The Wild Girls by Pat Murphy
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Mar.22, 2009, under Abuse, Adventure, Battle of the Books 2009-2010, Grief, Historical Fiction, Real life, Sam's Reviews, Writing
Who would like this book? Girls, grades 5 – 9, with a spirit for adventure and exploration who like to write and want to discover their own way of solving problems and looking at the world.
Why? It’s 1972 and Joan’s family has just moved from Connecticut to the suburbs near San Francisco. She’s not happy about the move and feels isolated and friendless until she explores the woods near her house and stumbles upon the “fort” of Sarah, aka “Fox.” The two girls quickly meld their imaginative spirits into a world of adventure that bridges the gap between their backgrounds. Joan’s mother is working hard to establish their family’s traditional suburban life-style and placating Joan’s abusive, angry father. Fox lives in a run-down house in the woods with her free-spirited father, a science-fiction writer who rides a Harley. The two girls chronicle their imaginative adventures in a story about a magical quest. A special reading of this story at a writing contest opens an exciting opportunity for them that leads to their participation in a writing workshop. This workshop is a catalyst for surprising changes and significant breakthroughs not only for Fox and Newt but for their families as well. The minor characters, especially their writing instructor and Fox’s dad, are entertaining and insightful. Because the readers get to share in the writing exercises that Fox and Newt are assigned, the book would be great for a writing class to read.
The details: 288 p. 2007 Review by Samrarian
A Battle of the Books 2009-2010 selection
