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Laurel has always been a must-buy author since I first read Orphan Island. The Witch of Woodland definitely held its own as well.
Zippy is definitely a character that students (boy and girl alike) will relate to in so many ways. I specifically enjoyed the journey of Zippy to understand her spiritual self and how Laurel provided tiffs with her parents and realizing who she is and what she stands for on her own. I remember being Zippy's age and my parents giving me the opportunity to find my place and I felt that really helped me figure out where I stood on what I believed for myself. Zippy's experiences are relatable for students, but parents and teachers alike will be able to learn more of the mindset of 11-12 year olds as well.
Another connection my younger self was similar to Zippy is the self-isolation. I loved my bed room, I loved my space, and as an adult I found that carried over. It doesn't mean that she is angry all the time, or depressed, it just is that place to decompress. Friendships can be overwhelming, and Laurel did a great job of depicting this need for a young pre-teen.
This will be such a relatable book for students where they find themselves in the pages and don't even realize with the magic sprinkled throughout. I hope students walk away thinking about themselves, their families, and their friendships and what work goes into those relationships.
This would be a great read aloud/book club story and you can access the educators guide here:
About the Book
Laurel Snyder, author of Orphan Island, returns with a story of one girl’s quest
to answer the seemingly unanswerable questions about what makes us who we are.
Hi, whoever is reading this. I’m Zipporah Chava McConnell, but everyone calls me Zippy.
Things used to be simple—until a few weeks ago. Now my best friend, Bea, is acting funny; everyone at school thinks I’m weird; and my mom is making me start preparing for my bat mitzvah, even though we barely ever go to synagogue.
In fact, the only thing that still seems to make sense is magic.
See, the thing is, I’m a witch. I’ve been casting spells since I was little. And even if no one else wants to believe in magic anymore, it’s always made sense to me, always felt true. But I was
still shocked the day I found a strange red book at the library and somehow...I conjured something. A girl, actually. A beautiful girl with no memory,
and wings like an angel. You probably don’t believe me, but I swear it’s the truth.
Miriam is like no one else I’ve ever met. She’s proof that magic is real. And, it’s hard to explain this part, but I just know that we’re connected. That means it’s up to me to help Miriam figure out what she is and where she came from. If I can do that, maybe everything else in my life will start to make sense too.
Anyway, it’s worth a try.
About the Author
Laurel Snyder is the beloved author of many picture books and novels for children, including the National Book Award nominee Orphan Island and the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner Charlie & Mouse. A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, she teaches in Hamline University’s MFA in writing for children and young adults program. Laurel lives in Atlanta with her family and can be found online at www.laurelsnyder.com.
THE WITCH OF WOODLAND by Laurel Snyder
Blog Tour:
May 16 | @nerdybookclub | |
May 16 | @unleashreaders | |
May 17 | @teachers_read | |
May 18 | @grgenius | |
May 22 | @storymamas | |
May 23 | @litcoachlou | |
May 26 | @librarymama | |
May 30 | @bethshaum |
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