Navigating Early
by Clare Vanderpool
Delacorte Press, 2013
review copy ARC provided by Cover to Cover Books for Young Readers
It's been a long time since a book has grabbed me by the collar and sat me down in a chair and refused to let me up until I finished it.
Navigating Early wiggled its way into my school bag and forced me to read during SSR time, as I ate lunch, and while my students were at art.
I fell in love with Jack, from flat, wide open Kansas, who pukes the first time he looks at the ocean. And I fell in love with Early, who listens to Billie Holiday when it rains. I fell in love with the stories within the story -- the travels of Pi that match both the digits of Pi as well as the adventure Jack and Early have in the backwoods of Maine.
I couldn't help myself -- I dogeared the page corner at Chapter 21 -- the first time I can ever remember encountering fly fishing in a children's book (not to mention a spirited argument about why Jesus could possibly have been "a likely candidate for fly-fishing").
Navigating Early is mysterious and magical, brimful of surprising characters, and with an ending that's a sigh of satisfaction.
Move Navigating Early to the top of your must-read list. You won't regret it.
Also reviewed by
Kevin at Kevin's Meandering Mind
Katherine at Read, Write, Reflect
Colby at Sharpread
I loved Moon Over Manifest - and this one looks just as marvelous.
ReplyDeleteMary lee,
ReplyDeleteI read this review early Thursday morning and it was the perfect anchor text for teaching the power of persuasion! My third graders and I looked at your powerful language in this review, We loved your bold beginning and how you ended the review! I told them that it influenced me to buy this book! Thanks for the recommendation AND for a great connection to our persuasive writing unit:)
Wow! My writing as an anchor text! What a compliment!!
DeleteI'm so glad you mentioned Chapter 21, because I did the exact same thing! Groan. Everything else about the book was perfect, really. I absolutely loved it.
ReplyDelete