This is the best book I have ever read! I am 13 years old, and have read the book twice. Gene Stratton Porter is a great writer, and has wonderful concepts. Freckles is a great roll model for boys and girls alike, and is so humble! He will not let the "Swamp Angel" marry him, because he has only one hand, is an orphan, and has no knowledge of "honerable birth" which he thinks is very important. I think anyone who has read this book will agree with me, that this is a wonderful book. If you liked this book, you will also like "A Girl of the Limberlost" the sequel to "Freckles". From 1 to 10, I give this book an 11!

My father was born in 1906, in 1910 his father died, and he was sent to be raised by an Aunt and Uncle. While he was there he was horribly injured, and never returned home. He found and read "Freckles" during this exile, and felt very strong empathy for this loney young man, raised separate from his birth family, maimed ,and sure no woman would ever love him, as he was. He learned many of the important lessons of life from this classic book, honesty, perserverence, hard work and most of all, that there is a wonderful woman waiting somewhere that would judge him, not by his scarred body, but by what is in his heart. It was always his favorite, as it shall always be mine.

Suffering from the "unfairness of life" a young man makes choices. Abandoned at birth with only one arm, Freckles chooses to love....and love He does! He finds the world about him the object of his intense love. He finds the people about him worthy of love. Finally, he finds himself not worthy to love one special girl and is surprised in the end with her response. We are led into a magical world where love is not yet tarnished with selfishness. A joy to read again and again and a very special foundation to preteen and teen training in love.