From a young age, Louise’s father, Truitt Bradshaw, appears to be less caring toward Louise and treats her like a boy. Grandma Bradshaw can tell in-depth stories about Caroline but claims to recall nothing about Louise’s childhood. While Louise understands this, she wonders who was taking care of her when the family was tending to Caroline. Caroline had several health problems when she was born, and she became more endeared to the family because they were under constant threat of losing her. But soon enough, the family’s habit of prioritizing Caroline over her is established. Louise was born a few minutes before Caroline, a rare victory for her. Louise rolls her eyes, though she is sad to know Caroline has talent that she lacks and that Caroline’s story will only obliquely mention her. Caroline brags about how she will write her memoir from that summer because she is going to be famous in the future. The twins’ mother, Susan Bradshaw, a well-educated lady and former school teacher, makes them all crab soup. Grandma tells her not to track in so much dirt and Caroline says she smells awful. At home, Louise is not greeted warmly by her Grandma Bradshaw or her twin sister, Caroline. They sell some crabs for a good price, then head home.

She tries to improve his sense of humor by telling him jokes. Louise likes Call because she can gossip freely with him. Unlike Call, Louise is tall, blonde, and beautiful. She has a best friend, McCall “Call” Purnell, who is a year older, plain looking, rarely emotional, wears glasses, and is on the chunky side. The narrator, thirteen-year-old Sara Louise Bradshaw (who goes by her middle name, Louise) talks about helping her father with crab fishing in the summer of 1941.

Rass Island is a peculiar crab fishing town on Chesapeake Bay. The themes of Jacob Have I Loved (1980) include favoritism, fate, and forgiveness. Paterson is also well known for Bridge to Terabithia (1977). Paterson wrote the book after reading a history of Chesapeake Bay near Maryland and wanting to place a story in the area. The title comes from the bible verse, “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” (Romans 9:13). The children’s book won the Newbery Medal, the top honor for young people’s literature. Acclaimed American author Katherine Paterson’s Jacob Have I Loved (1980) follows one girl’s feelings of being less loved than her twin sister.

For jacob have i loved