The Red Scarf

Young Richard's quest for the red scarf is accompanied by unlikely obstacles.

"Well, I guess you want to hear about the whole dang mess, don't you? Huh? Every little thing? Well - let's see - first off, this here pink scar on the top of my foot and the other one on the bottom happened at the end of summer and these pink scratches with the scabs on the side of my leg happened just a couple of weeks ago. Them two red looking holes was caused by something that happened right before Christmas, and none of them have got nothing to do with each other. Can you believe that? Well, it's true, cross my heart, and it still gives me the willies every time I think about it."

In his debut novel, Richard Mason takes us back to southwest Arkansas during World War II through the eyes of Richard, an eleven-year-old with a dream. The dream seems simple enough--to buy a red scarf for Rosalie, the prettiest girl in school. However, buying a scarf doesn't usually include skunks, bobcats, robbers, fur brokers, stolen Christmas trees, and a cast of eccentric characters such as Peg, the one-legged tavern owner, his brother Wing, a one-armed marshal who swings a mean blackjack, and Bubba, a big man who wields an even bigger frying pan.

The cast of characters is rounded out by Sniffer, a hound with decidedly bad instincts; Doc, the newsstand operator who styles himself after President Roosevelt; John Clayton, young Richard's best friend and partner in mischief; and Uncle Hugh, who befriends the boys after rescuing the accident-prone Richard from certain infection and carrying him home through the backwoods.

Young Richard's quest for the red scarf is accompanied by unlikely obstacles, infused with a little holiday serendipity, and concludes a bittersweet season in a young boy's life. This holiday story fro Arkansas will teach readers the importance of fairness, resourcefulness and responsibility.