Welcome to our 6th week of the Book-Jumper Summer Reading Series. I can’t believe we’ve been reading and adventuring together for 6 whole weeks!!
If you are just tuning in you can find some great book review and activities here and here.
Today both intern Hannah and I have things to say about this week’s book Wildwood by Colin Meloy.
We started this as a read-aloud book, BUT I was quickly ditched to reading it all alone and silently. Why you ask? It’s not because the book isn’t good, it’s because it is so darn good that it had my children relating way too much to what was happening. You see I’m from Portland, Oregon and my sister lives in North Portland (North Wood) which if you look at the map below is just near the Wildwood. Yes friends, the Wildwood does exist and could very possibly be true. Maybe this book is just being disguised as fiction but is actually based on a true story. It could be. It was my non-commitment to the question, “Are you sure this is fiction?” (shrug)
That little shrug cleared the room and left me with hours of great reading. Hopefully they’ll come back to it one day…….
My advice is don’t leave this book or it’s sequels. Brilliant and clever writing in a world we completely relate to.
Have a look.
It was an ordinary day. Prue and her baby brother Mac are just out for a ride in the park, enjoying the wonderful Portand day. Then the most un-thought of event happens. A swarm of crows sweeps down on the playground, grabs Mac in their claws, and flies him away into the infamous forest that Portlanders know as the Impassable Wood.
Horror-stricken, Prue returns home and is able to convince her parents that their baby is fast asleep and ready for bed. While her parents sleep, Prue prepares herself to travel into the Impassable Wilderness to rescue her brother. She must. This is her fault after all.
So, prepared with a backpack of snacks, her bike, and a red wagon attached to the back, she ventures to the edge of the Impassable Wilderness. There she runs into a classmate, Curtis, a boy that she hasn’t been friends with in awhile. And when he discovers her plan, he insists on accompanying her, despite her objections.
No one ever goes into the Impassable Wilderness, and in just a few moments, they know why. Riding along the Long Road, they come into the path of coyotes. But not just any coyotes—coyote soldiers…talking coyote soldiers. And when they smell the scent of human, Prue and Curtis have to run. Except the coyote soldiers are faster. Curtis is taken to their mistress, the Dowager Governess, and now Prue must fend for herself.
She is sent all over the Impassable Wood, better known as the Wildwood to its inhabitants. She meets Robert, the postman of Southwood, travels through the Avian Principality into Southwood where she believes she will be helped. But Outsiders have never been able to breach the boundary, and Prue is considered a danger to the community.
Under the advisement of Owl Rex, the crowned prince of the Avian Principality, she realizes that her only hope is to travel to Northwood and ask for the help of the mystics. Except the Wildwood is no cakewalk. The wilderness throws tons of hurdles in Prue’s way, and she must fight through all these impediments to rescue her brother, be reunited with Curtis, and stop the evil that is plotting to taking over the Wildwood.
Thoughts From Hannah…..
Narnia is one of my favorite books, and in my eye, Wildwood is revamped, yet different Narnia. Colin Meloy has spun a fabulously detailed story of a completely different world that is dangerous, exciting, and endearing. The characters are complex, and the world is beautiful. Wildwood teaches about family loyalty, bravery, finding your place in the world, and loving nature. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
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Somethings To Do
Wildwood is set in Portland Oregon. That’s why my family refers to this great series of books as “Oregon Reads”, more specifically “Portland Reads.” Being born and raised in Portland Oregon, our Something To Do section today could quickly get out of control. I’m trying my best to reign myself in. I could write a plethora of suggestions just for books alone, and then food, mixed with lots of adventure. But alas, I only have this little blog post. So here it goes……
Make Gorp
You can’t be from Portland and not share the ever-loving trail snack GORP !!!! I don’t even know how many pounds/kilos of this stuff I’ve eaten in my life or made for that matter. 
Step this way for a taste of the most divine trail mix EVER!
Portland Summer Activities
Ok summer isn’t summer without these three things. Well actually, I have a lot more on my list but this is the BEST start.
1. Portland Rose Festival in June
2. Topdown Rooftop Cinema in July
3. Bridge Pedal in August
Travel Portland With Kids
For all of those things I just can’t leave off the list, I leave for you to discover on your own. I hope you find your way to Portland, Oregon one day. But first, start with the book The Wildwood!!!!
**Some of these links are affiliate links. Opinions expressed in this review are purely my own.
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Looking for a unique way to keep your kids busy this summer…and engaged with nature? The At-Home Summer Nature Camp eCurriculum is available for sale!
The post The Book-Jumper Summer Reading Series: The Wildwood appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Every week, we gather together a small pile of newly released titles that we agree should be on everyone's radar. We deem these titles our New Favorites (check out our recent picks here). Now that the year is winding down, we thought we'd take a look back at some of the standouts, in case you [...]
Here are some literary events to pencil in your calendar this week.
To get your event posted on our calendar, visit our Facebook Your Literary Event page. Please post your event at least one week prior to its date.
The Sexy Librarian will headline a reading event for the Big Book of Erotica story collection. Hear her on Thursday, September 4th at the Good Vibrations Store (Polk Street branch) from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (San Francisco, CA)
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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
Carson Ellis is an award-winning illustrator who has provided art for bestsellers such as "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart, The Composer Is Dead by Lemony Snicket, and the "Wildwood Chronicles" by her husband, Colin Meloy.
The third and final volume in the Wildwood Chronicles.
The future of of Wildwood was balanced on a knife edge at the end of Under Wildwood. Prue was given, by the Council Tree, a seemingly impossible task and had to find two machinists who had both been exiled by the former Queen of Wildwood, The Dowager Governess. At the end of the second book she had managed to find one of the machinists but the whereabouts of the second was unknown (to her).
But time and luck are no longer on Prue’s side. In the wake of the revolution Prue instigated a secret society has slowly begun the process of taking power, enslaving the inhabitants of Wildwood in the process. Meanwhile a young girl inadvertently awakens the spirit of the Verdant Empress whose resurrection threatens not only Wildwood but the outside world as well.
Colin Meloy packs everything into the epic conclusion to his wonderful series; action, adventure, subversive politics and whole heap of fun and sly humour. The strands of the story the have stretched out like vines of ivy all come together in an epic conclusion that will have you on the edge of seat and possibly wiping away a tear or two.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and am badgering my eight year-old daughter to give the books a try (although she maybe a year or two too young). I’m not sure what Colin Meloy has planned next but whether it is a new album with The Decemberists or another book I cannot wait.
Buy the book here…
The American Booksellers Association (ABA) has revealed the winners of the 2012 Indies Choice Book Awards and the E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards, books that show “the spirit of independent bookstores.” Below, we’ve linked to free samples of all the winners.
In an odd turn of events, brother and sister authors Maile Meloy and Colin Meloy tied for the E.B. White Read-Aloud Award this year.
ABA CEO Oren Teicher had this statement: “After a month of voting by the owners and staff at independent bookstores across the country, we have an outstanding list of winners that reflects the types of books independent bookstores champion best … We look forward to saluting the winners and honor recipients at the Celebration of Bookselling Author Awards Luncheon on June 5 at BEA.”
continued…
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
It’s been an eventful couple of days: earthquakes! hurricanes! But even Mother Nature can’t put a stop to Book Birthdays! Today is the birthday for WILDWOOD by Colin Meloy (of Decemberists’ fame) and illustrated by his wife, Carson Ellis. We’re so thrilled that it’s out there for everyone to read now!
Check out the reviews:
“Meloy has an immediately recognizable verbal style and creates a fully realized fantasy world…. Ellis’s illustrations perfectly capture the original world and contribute to the feel of an instant timeless classic.” ~ School Library Journal (starred review)
“Fantasy lovers of all ages will be enthralled by fast-moving plot lines, evocative descriptions, and smart, snappy dialogue.” ~ VOYA (5P, 5Q)
“A satisfying blend of fantasy, adventure story, eco-fable and political satire with broad appeal; especially recommended for preteen boys.” ~ Kirkus
Interested in teaching WILDWOOD in your classroom? The discussion guide is here to help, and you can read the first four chapters here!
Get to know Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis:
And take a look at the book trailer to whet your appetite:
Happy publication day to WILDWOOD!
The new video for “Calamity Song” by The Decemberists reenacts a scene from David Foster Wallace‘s masterpiece, Infinite Jest. We’ve embedded the video above–what do you think?
In the video, a group of teenagers play Wallace’s imaginary Eschaton game, a combination of tennis match and computer simulation for nuclear war. Follow this link if you want to play the game in real life. Singer and novelist Colin Meloy told NPR he had just finished reading Infinite Jest and wanted the video to be a tribute to the late novelist.
Check it out: “I had this funny idea that a good video for the song would be a re-creation of the Enfield Tennis Academy’s round of Eschaton — basically, a global thermonuclear crisis re-created on a tennis court — that’s played about a third of the way into the book. Thankfully, after having a good many people balk at the idea, I found a kindred spirit in Michael Schur, a man with an even greater enthusiasm for Wallace’s work than my own. With much adoration and respect to this seminal, genius book, this is what we’ve come up with. I can only hope DFW would be proud.”
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
Are you as big a Decemberists fan as I am? If so, you probably know that today marks the release of their latest album The King is Dead.
But what you may not know is that Colin Meloy, lead singer of the band, has written a middle-grade novel, WILDWOOD. Here is the exclusive cover reveal, as reported by Entertainment Weekly:
Isn’t the artwork gorgeous? There are more illustrations throughout the book that are stunning – Carson Ellis is fantastic.
The book isn’t coming out until August 2011 so, in the meantime, check out The King is Dead (I love it so far). And keep checking here for more news about WILDWOOD in the months to come!
~ Laura
The countdown begins! Only 20 more days until the 2010 Ypulse Youth Marketing Mashup event. Don't wait until the last minute — register now!
Ad Council, Hispanic Scholarship Fund launch 'Your Words Today' (a new bilingual PSA campaign to help... Read the rest of this post
