In a nostalgic short story set in the Ohio Valley, follow little Huck as he adventures behind the scenes of a small town, lurking through backyards, parks, and woods, with no responsibility and only one rule — to go unnoticed so he can soak in the curious life around him until his porch light flickers on, signaling it’s time to return home.
In a nostalgic short story set in the Ohio Valley, follow little Huck as he adventures behind the scenes of a small town, lurking through backyards, parks, and woods, with no responsibility and only one rule — to go unnoticed so he can soak in the curious life around him until his porch light flickers on, signaling it’s time to return home.
The back screen door swung open. Huck bounded from his house like it was a prison break.
“Don’t stay out all night,” the lovely Mrs. Barilla yelled from the back door.
“Stop!” screamed a small but distinct chirp of a voice. “Wait for me!”
Ellie, a sweet strawberry blonde girl, darted from behind her mother’s legs and into the backyard. She tried to catch up to Huck, but her little legs couldn’t match his panicked pace as he vanished around the corner.
“It’s not fair, Mom.” Ellie pouted. “He never lets me go with him.”
“Let him have his fun.” Mrs. Barilla laid her hand on Ellie’s shoulder. “C’mon. I’ll even give you more dessert.”
“With extra whipped cream?”
“Of course, dear,” her mother replied.
Ellie smiled and headed back inside.
When Huck heard the door slam shut, he stopped to look back — no adults, no kids, no nothin’. His adventure had officially begun.
The sun was no longer climbing, but there was still plenty of light left before the town grew still. Uncertain of which road to take, he swiveled his head in all directions. Late fall made the woods even more appealing. But why not start with a quiet stroll through the old grass alleyway that cut through the neighborhood?
Huck wasn’t the type to waste time making decisions. If it felt right at the moment, that was good enough for him. And the old grass alleyway felt right.
Huck loved this familiar walk. He could almost smell the horses that once trotted down this road. Now, it was a grassy suburban lane dividing the backyards of houses that lined both sides of the alleyway. The neighborhood kids loved it as much as Huck did. It was a safe passage from one side of the neighborhood to the next. Since the property lines were fuzzy, no adults berated you for cutting through, making the conditions ripe for eavesdropping.
One morning, he saw Mrs. Minnini swinging a broom at a bat hanging from her gutter. The bat played dead but flew off when she tried to sweep it off her deck. She was so frazzled she had to sit down — and Huck was so disappointed he had to run off. He would have given anything to play with that bat.
Another time, he saw Mr. Cavanaugh kissing Mrs. Cavanaugh on the back porch. As uptight as they were, obsessing over flower beds and grass lines, this was a confusing sight and of no interest to Huck.
Even though he never had issues crossing through these backyards, Huck still prowled like it was a secret mission. Ellie, not so much. You could hear her barreling like a thunderstorm a mile away. The gracious adults kindly labeled her hyper. If she had followed Huck now, he would not have been able to enjoy the first highlight of the day, watching safely through Mr. Knox’s white picket fence.
Follow Huck on his evening escapades as he stealthily explores his neighborhood surroundings. Peeking into backyards while observing his neighbors go about their evening rituals, creeping down alleys, dashing across streets, watching children play, surviving an attack, and spying on teens doing what teens do, are some of the exciting moments from little Huck’s evening.
Hawrot weaves in massive amounts of literary devices into this super short story. The imagery in the story is like a breath of fresh air. You can feel the love between Ellie and her mother when her mother offers Ellie more dessert and the freedom Huck feels when he is finally alone. Hawrot uses juxtaposition when he compares Ellie's movements to a thunderstorm, but Huck's movements are as gentle as if he were on a secret mission. Metaphors, a great choice of words, and the overall tone and flow of the story make this tale pleasant to read aloud. The way Hawrot stitches the words together makes them roll off the tongue rather nicely.
My favorite quote from the story is simple, yet it defines a character in a single sentence.
"Mr. Knox...paid his water bill in person..."
That small bit of information about the man says so much about him, which I love. While Mr. Knox doesn't play a huge role in the story; that single sentence gives the reader a better idea of what kind of neighborhood Huck lives in and what his neighbors are like.
If you are looking for an enjoyable quick read, you will find that in this story. Huck's Little Adventure comes in at only eight pages of text which makes this a nice story to read aloud to the children in your life. This story would be a great way to introduce children to short stories if you are looking to transition them from picture books to stories that require a bit more of their attention.
Overall, this is a wholesome tale with a fun twist that the entire family is sure to enjoy.