Wildwood Chronicles

“We are the inheritors of a wonderful world, a beautiful world, full of life and mystery, goodness and pain. But likewise are we the children of an indifferent universe. We break our own hearts imposing our moral order on what is, by nature, a wide web of chaos.”
― Colin Meloy, Wildwood

Who: Prue McKeel, age 12. Curtis, her friend. Two children able to cross the border that protects Wildwood from the Outside. Once inside Wildwood they meet bandits, talking animals (and humans), tree worshiping mystics, and more.

Written by: Collin Meloy, singer/songwriter for the band the Decembrists

Illustrated by: Carson Ellis, Collin's wife and illustrator of several other children's books

What: Adventure. Magic. Mystery. A battle between good and evil, where the lines are not always clear. Ancient, mystical trees that give magic and power to the forest. An underground world full of twists and turns - not to mention an army of blind moles. An industrialist obsessed with figuring out the secret to entering the Impassable Wilderness, even if it means using orphans for child labor. A governess turned mad at the death of her son bent on destroying the entire world in her crazed fury. Wildwood, Under Wildwood, and Wildwood Imperium make up the Wildwood Chronicles - for now.

When: Modern day with a twist. Wildwood seems to run on another timeline entirely separate from the outside world, but understanding this timeline only comes from experience within the forest.

Where: The line between fantasy and reality are blurred as the story moves between modern day Portland and the timeless I.W., or Impassable Wilderness. Not just a dense forest, the Impassable Wilderness contains a magical world of South Wood, the Avian Principality, North Wood, and the dangerous Wildwood.

Why: Read this series for a good adventure. Enjoy the whimsical illustrations, the detailed maps, the quirky but like-able characters. Obviously good is going to triumph in the end, but the journey is well worth the read.

Great for children and tweens, but also enjoyable for adults. I often felt as though the book was inspired by bedtime stories for the creators' sons, which might be true, showing potential for a great read aloud.

Alias Hook

Every child knows how the story ends. The wicked pirate captain is flung overboard, caught in the jaws of the monster crocodile, which drags him down to a watery grave. Who could guess that below the water, the great beast would spew me out with a belch and a wink of its horned, livid eye? It was not yet my time to die, not then nor any other time. It's my fate to be trapped here forever in a nightmare of childhood fancy with that infernal, eternal boy.

-Alias Hook, Lisa Jensen

From the very beginning, I was hooked (pun intended) by this villain-turned-protagonist Captain Hook. Lisa Jensen masterfully provides a unique (and adult) perspective on a familiar story, showing readers that all is not as it seems in the children’s dream world of Neverland. Fairies have wild parties, mermaids hold secrets in their grottos. Lost boys return as pirates to fight against their former leader. Peter Pan and Captain Hook are locked in eternal battle - Captain Hook never winning, never dying.

The story alternates between the battles of Neverland and Captain Hook’s former life as a nobleman turned pirate. A scorned lover - also a voodoo priestess - condemns him to the personal hell of Neverland with no means of escape. When a strange and unexpected being appears in the forests of Neverland, Captain Hook sees a glimmer of hope for escape. Will this mysterious individual be Captain Hook’s chance to return to the real world once again to live and die as a normal human being?

I highly recommend this book - especially to those who love adventure or fantasy novels.

Creating Among Books: Library Makerspaces

I work as an Academic Technology Specialist at an independent school - meaning I help students and teachers use technology in meaningful ways for learning. At my school, the library and technology departments are combined - meaning many opportunities for collaboration. My office is in the library and we also have a new “maker space” in the library building.

Recently, a colleague and I presented a webinar for the International Society in Education (ISTE) Professional Learning Series. The webinar is titled “Creating Among Books: Library Makerspaces”.

Can a makerspace succeed in a school library? The answer is a resounding yes! From book art to game creation to 3D printing, learn how to incorporate making into the library space from two technology integration specialists. Topics include an overview of the physical space, specific technology tools, examples of past projects and more.

If you happen to be an ISTE member, you are in luck! A free recording of the webinar is available through the ISTE website at this link. If you are not an ISTE member, I can share this link with a list of the resources mentioned in the webinar and my contact information.

I am thinking this blog will not only include book reviews but have varying posts on books, educational technology, libraries, and some generally nerdy stuff. I like variety, so don’t expect the same old posts every week- this post itself being evidence of that fact!