Stone Fox - Realistic Fiction

This short chapter book is a heart-wrenching story that was recommended to me by a fourth grade student I worked with this year.  She said, "Read this one if you like sad books."  The book is almost a tragedy!  It starts with the main character, little Willy's grandfather lying comatose because he "doesn't want to live anymore."  For the rest of the book Willy tries all kinds of things to help his grandpa want to live.  This youth has to tend the farm, pay his grandfather's debts, and ultimately put up his college fund money to enter a dog sled race to save his Grandfather.  There is a happy ending, but it remains a very heavy read.  I would definitely use this book in my classroom as a chapter book that could foster great discussions as part of a literature circle.