Sharon
by Annette F. Wilcox
Set in Salt Lake City in the late 1990s, Sharon by Annette F. Wilcox tells the poignant story of Sharon, a nine-year-old girl navigating fear and uncertainty as her father battles a serious illness. After moving to a modest neighborhood with her overworked mother, Sharon meets their kindly neighbor, Mrs. Harris. Over time, Mrs. Harris becomes a pivotal figure in Sharon’s life, providing care and emotional support during after-school hours.
The story explores themes of childhood anxiety, resilience, and the power of intergenerational friendship. Sharon, deeply affected by her father’s illness and her mother’s struggle to maintain normalcy, finds solace in the warmth of Mrs. Harris’s home. Through snacks, conversations, and shared love for books, Mrs. Harris gently helps Sharon confront her fears, introducing her to stories of courage and growth.
As Sharon’s bond with Mrs. Harris deepens, she begins to find moments of joy and safety amidst her challenging circumstances. However, underlying tension persists, as Sharon struggles with her father’s deteriorating health and her mother’s inability to discuss the situation openly.
The novel highlights the importance of compassion, community, and the small acts of kindness that can profoundly impact a child’s life. With its heartwarming portrayal of resilience, it underscores the value of hope and healing through connection and understanding.
Paperback $14.95 | Kindle $9.99
TESTIMONIALS
“Sharon is such a wonderful book. Here is a line in it about a different book which perfectly describes Sharon: ‘A good book, one that has that spark that makes it a really good book, well, people of any age can enjoy it. That’s what I think anyway.’ With the heroine, Sharon, a 9-year-old girl, one would think it would only appeal to children. Not so, it is a sort of catechism written by means of an ingenious fictional plot. So good to read aloud to a 8-year-and-older child, but also a convincing treatise for adults. Bravo Annette Wilcox!” – Dr. Ronda Chervin is philosophy professor, a speaker and a writer of numerous books
“Sharon is a heartwarming tale of resilience and hope, showcasing the transformative power of kindness and friendship. A beautifully written story that touches the heart and inspires compassion in every reader.” – Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, author of The Narrative Spirituality of Dante’s Divine Comedy
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Annette F. Wilcox, MA, is a mother of four and grandmother of five. She has been a translator, librarian, ESL instructor and has taught school in three countries, the last being as a lay missionary with the Holy Spirit Fathers in Moshi, Tanzania, East Africa. A family friend once remarked that he admired the way she kept “recycling” herself. The most recent recycle is twelve years in the trucking world where she has driven 1.1 million miles in a semi, hauling heavy loads of all sorts of things on the roads of all forty-eight contiguous United States and six of the provinces of Canada.
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