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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
I read this one with my first grader - the plot kept him engaged and he loved picturing all the animals featured in the story!
Sitting somewhere near the junction of myth, fable, and novel, this little book tells the tale of a girl, who lives on the margins of society, discovering the complex interconnectedness of her village's natural ecology.
Willodeen has never quite connected with other humans, and is happiest dwelling with nature and wild creatures. Her unique perspective allows her to figure out why the magical hummingbears have stopped migrating to her village's area--causing their tourism-based economy to nearly collapse.
Applegate has been telling stories long enough that she is able to find language and descriptions that are both simple and profound at the same time, and she has created something, despite the inclusion of dark events, that is gently magical.
Willodeen has never quite connected with other humans, and is happiest dwelling with nature and wild creatures. Her unique perspective allows her to figure out why the magical hummingbears have stopped migrating to her village's area--causing their tourism-based economy to nearly collapse.
Applegate has been telling stories long enough that she is able to find language and descriptions that are both simple and profound at the same time, and she has created something, despite the inclusion of dark events, that is gently magical.
Once upon a time, when stones were soft and stars were bits of dust, I loved a monster.
It seems forever ago, and perhaps it was, thought things weren't really so different. True, magic was gentle then, and plentiful. But it's always there, if you know where to look. The moon, after all, still smiles from time to time, and the world still spins like a dancer through the skies.
In any case, the whens and where don't much matter.
The earth is old and we are not, and that is all you must remember.
This book is relatively short, but it took me so long to get through it. It was not engaging. It seemed like it was trying to make a statement about the environment, but hiding it as a magical tale. Just say what it is. It had some cute things, but overall it felt random and disjointed while I was reading it.
It might be the fact that we lived in CA during a fire season where the skies were orange, but I was shocked how this started out (TW wildfires, death). Once I got past that though, this book is so good!
The theme of humans having to work with nature that was consistent throughout the book is a good one for children and adults alike. The characters were likeable, my child's favorite was Quinby and I think I'd say mine was Willodeen. I also appreciated that there were different parenting styles represented and neither were shamed.
This would be a great book for a book club. We stopped a lot as we read through it to discuss different things and I think reviewing with a group of children would be interesting! Also, as a side note - it has nothing to do with halloween - which I thought and is why I checked it out in October! ha.
Spoiler
with a family that perished in a house fireThe theme of humans having to work with nature that was consistent throughout the book is a good one for children and adults alike. The characters were likeable, my child's favorite was Quinby and I think I'd say mine was Willodeen. I also appreciated that there were different parenting styles represented and neither were shamed.
This would be a great book for a book club. We stopped a lot as we read through it to discuss different things and I think reviewing with a group of children would be interesting! Also, as a side note - it has nothing to do with halloween - which I thought and is why I checked it out in October! ha.
I loved this beautiful book about a child finding her voice, the environment, and how all living things are connected!
Loved this book about friendship and protecting the environment. Great message!
5 stars
Such a sweet and imaginative book written for advanced younger readers or middle school readers, whose ultimate message is that everything in nature has a role and is connected and that humans have thrown that delicate balance way off-kilter by killing off what we don't understand for monetary reasons or because they are inconvenient in some way. This would be a perfect book for a unit in science. Willodeen is an orphan who has been taken in by a pair of kindly old ladies (yes, that's how they refer to themselves) who are a bit unusual in their own way. She lost her family to a fire and is generally looked down upon by many of the "upright" citizens in the town. She has a strong connection with nature and loves the strange creatures called Screechers who are loud, not much to look at, and release a terrible smell when they are scared. There are illustrations of the Screecher in the book and they look mostly like a warthog with a long furry tail. They are considered a nuisance and a bounty is put on them, which upsets Willodeen as they are her favorite animal. The other major creature in this story are the hummingbears, which look like little tiny flying polar bears and the tourism brought by the annual migration of the hummingbears to her village is what keeps the village afloat the rest of the year. Although Willodeen has not attended school, and is therefore viewed by most of the village (but not her ladies) as not very smart and not worth listening to, she has an observational scientist's heart and she decides to see if she can figure out why the hummingbears are no longer coming to her village.
I loved this story with its call to action message as an "undesirable" little girl becomes the heroine in this village. I enjoyed watching her come out of her shell and be willing to let Connor in as a friend, and I loved Mae and Birdie as well. This is a book full of heart and magic and I think it would be perfect for any elementary and middle school library.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Such a sweet and imaginative book written for advanced younger readers or middle school readers, whose ultimate message is that everything in nature has a role and is connected and that humans have thrown that delicate balance way off-kilter by killing off what we don't understand for monetary reasons or because they are inconvenient in some way. This would be a perfect book for a unit in science. Willodeen is an orphan who has been taken in by a pair of kindly old ladies (yes, that's how they refer to themselves) who are a bit unusual in their own way. She lost her family to a fire and is generally looked down upon by many of the "upright" citizens in the town. She has a strong connection with nature and loves the strange creatures called Screechers who are loud, not much to look at, and release a terrible smell when they are scared. There are illustrations of the Screecher in the book and they look mostly like a warthog with a long furry tail. They are considered a nuisance and a bounty is put on them, which upsets Willodeen as they are her favorite animal. The other major creature in this story are the hummingbears, which look like little tiny flying polar bears and the tourism brought by the annual migration of the hummingbears to her village is what keeps the village afloat the rest of the year. Although Willodeen has not attended school, and is therefore viewed by most of the village (but not her ladies) as not very smart and not worth listening to, she has an observational scientist's heart and she decides to see if she can figure out why the hummingbears are no longer coming to her village.
I loved this story with its call to action message as an "undesirable" little girl becomes the heroine in this village. I enjoyed watching her come out of her shell and be willing to let Connor in as a friend, and I loved Mae and Birdie as well. This is a book full of heart and magic and I think it would be perfect for any elementary and middle school library.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
First, thank you to NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for a fair and unbiased review..
A delight, pure and lovely. We should never doubt our children for they see and know.
Willodeen has had a very rough childhood, losing her entire family in a wildfire. Thankfully, before that happened, her father was there to teach her about the world and to trust her inner-knowing when it came to nature.
The village of Perchance has two creatures that are of concern to us, dear reader, There are screechers, horrible, loud creeatures that seem to do nothing but make everyone miserable with their sound and smell. Then there are hummingbears, a small delightful creature that brings tourists and money to the village. While Willodeen's father taught her that nature was all connected, the adults in the village don't see it that way. When they put a bounty on the head of the screecher, their beloved hummingbears begin to disappear. Will they see a connection? Will their hearts and minds be open to listening to a pre-teen wild child?
A beautiful story of love and friendship, of interconnecedness, and of the need of compassion for ALL living things. Tears of sadness and heartbreak were shed, and tears of joy and happiness were shed as well. Let this book be a lesson to all of us, young and old.
A delight, pure and lovely. We should never doubt our children for they see and know.
Willodeen has had a very rough childhood, losing her entire family in a wildfire. Thankfully, before that happened, her father was there to teach her about the world and to trust her inner-knowing when it came to nature.
The village of Perchance has two creatures that are of concern to us, dear reader, There are screechers, horrible, loud creeatures that seem to do nothing but make everyone miserable with their sound and smell. Then there are hummingbears, a small delightful creature that brings tourists and money to the village. While Willodeen's father taught her that nature was all connected, the adults in the village don't see it that way. When they put a bounty on the head of the screecher, their beloved hummingbears begin to disappear. Will they see a connection? Will their hearts and minds be open to listening to a pre-teen wild child?
A beautiful story of love and friendship, of interconnecedness, and of the need of compassion for ALL living things. Tears of sadness and heartbreak were shed, and tears of joy and happiness were shed as well. Let this book be a lesson to all of us, young and old.
I didn't really like this one, but can't really pinpoint exactly why. I almost didn't finish it. Eh.