One of my favorite books as a child was Did You Carry the Flag Today, Charley? by Rebecca Caudill. I have fond memories of regular trips to the public library with my family. The first thing I would do was race to the "Cs" to see if this one was available. I checked it out over and over again from about 6 to 8 years old.
I haven't read this book in years, but I remember the story. Every day, one child in the class would get to carry the flag to the bus as recognition for doing well in school. Every day, Charley's family would ask him if he carried the flag, and he would say no. No matter how hard Charley tried, something always went wrong for him at school. Of course, in the end, he finally got to proudly carry the flag!
I loved this book for several reasons. It was easy to read, and I could read it quickly. The plot was engaging, relatable, and had a happy ending. The setting, in rural Appalachia, reminded me of the small Western North Carolina town where my mom was raised and my grandparents still lived. But mostly, I cared about the main character, Charley. I rooted him on and I was thrilled when he succeeded. I think this book also taught be a bit of empathy. I couldn't really relate to Charley's problem....I was a bit of a "goody two-shoes" in school and rarely got into trouble. But I could understand how badly Charley wanted that positive recognition, and that everyone deserved that sometimes.
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