How Far is Safe? : The Rescue of a Boy and His Donkey

by Carolyn Stearns

To protect his donkey a little boy must undertake a long journey across eastern Pennsylvania in search of safety for them both. His life at an uncle’s farm was misery. It was there he became best friends with his donkey. The boy vows to keep his friend safe. Donkey is a road weary, bedraggled specimen, but devoted to his boy. It is the boy’s resourcefulness and kindness that carry him miles from his past. His relationship with donkey is a bond of deep love and mutual empathy. Together they trudge dark roads each night and sleep days in woodland glades. Before he can start a new life he has one more hurdle to get past. They are stopped in their urgent flight toward safety by illness. His new friends are there to help him.Read more about this endearing pair below. Chapter One Early May 1890 “Come on, Donkey,” the boy said, “I won’t let anyone hurt you again. We have to keep going, a little further we can find some water, I hope.” The donkey’s head nodded with his step as if to acknowledge his boy’s words as the pair moved forward down a dusty gravel road, their eyes glazed with exhaustion.The freckle-faced boy reached a scrawny arm out to scratch his beloved donkey. He looked about six but acted and worked like an older child. He was not sure of his own age. His shirt sleeves hung from thin arms. Elbows peeked through holes. Soil clung to every inch of the pair. The boy scuffed his feet, the loose sole of old leather shoes flapping on the upbeat. Overalls hung by worn straps and draped around a boy too thin to fill them out. The knees of the overalls had apple sized holes. Donkey was halfway through the spring shedding, his coat a mottled rough walnut brown. His eyes are dark globes framed by a white ring. One long ear was always angled toward his boy.The journey of the boy and donkey had begun ten days earlier, when an uncle they lived with lost his temper. The pair had not plowed an entire field that day. They had worked from sunup to sundown, only stopping to drink dust-coated water from an old wooden bucket at the edge of the field. The field was rough and rocky, hard scrabble soil. The plow stuck often on rock and required the boy’s strength to jerk it loose. He tried very hard to help his friend the donkey.On that night, exhausted from their work, they walked back to the barn. The uncle could see them from the shade of his porch. He knew how hard they had worked all day, he had watched. He met the pair as they entered the yard. His voice boomed out, a tirade of curses and comments on how lazy the boy was and how his donkey was good for nothing. The boy listened with weary ears; it was the same every night. They never worked hard enough.On this night, the uncle’s temper reached a new height in insults and cruelty. The boy and donkey stood with heads hanging, not moving, just waiting for him to stop. The uncle went on longer, the volume rose. The boy expected the curses could be heard three farms away. In a moment of frenzied screaming, the uncle grabbed a small oak board that lay in a pile of building materials and cracked it over the donkey’s back. Poor donkey brayed in pain. “Nooooo!” The boy screamed as he flung his body over his donkey.It was he who took the second hit. The sound and pain were like thunder and lightning on a summer night. The boy clung to the donkey to protect him. His mind was spinning, his vision failing to blackness. The boys grip on the donkey’s harness weakened. He fainted in a heap on the ground beside the donkey. In disgust the man let out a final curse, tossed the board away and stormed into the house. The boy never heard the door slam.

Genres: Historical Fiction

242 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 30, 2021

Reviews

[Matthew Tessnear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carolyn is a masterful storyteller. Her experience in writing and presenting oral histories really shines through in her debut novel, “How Far is Safe?” Here she has created a wholesome and meaningful story appropriate for all ages. The young boy who’s the main character hooks you around his heart in the early chapters and carries your care throughout his entire journey. The boy and the characters he meets are so relatable, as are the settings and themes of the novel. Without offering any spoilers, Carolyn highlights a few important real-world issues with this work, drawing on her own experiences to help tell the tale. The book is historical fiction recommended for ages 8+ and I could read 100 novels much like this one. “How Far is Safe?” tugs at many emotions and provides a rich human hope in the end. If you’re looking for a good book for all ages, “How Far is Safe?” is a wonderful choice.

[B. Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw this book, I knew right away that it was my type of read. This is a very simple and yet meaningful story about a boy and his donkey who set out on a journey looking for a safe place, far from the abusive home they know.
This is a sad, sweet and beautiful story about the power of kindness and the search for love, reminding us that the things we need are often around is and not in some far off land.

[Kim Armstrong Silcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant story of an abused boy and his beloved donkey who is shown the kindness of strangers as he flees a brutal beating by his uncle. The child is malnourished, uneducated and physically and mentally abused but his inner essence shines through to each person he meets on his journey to get as far as he can from their abuser. When he contracts scarlet fever after helping a sick man, his community comes together to show him what love an human kindness looks like.

[Molly Tessnear · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a time when so much is painful and difficult (the 2020s), it is incredibly refreshing to come upon a story that gives you joy and reminds you of humanity’s ability to show kindness and love to others. This story - of an abused boy and his beloved friend, Donkey, and their journey to find a safe place to call home - is absolutely heartwarming and un-put-down-able. It felt like I was truly on the journey with them, reaching each crest of a new hill, looking down into each valley. The story brought me both tears and laughter. I also particularly loved Carolyn Stearns’ food descriptions! Every meal sounded delicious and filling. Overall, Carolyn is a wonderful storyteller and I hope to soon read another of her books. We all need to be reminded that there is good in the world, despite all the evil we see every day.

[Jeri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a page turner. Boy and Donkey are underfed and overworked by the boy's uncle. When the pair are beaten by the uncle with a board, Boy vows that no one will ever hurt them again. Boy and Donkey set out alone on a long journey across Central Pennsylvania to find safety. Every day is a struggle. You want to keep reading to find our what happens next. A heartfelt story of courage and perseverance.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mom bought Carolyn Stearns’ book after reading a newspaper article about the local author. My mom loved reading “How Far is Safe?” as did I. Carolyn is a wonderful storyteller weaving her farm life and knowledge throughout her novel. The theme of kindness and empathy for humans and animals is much appreciated, especially in today’s world. It has also given me a new appreciation for donkeys!

[Stacey Stearns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story of the boy and his Donkey and how they overcame the challenges they were facing together.