Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Parks
2007-08 WAW Award nominee (Grades 6-8)
September 10, 2007
Wiggle Club, whose real name is the Work-Grow-Give-Live, has the initials WGGL, which in common speech or kid conversation is ultimately referred to as Wiggle Club. Similar to 4-H clubs, Wiggle Club encourages its members to have a project to exhibit at the state fair. Patrick and Julia live in a city, so they can't have livestock as a project, but they don't want an ordinary project like hamsters, rabbits, cats, or dogs either. They want something a little different, and they eventually find something -- something that eats the leaves of a mulberry tree, which is why the book is called Project Mulberry. Readers will also learn about some agricultural and scientific principles relating to animal husbandry, life cycles and sustainable farming.
Something unique about this book is the two-page dialogue between the author and the main character that appears between chapters. It gives an inside look at how an author thinks while writing a story.
Linda Sue Park is also the author of the novels A Single Shard, which received the 2002 Newbery Medal; also Seesaw Girl, The Kite Fighters, and When My Name was Keoko, as well as two picture books for Clarion Books: The Firekeeper's Son and What Does Bunny See?
Characters:
Mr. Maxwell, Mr. Dixon, Kenny, Patrick, Julia, Julia�s mom
Setting:
Plainfield
