Weslandia

Last updated Monday, March 25, 2002

Author: Paul Feishman
Illustrator:
Date of Publication:
ISBN:
Grade Level: 4th
Date(s) Used: Apr. 2000

Synopsis: Wesley is not an ordinary boy: "He alone in his town disliked pizza and soda, alarming his mother and the school nurse. He found professional football stupid. He'd refused to shave half his head, the hairstyle worn by all the other boys, despite his father's bribe of five dollars." It all starts (the civilization, that is) when Wesley overturns a plot of ground in his yard to see what new and unknown seeds might blow into it. Curiously, just one kind of plant grows--an unusual, flowering, fruit-bearing plant that tastes of "peach, strawberry, pumpkin pie, and flavors he had no name for." Soon, Wesley is literally reaping the fruits of his labors--using the fruit rind to make a cup for the juice he squeezes, barbecuing the root tubers, and weaving the bark into a hat to keep off the sun.

Craft ideas:

• Create your own ______landia. What kind of place would you create? What sort of plants would you grow? What are their names and uses? What kind of sports would you invent? Draw a picture, or create pop-up cut outs of your garden on construction paper.
• Weave yourself a hat!