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

Katherine Paterson Katherine Paterson (née Womeldorf; born October 31, 1932) is an American writer best known for Children's literature, children's novels, including ''Bridge to Terabithia (novel), Bridge to Terabithia'' (1977), which won the Newbery Medal in 197 ...

. Set in

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

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

gypsy {{Infobox ethnic group , group = Romani people , image = , image_caption = , flag = Roma flag.svg , flag_caption = Romani flag created in 1933 and accepted at the 1971 World Romani Congress , po ...

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