All Alone (novel) facts for kids
All Alone is a children's book written by Claire Huchet Bishop. It was published in 1953 by Viking Press and features illustrations by Feodor Rojankovsky. This book was recognized as a runner-up for the Newbery Medal, which is a special award given each year to the most outstanding children's book in American literature.
Plot Summary
The story is about a ten-year-old boy named Marcel Mabout. His father sends him to the French mountains for the summer. Marcel's job is to look after their three cows in the high pastures. This is a big responsibility, as the cows are very important to his family.
Marcel's village has a strong rule: "Mind your own business." This means people in the village don't usually help each other. They act more like strangers than friends. When Marcel goes to the mountains, he feels very cold, scared, and lonely. He wasn't ready for how difficult it would be to be all by himself.
One day, Marcel hears yodeling from another boy, Pierre Pascal. Pierre is a bit older and also a cowherd in the mountains. Their yodels help them feel less alone. Then, Pierre's cows accidentally wander onto Marcel's mountain. Marcel faces a tough choice. Should he follow his village's rule and ignore the cows? Or should he do what feels right and help Pierre?
Marcel decides to take a risk and return Pierre's cows. This brave act starts a series of events. It eventually leads to big changes in his village, teaching everyone the importance of helping others and being good neighbors.
