Missing May Study Guide

Missing May

Missing May by Cynthia Rylant

Missing May is a novel about a girl named Summer who, after living with various uncaring families, is eventually adopted by her Uncle Ob and Aunt May. Living with them in the Appalachian mountains, she feels at home. When May dies, however, Ob is grief-stricken and attempts to contact her dead soul through a medium. After Ob learns that the medium has just died, he turns around, deciding to keep living and take care of Summer.

Missing May Characters

Table of Contents
  • Summer - A young girl who serves as the main character and narrator of the story. She was orphaned as a baby, and was passed from relative to relative, until being taken in permanently by her Aunt May and Uncle Ob, who provided her with a happy, love-filled home. Summer is distraught when May dies, but is even more worried about Uncle Ob.
  • Uncle Ob - Summer's uncle and May's husband. He sinks into an extreme depression once May dies, and Summer fears that he has given up on living. He eventually becomes convinced that May's spirit is still visiting them, and seeks out a way to contact her. He is an accomplished craftsman, who has carved dozens of whirligigs over the years.
  • Cletus - A classmate of Summer's, he is viewed as the strangest student at her school. He meets Uncle Ob by chance shortly after May's death, and the two quickly become friends. Although Summer is not fond of him, she tolerates his presence since Ob enjoys his company. She begins to look more kindly upon him as time goes on. He claims to have had a near-death experience as a child, which gives Ob hope of being able to contact May's spirit.

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