Loretta Mason Potts question

As a third grader, over 50 years ago-oh my, my entire class read this book. It was NOT requires reading, but part of an in room library. Our desire to read it was based on a classmate's oral book report. Haven't re-read it but gave a copy as a gift and glanced at opening pages. Did it strike any other adult as odd that the mother would give up her child for others to raise?