Midnight and Jeremiah facts for kids
Midnight and Jeremiah is a children's book written by Sterling North and illustrated by Kurt Wiese. It was first published in 1943. The story is about a boy named Jeremiah who adopts a black baby lamb. As the story goes on, they become very close friends. This book was later made into a movie called So Dear to My Heart in 1949. Because of the movie, a new version of the book was published in 1948, using the film's title.
What the Story is About
The story takes place in the early 1900s in Pike County, Indiana. Jeremiah, a young boy, and his Granny Kincaid go to their barn. They find that the sheep have given birth to new lambs. One of the lambs is black, and its mother doesn't want it. So, Jeremiah decides to take care of the lamb himself. He names the little black lamb Midnight.
As Midnight grows bigger, he starts to cause more trouble. He makes a mess around the house and even in town. One day, Midnight follows Jeremiah into a sweet shop. He causes a stir when Jeremiah buys candy. Granny Kincaid gets annoyed and tells Jeremiah to keep Midnight outside.
Even with the mischief, Midnight and Jeremiah become very good friends. They go on many adventures together. But Granny Kincaid and Uncle Hiram are having a hard time making money. Jeremiah gets an idea to help: he will enter Midnight in the Pike County Fair.
Jeremiah and Uncle Hiram get Midnight ready for the fair. They trim his wool carefully. When they arrive at the fair, the judges think Midnight is a purebred sheep. Granny Kincaid explains that Midnight is actually a mixed breed. But the judges say it doesn't matter. Midnight wins first place at the Pike County Fair!
After the fair, Uncle Hiram plans a big celebration. Nearly fifty neighbors come to their home for a parade. But the noise and crowd scare Midnight. He runs away, which makes Jeremiah very sad. Jeremiah searches everywhere for his lamb but cannot find him. He becomes very depressed as winter arrives. Granny Kincaid tries to cheer him up, but nothing helps.
On Christmas Eve, Jeremiah goes out into the night. He hopes to find luck by visiting the Baby Jesus model set. He keeps searching in the dark. Finally, at the end of the book, Jeremiah finds Midnight. Midnight is sleeping near the church, close to the manger. Jeremiah and Midnight are finally reunited.
Main Characters
- Jeremiah The main character of the story. He is a boy who loves animals.
- Midnight A black lamb who is a mix of different sheep breeds. Jeremiah adopts him.
- Granny Kincaid Jeremiah's grandmother. At first, she doesn't like the idea of keeping Midnight.
- Uncle Hiram Jeremiah's uncle. He is a helpful and supportive friend to Jeremiah.
The Book's Later Version
After the movie So Dear to My Heart was filmed in 1948, a new version of Sterling North's book was published. This new edition used the movie's title. In this revised book, the lamb's name was changed from Midnight to Danny. This change was made to honor a famous racehorse named Dan Patch.
The filmmaker, Walt Disney, loved Dan Patch. He wanted his movie So Dear to My Heart to start with Jeremiah meeting Dan Patch. This happens when a train carrying the horse stops nearby. So, Sterling North added this part to the new version of his book. He also made other changes from the Disney movie. For example, the lamb runs away earlier in the story. Also, the county fair scene happens closer to the end. In this version, the lamb wins a special ribbon instead of first place.
