Jan of the Windmill: A Story of the Plains

"Jan of the Windmill: A Story of the Plains" by Juliana Horatia Ewing is a story set in the 1800s about a young boy named Jan, who comes to live in a close-knit farming town. The book explores ideas about family ties, dealing with sorrow, and bouncing back from tough times, mainly through the eyes of a windmiller and his wife. These folks are dealing with the pain of losing their child when they reluctantly agree to take in an orphan baby. The story kicks off with the windmiller's wife deep in sadness over her child's death which leads to disagreements with her husband, who is trying to keep their mill running during a terrible storm. When a stranger shows up with a baby, their lives are flipped upside down. The miller wants to adopt the baby mostly for the money that comes with it. This start creates an emotional setting that helps the reader discover the complicated relationships between the characters, especially how Jan, the new kid, has a big effect on his new family.