''Jip, His Story'' is a 1996 children's book written by American novelist

Katherine Paterson Katherine Womelsdorf Paterson (born October 31, 1932) is an American writer best known for children's novels, including '' Bridge to Terabithia''. For four different books published 1975-1980, she won two Newbery Medals and two National Book Aw ...

. Set in

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

during the 1850s, it focuses on a 12-year-old orphan named Jip, who was abandoned as an infant and mistaken for a

gypsy The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...

because of his skin color. Jip works at a poor farm where mentally ill residents are housed. Jip discovers that he is the part-black child of an escaped slave, and that he has been claimed as the property of a slave-owning farmer. ''Jip, His Story,'' won the 1997

Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction The Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction is an annual American children's book award that recognizes historical fiction. It was established in 1982 by Scott O'Dell, author of ''Island of the Blue Dolphins'' and 25 other children's books, in ho ...

. In 2005, the book was turned into a musical by Danny Duncan and Emily Klion and performed at The Marsh. This adaptation won the 2008 American Harmony Prize.“Miles Johnson Stars in 'Jip: Hist Story' with Curtain Call,” BroadwayWorld.com, February 5, 2008
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References

1996 American novels American children's novels American young adult novels Children's historical novels Novels set in Vermont Novels about orphans Dutton Children's Books books Novels set in the 1850s 1996 children's books Children's books set in the 1850s Children's books set in Vermont Novels by Katherine Paterson {{1990s-child-hist-novel-stub