The Boy on the Porch by Sharon Creech

This middle grade fiction from master storyteller Sharon Creech is full of mystery, generosity, and the marvels that may happen when judgment is suspended and life is received as given. It is the simple tone of the tale, and the deep rich layers resonating beneath that simplicity, as well as the circular shape of the story, that make it unforgettable.

A rural childless couple, John and Marta, accept the boy who appears on their porch, the boy who cannot tell them where he came from, but can show them his exultant spirit through painting and music. Later when the boy’s father comes for him, John and Marta’s grief is replaced by further generosity in the form of fostering other children. At the end of the parable-like story comes a satisfying surprise.