Product Description

Life in Sassafras Springs has always been predictable, boring even, but one afternoon that changes when Eben McAllister's pa challenges him to find Seven Wonders in Sassafras that rival the real Seven Wonders of the World. The reward? An adventure that Eben's been craving -- a trip to Colorado.

Even doesn't think he'll have any luck -- he can't think of one single thing that could be considered wondrous in Sassafras -- but he's willing to try. Little does he know that the Wonders he'll discover among his neighbors, friends, relatives, and family will give him the adventure of a lifetime...without ever leaving his home.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14045 in Books
• Published on: 2007-02-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

From School Library Journal
Grade 4-7–A literary folk story blending down-home narrative and characters with a sprinkling of magical realism. It is a tale of transformation, of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, of the wonderful things that can happen anywhere to anyone. In Sassafras Springs, MO, in the summer of 1923, Eben McAllister, 11, is fascinated by the Seven Wonders of the World. Pa assures him that there are marvels right under his nose. In fact, the man challenges him to find Seven Wonders in seven days in Sassafras Springs. If Eben can do so, his father will buy him a ticket to visit his cousins in Colorado where he'll be able to see a mountain. On the first day, Eben hears the story of his Sunday school teacher's applehead doll, which saved the woman's life when she was very sick as a child. Then there's the wonder of an old saw that, when played, allows Calvin Smiley to grow more food than anyone around. Cully Pone's bookcase used to belong to a rainmaker who was seeking revenge when he ended a drought but didn't get paid by the town; it has saved a man's life, held the secrets of the universe, and now holds up Cully's house. Most certainly this is a wonder. Eben completes his quest in this old-fashioned tale that could have been set in Bill Brittain's Coven Tree (The Wish Giver [HarperCollins, 1983]). Black-and-white sketches enhance the text and its folksy character. Perfect for reading aloud.–Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Gr. 3-6. "I was only looking for big things . . . but a small thing can be a prize too." That's the transparent theme of Eben McAllister's search for local wonders. The year is 1923, and Eben, who lives on a farm in Missouri, longs for marvels like those in his Seven Wonders of the World book. His father challenges him to find local wonders to rival the famous ones. If Eben can gather seven wonders in seven days, his will earn a train ride to visit relatives in the Colorado mountains. He ekes out time from daily chores to visit the neighbors, each of whom shares a wonder and tells a story. The tall tales are a bit heavy on message and cliche (the mayor, who was a naughty child, "saw the light" and learned that he should use his energy to help folks), but the magical realism of the episodic wonders--an outhouse flying in a cyclone, a musical saw that fends off crop-eating locusts--and Eben's empathetic father and aunt provide grist for a solid read-aloud. Phelan's black-and-white illustrations are a charming accompaniment. Cindy Dobrez
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"Author Birney conjures just enough fancy... to nudge readers into pondering what rarities lie in their own backyards." -- Denver Post, September 18, 2005

"Here is a story that will ... make you want to pass this special book along to the next reader." -- BookPage, August, 2005

"I'll wager some readers will want a ticket straight to Sassafras Springs." -- Contra Costa Times, June 26, 2005

*Starred review* "....will inspire everything from chuckles to chills." -- Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2005

*Starred review* "...tender, captivating gem of a novel." -- Publisher's Weekly, August 8, 2005

Customer Reviews

creative, beautiful story
I am a third and fourth grade teacher. The librarian in our school highly recommended this book. I read it aloud to my third grade class of boys, and they were thoroughly intrigued by the book. There are several vignettes throughout the book, and each of these wonderful depections is written with breathtaking imagination. The characters and the storyline are well built. I would recommend this as an independent reading book for most fourth or fifth graders, and as a read aloud for third graders because it is written in an old-fashioned southern manner, which, in my opinion, is a bit difficult for most third graders to read fluidly by themselves.

I would recommend this book to anyone
Sassafras Springs is just a boring farming town, assumes plucky young Eben McAllister. Until one day, when his pa challenges him to find the Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs - in seven days. If he succeeds, Eben's pa will let him take the trip to Colorado that he has been dreaming of. Aunt Pretty thinks it is a bad idea at first, that Eben should stay home and mind the farm with his pa, but then she agrees because she knows how restless he is. Eben is excited to have found six wonders already - which, by the way, include a life-saving apple ead doll and a real ship in a bottle - when he finds out that a sickness is going through the Colorado town of his destination, and the trip is off. He is very disappointed until Aunt Pretty makes arrangements for him to visit St. Louis instead. Eben is back on track pursuing his goal . . . one more wonder, and he is off to the train station.

Overall, The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs is a delightful, energetic story with likable characters. The book has a well-thought-out plot. I usually like science fiction and fantasy books, so I was not sure if I would enjoy this, but The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs really surprised me. I enjoyed reading it very much. It was heart-warming in some places, and sad in others, and it was interesting to see how Eben comes to realize that even a small town like Sassafras Springs can have wonders of its own. I would recommend this book to anyone, and readers who enjoyed Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder will love this.
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Preteen, teen, and young adult book reviews and recommendations.

Great Illustrations, a lovely southern tale
This meandering tale carries in it the qualities of all fine southern fiction: multidimensional characters, clear descriptions of place, and a story to carry them beyond the covers of the book. The illustrations, by Matt Phelan, are done in simple, evokative line drawings, and enrich the reader's imagination without overwhelming.

The story has enough pull for younger readers to stay interested, and is rich enough to capture older individuals as well.