Imaginative, emotionally sensitive, and hard working, Sara Louise Bradshaw, a young girl growing up on an isolated fishing island off the coast of Maryland during WWII, is made to feel second-best from the moment of her birth.

This story takes place during the early 1940s on the small, fictional island of Rass in the Chesapeake Bay. The book traces Louise's attempts to free herself from Caroline's shadow, even as she grows into adulthood. She is prettier and more talented, and receives more attention not only from their parents but also from others in the community. Truitt's two daughters, Sara Louise and Caroline, are twins, and Caroline has always been the favorite. The novel follows the story of the Bradshaws, a family who depends on the father, Truitt Bradshaw, and his crabbing/fishing business on his boat, the Portia Sue.

The title alludes to the sibling rivalry between Jacob and Esau in the Bible, and comes from Romans 9:13 (quoting Malachi 1:2). It was published by Crowell in 1980 and it won the annual Newbery Medal the following year. Jacob Have I Loved is a coming of age novel for teenagers and young adults by Katherine Paterson.

Jacob have i loved book