Mama’s Window

When his mother dies, James Earle (“Sugar”) Martin goes to live with his uncle Free, a gruff crippled man who makes his living fishing in a swamp in the Mississippi Delta. At first Sugar and Uncle Free barely get along, and Sugar is afraid of the swamp and everything associated with it. He also dislikes the daily ordeal of fishing with his uncle and making deliveries to the folks in Cypress Grove. The only bright spot in Sugar’s life is the building of the new Sweet Kingdom Church, which will be adorned with a beautiful stained glass window that his mother scrimped and saved for while she was alive.

As time passes Sugar slowly acclimates to his surroundings, and a budding sense of family develops between him and Uncle Free. Then one day Sugar discovers that the money for Mama’s window is being used for the construction of the church itself. Devastated but unwilling to give up on his mother’s dream, Sugar finds affirmation and support where he least expects it. In a truly heartwarming yet unexpected ending, Mama’s Window shows us all the importance of hope, dreams, and finding a place to call home. [Publishers description.]

Credit: By Lynn Rubright. Published by Lee & Low Books, 2002.