Robin Vaupel

A "team" of 9th grade misfits embarks on a journey to discover the meaning of Henry David Thoreau in their lives. Told through Beth Gardner's eyes, it follows her journal-writing and the events of her life, and her growing friendship with Rachel and Hollis as well as "Henry." Each chapter begins with a quote from Thoreau. The novel provides a good introduction to Thoreau, Walden and "Civil Disobedience" but isn't overly preachy. The teacher's assignment - "...to select some portion of Mr. Thoreau's philosophy and put it into practice .... an Experiement in Living" "...for 6 weeks (pp. 6-7) is a diving board for possible classroom projects. In elementary school, one might need to help students with ideas such as nature observation, journal writing, plant and animal identfiication, etc. Building a cabin, as did Beth, Stuart, Rachel and Hollis, mght be too much for most students, but a day trip with supportive parents/helpers might be a possibility.… (meer)