It is not in your face, but the ideas are all there. There is also lessons about loss, self-confidence and to some degree bullying. I really like the ideas about friendship, class structure as well as facing your fears and helping your friends. This would make a nice read aloud in a primary class where there is a chapter read each day with some good discussions to follow. There is some adventure, problem solving as well as a little danger. The guests all have different needs that must be taken care of. Heartwood, is kind and generous to a fault. The various animals at the hotel are all varied and have different talents and interests. Children will be amused by the delightful world within this Hotel, as well as the many life lessons that Mona learns and teaches others along the way. Being homeless, she is offered a warm place to stay in exchange for work. Heartwood Hotel, hidden in a tree, provides refuge for lost woodland creatures, safety as well as participation in several conventions and festivals, all within its cozy branches. She stumbles upon a large tree and when she rubs her hand over the heart carved in the trunk, the hidden door opens. Mona accidentally finds the hotel when her house is flooded and she ends up getting washed down a river. It's the story of Mona, a mouse, and an animal hotel in the woods. This is a delightful story for late primary readers who are ready for more difficult chapter books.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |