LITTLE PINE TO KING SPRUCE A Franco-American Childhood

Fran Pelletier is a rare and wonderful storyteller. He grew up in Milford, Maine in the 1930s, confessed to all seven sins at his first confession (thinking he had to), proudly wore a "Lindbergh" suit Mama sewed from puce and orange bargain wool (assuring him that aviators needed to be colorful), read aloud to his French-speaking grandfather at the railroad flag station after school, learned about chewing tobacco the hard way, played an unfortunate role in the derailement and subsequent sinking of a Maine Central handcar, and generally thrived in the bosom of his extended Franco-American family. Dogs, trout, and pigs put in appearances; an air circus comes to town, death claims a young friend, and Fran learns about life. Authentically small-town American, yet spiced by French-Canadian heritage, these stories whill resonate in communities throughout New England. Paperback; 190 pages.