Thursday, June 21, 2012

Book Review: Diamond Willow


 <em>Diamond Willow</em> [<em>Book</em>]

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Frost, Helen. 2008. DIAMOND WILLOW. New York: Frances Foster Books. ISBN: 9780374317768

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

This poetic story is about a young girl who lives in a small town in the middle of Alaska. The modes of transportation are by snowmobile or dog sledding. The main character, Willow, decides to take a team of dogs to her grandparents' house and ends up getting in an accident leaving one of the dogs, Roxy, badly injured. When the family learns that Roxy is blind and might not be able to see again, they have to make a decision on what to do with their beloved dog. 

When Willow learns of what might happen to Roxy, she decides to take matters into her own hands and get Roxy to the safety of her grandparent’s house. As Willow enlists the help of her friend Kaylie, they set out on a journey to save Roxy’s life and run into many unexpected events.  Throughout their journey and in the ending of the story there is much to be resolved, and Willow finds out that throughout this journey she was not alone.

3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Frost does a great job creating a book of poetry that quickly becomes a page turner. Each page of poetry is in the shape of a diamond and contains code words that tell you the inner feelings of the main character, Willow. Frost’s poetic writing is easy to follow and understand. Frost’s word choice greatly explains Willow's innermost thoughts and allows the reader to feel as though they are there in Alaska. Her vivid description of Alaska and the trails that Willow follows on her dog sledding trip are very descriptive and create a mental picture of what Willow’s life is like.

The experiences that Willow goes through can connect with readers on many different levels. Her experiences range from not having friends, to the thought of losing a pet, fighting with family and the bond between humans and animals. There are sad moments and parts that can make you smile, such as when Willow finds out that Roxy can see towards the end.  

Frost even adds in a twist throughout the story by adding in animal characters that represent Willow’s family and friends that have passed away. I enjoyed reading the point of view from which those animal/past relatives told their story, and felt that it provided extra information that was pertinent to the story.

This is a great book for older readers and I would highly recommend it for students in grades fifth through eighth grade.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2009 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award

THE HORN BOOK review: “As a dog and dogsled story, this has appeal and wears its knowledge gracefully.”

BULLETIN OF THE CENTER OF CHILDREN’S BOOKS review: “Frost has spun metaphoric gold out of an evocative natural landscape, and she knows just how to craft it into an elegant and moving story of a young girl’s deepening understanding of the relationships she shares with those around her.”
 
5. CONNECTIONS

*This is a great book to have discussions about making friends and self esteem.

*Want more books about dog sledding and racing? Be sure to check out these books:
Gardiner, John Reynolds. STONE FOX. ISBN: 9780064401326
Paulsen, Gary. DOG SONG. ISBN: 9781416939191

*Challenge: create your own poem in the shape of an object and try to use a secret code throughout like Helen Frost did in her book!

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