The Mailbox by Audrey Shafer
2008-2009 WAW Award Nominee for Grades 6-8
August 18, 2008
Characters: Vernon Culligan, Smitty, Guppy, 12-year-old Gabe, Webber, Mrs. Pickering, Mr. Boehm
Setting: Drayford, Virginia
Plot: The uncle/guardian of twelve-year-old Gable Culligan Pace has died unexpectedly, and Gabe does not know what to do. Worried and afraid, he decides to go about his daily routine, and to tell no one - not even his best friend Webber. The next day, when he returns home from school, he discovers that his uncle's body has disappeared, and a note left in the mailbox states: "I have a secret. Do not be afraid."
From the first day of school until early October, Gabe somehow manages to survive on his own, with some limited advice from an unknown, unseen benefactor who continues to leave notes for Gabe in the mailbox. Gabe's memories of his uncle provide him with solstice, and the will to carry on.
