Old Con and Patrick

by Ruth Sawyer

A boy recovering from polio makes friends with a dachshund and a blue jay, who help him regain his sense of belonging.

138 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1946

About the author

Ruth Sawyer was an American storyteller and a writer of fiction and non-fiction for children and adults. She may be best known as the author of Roller Skates, which won the 1937 Newbery Medal.

Reviews

[Charley Rains · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found an old copy of this 1946 book in my stash!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet little story of a boy who is recovering from serious polio just as he gets used to a new town. He and his mother have moved in with his grandfather during WW2 while his father is off fighting in the Pacific. First, as he comes home from the hospital, he gets a small dog and then they find a fallen blue jay fledgling; both become essential to his recovery as he learns to navigate life as a cripple and finds a purpose for his future.