Fed and the China Doll — Julia Ward Ortloff

FED (Franklin Edward Doe), abandoned at birth, grows up determined to find his biological mother. First he has to find himself. In so doing, the uneducated, backwoods Southern boy steps into the world not knowing what to expect. Unable to find work or shelter, the “kid” is forced to call the swamplands of Louisiana his home. After collapsing from heat exhaustion and lack of food, Fed wakes to find an alligator close by. The alligator, called Mister Bad, becomes not only Fed's friend but his guardian “gator angel.” Once Mister Bad takes “control” of Fed, everything else seems to fall into place. Fed begins the journey of his life, and his “China Doll” is the last thing he is looking for. This book will teach you to appreciate everything around you, from the smallest grain of sand to the largest tree. It will leave you longing for more.