$12.59 sale price when purchased online
$16.00 list price
Target Online store #3991
About this item
Highlights
- Worie Dressar is 17 years old when influenza and typhoid ravage her Appalachian Mountain community in 1877, leaving behind a growing number of orphaned children with no way to care for themselves.
- About the Author: Cindy K. Sproles is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries.
- 256 Pages
- Fiction + Literature Genres, Christian
Description
About the Book
After the death of her mother, Worie Dressar takes on the care of orphans near their Appalachian mountain home. Plagued with two good-for-nothing brothers, Worie fights to save her home and the children now in her care.Book Synopsis
Worie Dressar is 17 years old when influenza and typhoid ravage her Appalachian Mountain community in 1877, leaving behind a growing number of orphaned children with no way to care for themselves. Worie's mother has been secretly feeding a number of these little ones on Sourwood Mountain. But when she dies suddenly, Worie is left to figure out why and how she was caring for them.Plagued with two good-for-nothing brothers--one greedy and the other a drunkard--Worie fights to save her home and the orphaned children now in her begrudging care. Along the way, she will discover the beauty of unconditional love and the power of forgiveness as she cares for all of Momma's children.
Storyteller and popular speaker Cindy K. Sproles pens a tender novel full of sacrifice, heartache, and courage in the face of overwhelming obstacles.
From the Back Cover
In the face of overwhelming obstacles, she'll need courage, grit, and a tender heartWorie Dressar is seventeen years old when influenza and typhoid ravage her Appalachian Mountain community in 1877, leaving behind a growing number of orphaned children with no way to care for themselves. Worie's mother has been secretly feeding several of these little ones on Sourwood Mountain. But when tragedy strikes, Worie is left to figure out why and how she was caring for them.
Plagued with two good-for-nothing brothers--one greedy and the other a drunkard--Worie must fight to save her home and the children now in her begrudging care. Along the way, she discovers the beauty of unconditional love and the power of forgiveness as she cares for all of Momma's children.
"Cindy's special talent is in telling about life the way it is--hard parts and all--while preserving the beauty and wonder of love shining through even the darkest night."--Sarah Loudin Thomas, Christy Award-nominated author of Miracle in a Dry Season
"Seldom does a story move me to tears and encourage me to examine my life. Highly recommended."--DiAnn Mills, author of Fatal Strike
Cindy K. Sproles is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries. An author, storyteller, and popular speaker, Cindy teaches at writers conferences across the country and directs the Asheville Christian Writers Conference in North Carolina. Editor of ChristianDevotions.us and managing editor for Straight Street Books and SonRise Devotionals, Cindy has a BA in business and journalism and lives in the mountains of East Tennessee with her family.
About the Author
Cindy K. Sproles is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries. An author, storyteller, and popular speaker, Cindy teaches at writers conferences across the country and directs the Asheville Christian Writers Conference in North Carolina. Editor of ChristianDevotions.us and managing editor for Straight Street Books and SonRise Devotionals, Cindy has a BA in business and journalism and lives in the mountains of East Tennessee with her family.Dimensions (Overall): 8.4 Inches (H) x 5.4 Inches (W) x .7 Inches (D)
Weight: .5 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 256
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Sub-Genre: Christian
Publisher: Fleming H. Revell Company
Format: Paperback
Author: Cindy K Sproles
Language: English
Street Date: June 2, 2020
TCIN: 79381496
UPC: 9780800737047
Item Number (DPCI): 247-33-9832
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
If the item details above aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it.
Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 0.7 inches length x 5.4 inches width x 8.4 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.5 pounds
We regret that this item cannot be shipped to PO Boxes.
This item cannot be shipped to the following locations: American Samoa (see also separate entry under AS), Guam (see also separate entry under GU), Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico (see also separate entry under PR), United States Minor Outlying Islands, Virgin Islands, U.S., APO/FPO
Return details
This item can be returned to any Target store or Target.com.
This item must be returned within 90 days of the date it was purchased in store, shipped, delivered by a Shipt shopper, or made ready for pickup.
See the return policy for complete information.
Guests also viewed
$16.19 - $29.99
MSRP $17.99 - $29.99
4.5 out of 5 stars with 2 ratings
$10.45
MSRP $15.99
$9.71 - $29.99
MSRP $16.99 - $29.99
4.6 out of 5 stars with 11 ratings
$13.50 - $28.77
MSRP $17.99 - $29.99
4.8 out of 5 stars with 9 ratings
Discover more options
$10.28
MSRP $17.00
$9.48
MSRP $16.99
4.6 out of 5 stars with 5 reviews
100% would recommend
4 recommendations
Great StoryTelling!
4 out of 5 stars
Connie Saunders - 4 years ago
Appalachian dialect, an implied mystery about Worie's own birth, and the historical facts about the typhoid and influenza epidemics that invaded the Appalachian Mountains are all reasons that I enjoyed this book. What Momma Left Behind is a story that I won't soon forget and I recommend it to all who enjoy historical Christian fiction.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of Baker Publishing Group/Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.
Great Historical Fiction
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Sue - 5 years ago
What Momma Left Behind by Cindy K. Sproles is a fiction story set in the Appalachian Mountains in 1877. Momma leavers her daughter, Worie, to care for orphans she had previously cared for. But why would Momma leave Worie? Worie’s two brothers are nothing but trouble. Which leaves Worie an orphan and with no siblings to help her. This gives Worie a unique compassion for those around her.
What Momma Left Behind is an enjoyable historical fiction. There are unexpected twists and turns along the way. It does seemingly take on the time period of the Appalachian mountains in the late 1800’s. This book is a great read, especially if you like historical fiction.
I was given a free copy from the publisher for my honest review. I was happy to do that as well a recommend this book.
Reminiscent of Christy; Strong Mountain Woman
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Babbling Becky L - 5 years ago
"I want this over with. I want things back to the way they was. We didn’t ask for this mess. And every minute that passes just pours more manure on top of us.” No, this is not someone present-day talking about the Corona virus. This is 17-year-old Worie Dressar, who in 1877 has watched both the flu and typhoid decimate her part of Appalachia. Now, Worie’s mother is gone, and Worie’s faith is put to a fearsome test as 1877 proves to be the hardest year of her young life.
Why should you pick up this book, what Momma Left Behind, by Cindy K Sproles? First, it’s amazing to think sometimes that there was another time and place as arduous as this year (2020) has seemed. There can be something comforting to see someone go through something- a pandemic and separation from society, no less, and realize it’s possible to come out alive and more mature on the other side. Oh, but the process!
Then there’s that quaintness about the speech patterns of the mountain people that pulls you into the story faster than you can say "moonshine.” One example:
"Anger crawled up from the deepest part of me, hurt seeped outta my heart, and fear eat at me like a hungry buzzard. Momma had left me in more ways than one.”
This novel is very reminiscent of Christy by Catherine Marshall. There’s even a young, interested preacher. Pastor Jess is such a good complement to Worie. He has such a great soothing way with people when Worie tends to fly off the handle.
I loved all, no, most, of the secondary characters. But all were well-drawn, even Calvin, Justice, and deceased Momma.
Ely is a voice to be reckoned with. One part comfort, one part Scripture, one part reproof, one part encouragement.
The children. They were my undoing.
I never knew what to expect around the bend, be it literal or figurative.
Sproles deftly diffuses more than one molasses-like sticky situation with humor and I found myself laughing out loud. Sometimes the tears came. But then, I’d think how strong the mountain women were.
As Momma would say, "Take a day to mourn your lot, then shovel it over your shoulder and move ahead.”
The values of family, hope, and forgiveness shine above judgment and false self-perception. You may move beyond this novel, but a piece of Sourdough Mountain will forever rest in your soul.
Notable Quotables:
"I’d heard folks talk about lightnin striking twice in one place. I reckon it had done struck me twice and then some.”
"Them mountains, they’s like the hills and valleys in our souls. We can’t have one without the other, but we can figure the best way to
climb.”
"I thought trust was something you could find, but I’m seein it ain’t found- it’s gived.”
"...truth ain’t promised to be easy, but it is promised to always be right.”
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell. This in no way affects my opinions, which are solely my own.
(no review title)
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Connywithay - 5 years ago
“Answer me, Momma! Where am I gonna put these youngins?” Where?” Worie cries out in Cindy K. Sproles’s novel, What Momma Left Behind.
~ What ~
This two-hundred-and-fifty-six-page paperback targets those who like historical suspense involving orphaned children fighting to stay together to survive. Containing slang words, the topics of illness and death may not be appropriate for immature readers. The book ends with the author’s note, author’s biography, and advertisements.
Set on the rural Sourwood Mountain in Tennessee in 1877, seventeen-year-old Worie Dressar is devastated when her mother makes a personal sacrifice that she cannot understand. When homeless children appear at the young girl’s doorstep, Worie has no other recourse them to take them in and feed them. With the help of an awkward pastor and friends with secrets, the out-spoken girl becomes closer to her charges and is forced to make decisions that will alter her dreams and wishes.
~ Why ~
This is a precious, tearful read written in first person that shows the love, angst, and trust one must have in another when it comes to uncovering the past and dealing with the present. I love how Sproles describes her protagonist as broken, bold, and bewildered when learning about God’s timing, forgiveness, and acceptance. The loss of parents and family members due to typhoid fever and influenza over a hundred years ago is tragic and sad.
~ Why Not ~
Those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ may not like the Biblical references, calling on God for His protection, or confessing past sins. Others may not care for a story that involves the hardships and suffering children endured as it is discouraging and depressing. Some may get frustrated with the intentional misspellings and incorrect grammar that convey the uneducated language of poor mountain living.
~ Wish ~
I prefer Christian books not to have slang words as they detract from the story. It would be thoughtful to have included the complete plan of eternal salvation.
~ Want ~
If you enjoy tenderly told stories of heartbreak, redemption, and trust from the 1800s in the Appalachian Mountains, this will make you realize how family bonds are tied tightly, even when sorrow and hurt abounds.
Thanks to Revell Reads for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review.
So Interesting!
4 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Rebecca Maney - 5 years ago
3.5 stars
"Mountain women shovel their feelins over the shoulder and go on. It's what they do. It was what I would do. I kept tellin myself this . . . . . "
Worie Dressar's young shoulders are bearing a heavy load. So many on the mountain have died from the fever, and now her mother . . . . is dead the result of a different sort of tragedy. She leaves Worie with a legacy that the seventeen year old never knew existed . . . feeding the children.
But life is never simple, deep in the mountains of Tennessee. Worie's two brothers are fighting their own demons, and one has a cruel spirit that cannot be contained. In the end, Worie learns a lot about herself, the true meaning of family and what it means to truly forgive. All because of what "her momma left behind".
"Wrongs don't make a right. . . . . . . What-ifs can't never be answered, and once you start askin about them they're like rabbits. They just keep multiplin. . . . . . . . Best you can do is stop blamin and start livin."
In spite of the fact that Worie is a complicated character who takes a little longer to understand or even admire, (and it's certain that you will) there's a plethora of good ol' mountain wisdom in this touching story.