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Book Review: Wildwood by Colin Meloy

I've been a big fan of the Decemberists since the release of The Crane Wife, so imagine how happy I was when I found a young adult book penned by the lead singer and songwriter Colin Meloy? I downloaded the audio version, read by Amanda Plummer, which is available as a free download for iPod at nutrias.org, the New Orleans library Web site.

Why I would recommend this book to kids:

  • If you love Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, you'll love this.
  • If you loved The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, you'll love this.
  • Fun talking animals, battles between bandits and coyotes, a lost little brother... There is a lot of action going on here, and Prue is a great main character who learns and grows through the entire story.
  • Illustrations will also keep you engaged.

Why I recommend this book as a teacher:

  • Colin Meloy uses words that middle schoolers may not yet be familiar with, but does a good job of using context clues. This helps with vocaulary acquisition.
  • Strong female lead will appeal to girls, while the side kick Curtis will be popular with boys. Both characters have an adventure of their own where they learn and grow.
  • Progressive, hipster ideals are presented in a fun, adventurous novel.
  • This is the first in a series, so finding the next book your child will want to read is easy!
AR Level: 6.3
Points? 19

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