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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
A solid YA with surprising twists and storylines I wasn’t expecting.
Wow. What a deep middle grade read. I can’t wait to share this with my kids when they get a bit older.
This beautifully written historical book is a must-read for fans of To Kill a Mockingbird. The plot twists and turns along and definitely kept me turning pages. It's a powerful story of bullying and redemption and how we perceive others.
It's written in a similar style to To Kill a Mockingbird, with the protagonist looking back on what happened to her when she was a child. I sometimes find this style of writing for children a little off-putting because I think it puts distance between the child reader and the story and it mutes the emotional impact (which maybe is a good thing for this book as Annabelle is dealing with some pretty tough issues). I didn't always buy Annabelle as a child narrator - she seemed wise beyond her years, which I think is a product of the style of the narrative. It's the kind of writing that adults like to read.
BUT. That doesn't mean that kids won't like to read it, too. Honestly, I think I would suggest this to adult fans of TKAM before I would hand it to child readers, but I may add it to my middle school booktalking roster and see how it goes.
It's written in a similar style to To Kill a Mockingbird, with the protagonist looking back on what happened to her when she was a child. I sometimes find this style of writing for children a little off-putting because I think it puts distance between the child reader and the story and it mutes the emotional impact (which maybe is a good thing for this book as Annabelle is dealing with some pretty tough issues). I didn't always buy Annabelle as a child narrator - she seemed wise beyond her years, which I think is a product of the style of the narrative. It's the kind of writing that adults like to read.
BUT. That doesn't mean that kids won't like to read it, too. Honestly, I think I would suggest this to adult fans of TKAM before I would hand it to child readers, but I may add it to my middle school booktalking roster and see how it goes.
I think Wolf Hollow was well written. The story was interesting and at times could be really deep. I loved Annabelle's determination and growth. Her friendship with Toby was also really touching and i just enjoyed reading this book.
Summary: This story takes place in the town Wolf Hollow in Pennsylvania. Annabelle is the main character who struggles with dealing with a bully named Betty. She tries to protect Toby, a veteran from WWI, after the town starts to accuse him for Betty’s disappearance. This story is really intense, and it teaches the importance of not being so quick to judge a person before getting to know them. Annabelle chooses to stand up for what’s right instead of following along with everyone else in the town.
Evaluation: I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to share it with my current third grader in the future. Annabelle is a great example for children to try and relate to as they are reading. It is important to stand up for the right thing even if nobody else is, and this story helps to prove why it is important. This Newberry Honor book will have a place on my classroom bookshelf for sure!
Teaching Idea: I think it would be fun for students to create a map of places that are described in Wolf Hollow. There are many landmarks that can be included such as, the church, McBride farm, and the check Toby lives in. This would pair well with a lesson or unit on maps. It would be a great way to integrate reading, writing, and art with social studies. You could choose to allow students to work in small groups or on their own. After they have completed their map, students can share them with the class and discuss similarities and differences between other maps that were created.
Evaluation: I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to share it with my current third grader in the future. Annabelle is a great example for children to try and relate to as they are reading. It is important to stand up for the right thing even if nobody else is, and this story helps to prove why it is important. This Newberry Honor book will have a place on my classroom bookshelf for sure!
Teaching Idea: I think it would be fun for students to create a map of places that are described in Wolf Hollow. There are many landmarks that can be included such as, the church, McBride farm, and the check Toby lives in. This would pair well with a lesson or unit on maps. It would be a great way to integrate reading, writing, and art with social studies. You could choose to allow students to work in small groups or on their own. After they have completed their map, students can share them with the class and discuss similarities and differences between other maps that were created.
There was a sad and magical tone throughout as I read this book. I'm not sure if I would've been as brave as Annabelle at 11, she's a courageous one. I also loved Sarah, she reminds me a lot about mine. I've no words for Toby, I would've liked to know more about him. That's part of the mysterious air he had about him though, right? It's been a while since I've read a book entirely in first-person, so reading this was refreshing in a way. A great break from older classics I've been reading lately.
Book #51 of the EBN Challenge at my Library.
Challenge Topic: A Newberry Award Winner.
This book was great from start to finish in that emotional real life kind of book. It is a great coming of age story in a way as you get to see the three siblings really grow together over what happens that year that the Bully came to their school.
It definitely made me tear up at the end.
Challenge Topic: A Newberry Award Winner.
This book was great from start to finish in that emotional real life kind of book. It is a great coming of age story in a way as you get to see the three siblings really grow together over what happens that year that the Bully came to their school.
It definitely made me tear up at the end.
This book was memorable and striking, but it's not really a children's book. Unless a young reader has a firm grasp of history and has read similar novels in the past, it is unlikely that they will appreciate this story, because its literary style and content are much more appropriate for adults. (Speaking of history, this book was supposedly set in the '40s, but it felt more like turn-of-the-century.)
Many of the characters were poorly fleshed out, some of the situations seemed implausible, and the book offered no resolution. Sometimes real life is like that, but in literature, an unhappy ending should make a point and be counterbalanced by significant character development. Here, the only apparent goal was encouraging sympathy for war veterans, but that did not necessitate the unhappy ending. Moreover, the main character did not grow enough to justify the otherwise meaningless tragic events of the novel. For me, it is only the quality of the prose which makes this a three-star read.
Many of the characters were poorly fleshed out, some of the situations seemed implausible, and the book offered no resolution. Sometimes real life is like that, but in literature, an unhappy ending should make a point and be counterbalanced by significant character development. Here, the only apparent goal was encouraging sympathy for war veterans, but that did not necessitate the unhappy ending. Moreover, the main character did not grow enough to justify the otherwise meaningless tragic events of the novel. For me, it is only the quality of the prose which makes this a three-star read.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No