Book excerpt: During a time long ago, Emily and her brother, Jacob, live a simple life with their parents in a Christian home complete with a big cook stove and where every Monday is wash day. Even better yet, they live near their grandparents. When Emily and Jacob are not helping their father in the fields, they love setting off down the well-worn path to visit their grandpa-pa and Grandma Allie. Emily and Jacob love the entertaining stories their grandfather tells them about his youth. The children are particularly fond of one of the stories he tells more than others—the tale about the Haydoodle Man. While they wonder aloud if their grandpa-pa is really the old-timer, their grandfather is determined not to respond to their never-ending questions. But when a stray dog puts their family in a terrible dilemma, will they finally learn their grandpa-pa’s secret? In this historical juvenile novel, two siblings entertained by their grandpa-pa’s fascinating tales of days gone-by wonder if he is harboring a secret about his true identity.