44. The One-In-A-Million Boy (Monica Wood)

I might not have picked up The One-In-A-Million Boy if it weren’t for the Brantford Public Library Goodreads Online Book Club but it was a sweet little story of perseverance, hope and unlikely friendships. The audio version of The One-in-a- Million boy was difficult to follow at first since the narrators voice was so low and almost seemed a bit mumbly at times.  I had to turn up the volume quite loud to catch all the words but eventually got used to his tone.

The story had a unique group of characters including Ona Vitkus, a 104 year old woman who had outlived her family.  She met the boy (who is never named in the whole book) who volunteered as Boy Scout to do odd jobs and record her life story for a school project.   They developed a friendship and he convinced her to seek a Guiness world record for the oldest licensed driver.

Sadly, the boy died and his father, Quinn Porter,  showed up the following Saturday to finish his son’s commitment.  As he got to know Ona, he learned to love his son who he had spent little time with since he divorced his mother.  Ona shared stories about the time that she spent with the boy and the enthusiasm that he spread which encouraged her to seek the world record.  Their relationship helped each of them in different ways.  Quinn filled a lonely void as Ona reflected and shared her past and he healed as he spent time with the centenarian.

This was a great book to listen to on my commutes.  It was a light read and I enjoyed the story and love books with spunky seniors.  Ona was capable, indpenendent and  had such an interesting life to talk about!

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