Search This Blog
June Reviews Link-Up
July Reviews Link-Up
August Reviews Link-Up
September Reviews Link-Up
October Reviews Link-Up
November Reviews Link-Up
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas
- California (3)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (2)
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (2)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma (1)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (2)
- Utah
- Vermont (1)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (2)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*
International:
- Australia (1)
- Canada (1)
- England (7)
- France (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (2)
- Italy (1)
- Scotland (2)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 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
Listening
Followin' with Bloglovin'
-
-
The Wild Lavender Bookshop by Jodi Thomas1 hour ago
-
Daily Prompt 15 May Wednesday4 hours ago
-
-
-
World of Books ~ Review12 hours ago
-
Review: One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke14 hours ago
-
-
100 Best Books Written by Women22 hours ago
-
-
-
Spoon To Be Dead By Dana Mentink1 day ago
-
Very Bad Company by Emma Rosenblum1 day ago
-
Displaced Persons - Joan Leegant1 day ago
-
Reading Recap April 20241 day ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Bridge to Bat City2 days ago
-
A Game of Hearts2 days ago
-
-
-
Blood Rubies by Mailan Doquang5 days ago
-
-
-
-
47. The One and Only Family1 week ago
-
A bit of catching up1 week ago
-
-
May TBR2 weeks ago
-
-
-
-
March Monthly Wrap-up1 month ago
-
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?7 months ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra10 months ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ▼ 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)
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!