Girl Named Sooner

I FIRST RECEIVED THIS BOOK FROM A FRIEND WHEN I WAS IN THE 6TH GRADE. I WAS ACTUALLY NAMED AFTER THE TELEVISION MOVIE BASED ON THIS BOOK. MY MOTHER ADDED THE "I" TO MY NAME SO IT WOULD NOT BE MISTAKEN FOR THE REGULAR WORD-SOONER. ALTHOUGH, MY NAME IS PRONOUNCED THE SAME AS SOONER. WHEN I READ THE BOOK FOR A BOOK REPORT IN THE SEVENTH GRADE, I DON'T THINK I FULLY GRASPED THE MEANING OF THE STORY. NOW THAT I AM OLDER(24), I AM VERY PROUD TO HAVE BEEN NAMED AFTER SUCH A LOVELY STORY. A STORY THAT HAS TOUCHED PEOPLE SO MUCH THAT THEY WOULD NAME THEIR DAUGHTERS AFTER A GIRL NAMED SOONER.

I was named after this character, my mom having seen the television movie in 1975. I was given the book as a gift last year, best gift I've ever recieved. Sooner is the most innocent character. She faces turmoil and rejection without obvious effect. She's abandoned by her parents and left with her anti-maternal, opportunistic grandmother. The local sheriff finds a seemingly more appropriate place for her with a local couple. However, Sooner is not well recieved by the wife who harbors incredible self-resentment for not being able to have children of her own. Her outlook on life is so jaded, you almost want to hate her for the way she treats Sooner, who needs to be loved for once in her life. Eventually Sooner's innocence and defenslessness give the woman the strength to care and the will to live for something greater than herself. This book has such real people, and though it is an incredible example of hope and love, it's told with characters that are imperfect and seem almost incapable. It's obvious why I love this story. I will say that the dozens of people I've met that had seen the movie or read the book were so moved by it that it's stayed with them for nearly 25 years.

i read this book many years ago . the story still stays with me . i would love to see the movie .

This is a truly wonderful book that will stay with the reader long after it is read. The characters are endearing and multi-layered and its story of love and place is remarkable. I love this book and the TV movie that followed starring Lee Remick, Cloris Leachman, and Richard Crenna, not to mention the little girl who played the "sooner" child. Read this book!