Phil Moore

Oatis and Family: Life in Pennsylvania Dutch Country Phil Moore

For young Amanda, leaving the luxuries of her urban Windy-City home for the farmhouses and outhouses of Pennsylvania's Dutch country would be no easy task. To amplify her concerns, it has only been two years since her father's death, and only months since her mother's marriage to Stan. Stan's recent hire by a development company was the reason for the move to Springtown, a Podunk town with empty, dirt lanes-and a drastic contrast to the bustling city streets of Chicago, Illinois. Stan's assignment is to build a new, modern, residential community here, despite resistance from the local residents. This remote, rural community has no Internet access and no cell phone signal, so Amanda is cut off from social media and text messaging, and is now faced with an entirely new prospect for her teenage mind... ...interacting with new people and exploring her new world in person. Surprised by the gift of a Corgi puppy she dubs Oatis-who is aptly named for his love of playing in neighboring fields of oats-Amanda sets out with her new canine Corgi companion on an adventure through Springtown and across the rural countryside. Soon, she will encounter the witty and wise, down-to-earth farmer named Ducky Huffnagle... ...and a cute, local boy named Jake. From flea market swindlers to the despicable Woodruff boys, Amanda soon discovers that trouble still has a way of finding her. But, for Oatis, the new favorite citizen of Springtown, life has presented a whole new purpose-becoming the catalyst for change in Amanda's strained relationship with her stepfather... ...and the springboard to rebuild and revive a divided Pennsylvania Dutch community.