Search This Blog








2022 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California (2)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (2)
- Massachusetts (4)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (1)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (5)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (2)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.* (1)
International:
Antarctica (1)
Australia (2)
Egypt (2)
England (11)
Italy (1)
Nepal (1)
Romania (1)
Scotland (3)
Sweden (1)








The 52 Book Club's Reading Challenge 2022

2022 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

Thursday, May 15, 2014
Like the Willow Tree Another Intimate, Fascinating Middle Grade Historical
8:21 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
As the flu spreads closer to home, Lydia soon realizes that missing the movies is the least of her problems. When her parents and younger sister are overcome by the disease, she must find a new home. Eventually, Lydia and her 14-year-old brother Daniel are adopted by the Shakers at Sabbathday Lake. Although the children are well cared for, they're flummoxed by the Shakers' strange ways. When Daniel runs away from the community, Lydia wonders if she should follow suit. If she comes through the epidemic alive and well, what will become of her? Will she ever be able to leave the Shakers? Even if she doesn't believe as they do? And what about her family? Can she find Daniel, the only blood relative she has left? Or, is everything she loves really and truly gone?
Like the Willow Tree by Lois Lowry is another fine middle grade historical in the Dear America series. The diary entry format makes Lydia's plight personal and real. Readers can easily relate to her fear, her confusion and her uncertainty about her own future. With vivid historical detail, as well as an intimate look at the daily lives of the Shaker people, Like the Willow Tree is as interesting as it is compelling. Like the other novels in this series, this one includes an Epilogue explaining what happens to Lydia after 1918, a historical note and photos depicting the real events on which the story is based, and a note from Lowry in which she talks about her connection to both the novel's setting and the Shaker community. Overall, it's a fascinating read which I enjoyed very much.
(Readalikes: Other installments in the Dear America series; also, A Death-Struck Year by Makiia Lucier and Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for scary images/situations
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)




Reading
Farm to Trouble by Amanda Flower

Listening
The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs



Followin' with Bloglovin'



-
-
-
-
-
Bangkok 8: John Burdett12 hours ago
-
65. The Belle of Belgrave Square15 hours ago
-
-
-
-
FO Friday: Wayfinder’s Rest19 hours ago
-
Sunday Post 45419 hours ago
-
Book Quotes of the Week1 day ago
-
-
Review: The Love Hypothesis1 day ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fugitive Telemetry2 days ago
-
-
-
I've been reading...3 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
Weekly Update for May 22, 20226 days ago
-
The Key to Deceit by Ashley Weaver1 week ago
-
-
-
An Honest Lie by Tarryn Fisher4 weeks ago
-
Chirp Audiobooks - A Review5 weeks ago
-
-
-
Left Neglected by Lisa Genova2 months ago
-
THE VALET'S SECRET by Josi S Kilpack2 months ago
-
-
-
Cybils Awards 2021: The End3 months ago
-
2022 Reading Log3 months ago
-
Back to the Classics 20224 months ago
-
-
-

Grab my Button!



Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ▼ 2014 (133)
0 bookworm(s) said...:
Post a Comment
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!