 | Wanda Seasongood and the mostly true secret (Wanda Seasongood) Author: Lurie, Susan | |
| Price: $6.55 | ||
Summary:
Wanda doesn't fit in with her family and is always searching for clues about her past. On her eleventh birthday, a talking bluebird named Voltaire shows up and takes her on a quest through the Scary Wood to find her true parents.
| Illustrator: | Harney, Jennifer |
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 12/01/2019 On her eleventh birthday, Wanda notices a bluebird winging its way towards her window. “Just like in a fairytale,” she marvels, until the bird crashes into the glass and tumbles out of view. That’s much more fitting, as Wanda’s life is anything but a fairy tale. While she has murky memories of an earlier life with a loving family, her current reality is more of a nightmare: a horrible little brother and indifferent parents who would rather Wanda be out of the way. When she checks on the fallen bird, she discovers that not only is it alive but it can talk, has a name (Voltaire), and has an important message for her. Unfortunately, a bout of bird amnesia means that Wanda and Voltaire must set out to discover the mystery of the lost message. The text is wonderfully direct and droll, and though the journey is at times bleak, it somehow maintains an upbeat and humorous disposition. Readers will revel in the fantastical creatures and supernatural elements while cheering for Wanda and her avian sidekick. - Copyright 2019 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 01/01/2020 Gr 3–6—Quick-moving, humorous, and full of adventure, this title takes readers along on a magical quest that perfectly sets the stage for future books in the series. Wanda Seasongood is tired of feeling like an outsider in her family. So when a talking bird, Voltaire, crashes into her window on her 11th birthday with a message for Wanda about a secret that could change her life, the unlikely pair set out together on a journey through the Scary Wood in search of answers. Along the way, they must outwit and outrun all sorts of fantastical creatures—including the boorish groods, the sinister swamp goblin, and a coven of evil witches—who threaten to end Wanda's journey or, even worse, her life. This fast-paced middle grade fantasy draws inspiration from classic fairy tales while feeling wholly original. The creatures that Wanda and Voltaire encounter throughout the Scary Wood are imaginative and memorable, thanks to Lurie's detailed descriptions coupled with Harney's expressive illustrations. Perhaps the most endearing part of this story, however, is the friendship that develops between Wanda and Voltaire, who together have the courage and smarts to overcome every challenge thrown their way. VERDICT Readers will find it hard to put this book down once they start reading and will be excited to find out what's next for Wanda and Voltaire. A great choice for general purchase.—Lauren Hathaway, University of British Columbia - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
