Preview of The House of Sixty Fathers Summary:

Meindert DeJong is a good storyteller; in The House of Sixty Fathers, readers become anxious for the safety of Tien Pao and his pig. Suspense comes from dramatic moments, such as when the sampan is swept down the dangerously swollen river, but also from the details of Tien Pao's daily existence. Will he find food? Will he have to sacrifice his pet pig, Glory-of-the-Republic? DeJong makes the reader feel the same fear, the same determination, the same exaltation that Tien Pao feels. The boy never considers giving up; for him there is no other path but the one back to his parents. During the course of his adventures, Tien Pao must deal with loneliness and isolation, and he learns lessons about deprivation, loyalty, and true bravery—which is not rewarded with medals.

Although the setting is foreign to most American readers, Tien Pao feels familiar emotions. The...