
Holiday House, 2008
Hardcover ISBN: 978-0823420865
Paperback ISBN: 978-0823422449
Farmington, Massachusetts, 1839. To help pay off his family’s debts, young Ethan Root must go to work for Mr. Lyman, the most powerful man in town. Ethan soon learns that his new home is full of secrets, and no one is more secretive than Daniel, the Irish indentured servant who’s put in charge of Ethan. A sullen sixteen-year-old, Daniel seems determined to make Ethan’s life miserable. The reason for Daniel’s surliness becomes clear when Ethan sees their master beat and humiliate the Irish boy. After Mr. Lyman treats Ethan the same way, Ethan realizes that he and Daniel must overcome their differences to survive.
The only bright spot in the boys’ life is Ivy, the beautiful chestnut mare that they take care of. Their shared love for Ivy breaks down the barriers between them. When Mr. Lyman threatens to get rid of the mare, the boys vow to stop him. If they want to save their beloved horse, they must uncover their tyrannical master’s secrets and take desperate action that could destroy them both.
Set in nineteenth-century New England, A Difficult Boy has been featured on numerous recommended reading lists and has received honors from literary, educational, and historical organizations.

Holiday House, 2008
Hardcover ISBN: 978-0823420865
Paperback ISBN: 978-0823422449