow by sharon creech
a note: lollll the audiobook author went ALL OUT for those donkey noises. respect.
✧ ✧ ✧
≪reading 31 books for 31 days of january≫
╰┈➤ 1. all that's left in the world by erik j. brown
╰┈➤ 2. the female of the species by mindy mcginnis
╰┈➤ 3. the battle of the labyrinth by rick riordan
╰┈➤ 4. exit west by mohsin hamid
╰┈➤ 5. don't call us dead by danez smith
╰┈➤ 6. warm bodies by isaac marion
╰┈➤ 7. the other side of perfect by mariko turk
╰┈➤ 8. the last olympian by rick riordan
╰┈➤ 9. counting down with you by tashie bhuiyan
╰┈➤ 10. a matter of death and life by irvin d. yalom and marilyn yalom
╰┈➤ 11. the new hunger by isaac marion
╰┈➤ 12. dorothy must die by danielle paige
╰┈➤ 13. starfish by lisa fipps
╰┈➤ 14. one true loves by elise bryant
╰┈➤ 15. chlorine sky by mahogany l. browne
╰┈➤ 16. for every one by jason reynolds
╰┈➤ 17. fight night by miriam toews
╰┈➤ 18. shooter by walter dean myers
╰┈➤ 19. wade in the water by tracy k. smith
╰┈➤ 20. we the animals by justin torres
╰┈➤ 21. locomotion by jacqueline woodson
╰┈➤ 22. the strength in our scars by bianca sparacino
╰┈➤ 23. forbidden by tabitha suzuma
╰┈➤ 24. the song of achilles by madeline miller
╰┈➤ 25. burned by ellen hopkins
╰┈➤ 26. muted by tami charles
╰┈➤ 27. one of those hideous books where the mother dies by sonya sones
╰┈➤ 28. i’d rather be reading by anne bogel
╰┈➤ 29. and the ocean was our sky by patrick ness
╰┈➤ 30. saving winslow by sharon creech
February 14, 2019
Not my typical 4 star review for Sharon Creech. This was a cute, feel good story that was just a little too short to flesh out the good stuff. But a fun read for the younger crowd, say 1st-3rd graders.
January 2, 2025
Nora I see you girl. I know. But also seek therapy
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August 11, 20224th grade summer reading ❤️🔥
May 13, 2018
A heartwarming story of a young donkey, the boy who is determined to save him, and the way in which small things can sometimes have the biggest impact. Lyrical and sweet, Saving Winslow is a simple but touching story for young and middle-grade readers.
When Louie is given another of his Uncle Pete’s orphan animals, a newborn donkey, everyone warns him not to get too attached, as it will probably die anyway. But there is something about the tiny, grey bundle that whispers to Louie that here is an animal who wants to survive, and Louie is determined to be the one to save him. So, Louie names him Winslow and begins raise him.
Short chapters, some no longer than half a page, make Saving Winslow a quick and easy book to fall into the rhythm of reading. These little chapters piece together a heartwarming story. Winslow and his gentle, bumbling antics can soften anything - the sadness and perpetual worry of Nora, Louie’s neighbour, who has faced her own losses and grief and is scared to form attachments, the girl troubles of Louie’s older friend, Mack, and especially the aching feeling Louie has when missing his brother, who is serving in the army.
These intertwining stories of friendship and family are perfectly offset against the story of a brave young donkey and the boy who cares for him. The prose is simple and the setting almost timeless, and so it is easy to see Saving Winslow becoming a much-loved favourite, sitting nicely alongside the writing of Kate DiCamillo and Katherine Applegate.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
When Louie is given another of his Uncle Pete’s orphan animals, a newborn donkey, everyone warns him not to get too attached, as it will probably die anyway. But there is something about the tiny, grey bundle that whispers to Louie that here is an animal who wants to survive, and Louie is determined to be the one to save him. So, Louie names him Winslow and begins raise him.
Short chapters, some no longer than half a page, make Saving Winslow a quick and easy book to fall into the rhythm of reading. These little chapters piece together a heartwarming story. Winslow and his gentle, bumbling antics can soften anything - the sadness and perpetual worry of Nora, Louie’s neighbour, who has faced her own losses and grief and is scared to form attachments, the girl troubles of Louie’s older friend, Mack, and especially the aching feeling Louie has when missing his brother, who is serving in the army.
These intertwining stories of friendship and family are perfectly offset against the story of a brave young donkey and the boy who cares for him. The prose is simple and the setting almost timeless, and so it is easy to see Saving Winslow becoming a much-loved favourite, sitting nicely alongside the writing of Kate DiCamillo and Katherine Applegate.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
October 11, 2019
"The donkey made a small noise that sounded like please."
And right then, Louie accepts the challenge of saving this motherless mini donkey who he names Winslow. "Louie had not had the best luck nurturing creatures." From worms and lightning bugs to a goldfish and a kitten, the creatures that Louie loved didn't stay around very long. But this time, Louie is determined that he will be successful. Others keep warning him not to get attached, but Louie is only thinking positively. And besides, taking care of this little donkey helps Louie feel less lonely, now that his brother Gus has gone into the army.
New friend, Nora, is a hard-nosed realist who knows what it's like to lose someone who was born prematurely. She thinks Winslow looks more like "a possum-goat" and doesn't give him much of a chance to live. But slowly, she begins to warm to Winslow and helps Louie care for him.
A sweet, tender novel that goes right to the heart. Good for students 3rd grade and up.
And right then, Louie accepts the challenge of saving this motherless mini donkey who he names Winslow. "Louie had not had the best luck nurturing creatures." From worms and lightning bugs to a goldfish and a kitten, the creatures that Louie loved didn't stay around very long. But this time, Louie is determined that he will be successful. Others keep warning him not to get attached, but Louie is only thinking positively. And besides, taking care of this little donkey helps Louie feel less lonely, now that his brother Gus has gone into the army.
New friend, Nora, is a hard-nosed realist who knows what it's like to lose someone who was born prematurely. She thinks Winslow looks more like "a possum-goat" and doesn't give him much of a chance to live. But slowly, she begins to warm to Winslow and helps Louie care for him.
A sweet, tender novel that goes right to the heart. Good for students 3rd grade and up.
April 10, 2020
What a sweet read! Sharon Creech has done it again. Louie’s Dad brings home an orphaned donkey and Louie volunteers to raise it despite everyone telling him that the donkey may not make it. Nora, a neighbor girl, won’t even touch the donkey because she is afraid Winslow is in for a short life. But slowly Winslow makes his way into the hearts of Louie’s family and neighborhood. The way Louie believes in this spindlely Winslow is admirable.
June 8, 2018
Sharon Creech is always able to pack so many things to talk about in her books in a smaller number of pages than most. She's that wonderful with words.
July 16, 2018
Sigh! Louie and Winslow won my heart. Lovely!
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September 27, 2018I know some reluctant readers who would be smitten by this story
July 24, 2019
Another sweet Sharon Creech book, though I wanted her to go a bit deeper. Until May, I had never met any mini donkeys, so I especially liked imagining Zoe’s minis Ricky and Ethel as babies.
“He and his parents hovered over each letter and postcard from Gus. They were hungry for his voice and his news, but he rarely phoned, didn’t write often, and his news was not elaborate. Life was “OK” or “ not too bad.” Once he said it was “great!” but he did not explain why it was great. The food was “OK” or “not too bad,” though one time he and his buddies had pizza. It was “great! “Not the biggest vocabulary,” Louie’s father observed.
It was a maddening thing about Nora, and about most people who did not say much. Louie rarely knew what they were thinking or even if they were thinking. Sometimes he wanted to bore a hole in their head and peer around inside. He felt as if he’d then be able to see what they were thinking. Maybe the words would be written across a large screen in their brains.
People who talk too much were also maddening to Louie. All those words pouring out of their mouth and gushing torrents: “blah blah blah blah blah blah did you know blah blah blah did you hear blah blah blah I felt blah blah blah I saw blah blah blah.” When he encountered someone like that, he wanted to put his fingers to his ears to shut out the noise, and at those times, he wished the talkers were more like the quiet people. Maybe he would rather know less, not more.
“He and his parents hovered over each letter and postcard from Gus. They were hungry for his voice and his news, but he rarely phoned, didn’t write often, and his news was not elaborate. Life was “OK” or “ not too bad.” Once he said it was “great!” but he did not explain why it was great. The food was “OK” or “not too bad,” though one time he and his buddies had pizza. It was “great! “Not the biggest vocabulary,” Louie’s father observed.
It was a maddening thing about Nora, and about most people who did not say much. Louie rarely knew what they were thinking or even if they were thinking. Sometimes he wanted to bore a hole in their head and peer around inside. He felt as if he’d then be able to see what they were thinking. Maybe the words would be written across a large screen in their brains.
People who talk too much were also maddening to Louie. All those words pouring out of their mouth and gushing torrents: “blah blah blah blah blah blah did you know blah blah blah did you hear blah blah blah I felt blah blah blah I saw blah blah blah.” When he encountered someone like that, he wanted to put his fingers to his ears to shut out the noise, and at those times, he wished the talkers were more like the quiet people. Maybe he would rather know less, not more.
February 28, 2019
This book was really sweet. I mean, one of the characters is named Nora, so what can I say? ;) I do think it was a super quick read (like 45 minutes) and the plot wasn't very thick. However, the ending was cute.
July 26, 2022
An adorable book about a young boy named Louie who tries to save a small donkey named Winslow. This quick book tackles tough subjects like loss and responsibility and the importance of friends and family. I liked Creech’s writing, and I’m glad to be adding this to my school library.
March 25, 2019
Now I want to adopt a donkey. Thanks, Sharon Creech.
August 16, 2020
I really enjoyed this book!! I read for our elementary school Battle of The Books to help the students prepare and this one was really good!!
December 26, 2023
Cute book about the friendship of a donkey and a little boy. :)
January 18, 2020
I loved it it was a heart warming book! It made me laugh and cry! It’s an easy read but so goooood!
December 19, 2020
Perfect book for students who want chapter books, but don't quite have the stamina to finish them. There are short chapters that tell a sweet, and thoughtful, story.
October 14, 2018
Louie has never had success with raising animals, but he decidedly takes on the mission to nurse a newborn donkey to health. His friend Nora, who has experienced difficult losses of her own, finds it hard to get close to Winslow. This is a wonderful story for children who love animals. It is an affirmation to daring to take on challenges, to love, and to hope.
March 7, 2019
Fantastic--I highly recommend this book. Do you love animals? So does Louie, and he is determined to save this donkey--yes, donkey--that is brought to his home by his well-meaning Uncle Pete. Louie names the donkey Winslow, and Winslow goes about saving everyone, including himself. Creech manages convey so many emotions--Louie's brother in the military, his shy & grieving friend, a cranky neighbor, Louie and his parents--all while telling you about a donkey struggling to survive. The audiobook was well read, but I am sure reading the print book would be just as rewarding.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 959 reviews