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A Week in the Woods
 | A Week in the Woods Date: 2005-07-08 02:49:25 — $5.99 — Book Rating: |
I listened to this book on tape. I loved Frindle, read it a couple of times. I also read The Jacket when it was published chapter-a-week in the Globe. I chose this book to listen to because it is actually a required reading of incoming 6th graders at our town's middle school this year. They have been doing something like this for a few years now and I always read what the kids have to read. I'm just that kind of public librarian. Anyway, Ron Livingston narrates and I have a big crush on him. I hope he narrates some more in the future. Made my commute so lovely...
OK, about the book... it's good. The main character, Mark, is a 5th grader who's parents are incredibly rich and seem distant yet caring. He's been uprooted several times in his short life but he doesn't complain. He's actually a pretty good kid, and smart too. Which comes as a surprise to his 5th grade science teacher who is basically prejudiced against Mark from the beginning. He changes his mind during the school's annual "Week in the Woods" trip (which sounds fantastic unless you get lost like Mark). This story is about first impressions, and jumping to conclusions but also about survival and friendship. I like how Clements writes these honest, realistic stories about school and makes the teachers as human as the kids... not horrible monsters like you find in some books or complete saints either. I can imagine the new 6th graders having great conversations with their classes come fall.
