When Tuesday McGillycuddy and her beloved dog, Baxterr, discover that Tuesday's mother--the famous author Serendipity Smith--has gone missing, they set out on a magical adventure. In their quest to find Serendipity, they discover the mysterious and unpredictable place that stories come from. Here, Tuesday befriends the fearless Vivienne Small, learns to sail an enchanted boat, tangles with an evil pirate, and discovers the truth about her remarkable dog. Along the way, she learns what it means to be a writer and how difficult it can sometimes be to get all the way to The End.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful.
The Magic of Story Writing
By Lance W. Anderson
When teachers try to teach writing to children we repeat almost endlessly that the author needs to include a beginning, a middle and an end. It is the magic of searching for an end through character and adventure that brings excitement to both the writer and the reader. That is what this story is all about. We also try to teach that they need to write for their audience. This book has everything their audience ,a 10 to 12 year old student, would want. It is brimming with adventure,courage,and risk taking in order to succeed. "Finding Serendipity" has elements of Dorthy and Toto in the "Wizard of OZ", mixed with "Alice in Wonderland" and a bit of "Peter Pan." The authors' message is clear that story writing is a wonderful journey not to be missed.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
An Exciting and Inspirational Tale
By Pop Bop
So, here's the thing. There are many books out there that trumpet the thrill of reading, and of books, and of writing. They are all well intentioned and their goal, to instill a love of reading and of books, is laudable. But boy, they can be heavy-handed and preachy and just so unrelentingly insistent. The message is there, but no real story, and they often generate little interest from a young reader. It can all be just too eat-your-broccoli-ish.And then you find a book like this. Blurbs refer to Dorothy and Toto and to Alice in Wonderland and to Peter Pan. And that actually hits the mark; there are echoes of all of them in this book. I got a sort of "Phantom Tollbooth" vibe. However you cast it, this book takes our heroine on a great adventure that just happens to keep circling around the idea that everyone has a story to write and that writing that story is magical and exciting.But put the message aside for a bit. Our heroine, Tuesday McGillycuddy, is smart, resourceful, spirited, and happy. Her family is loving and supportive. When her famous writer Mom disappears, well Tuesday just has to follow a living thread of silver words to find her up in a magical world in the sky. It is Wendy flying out of the window and Dorothy and Toto, (Tuesday's dog joins her), following the road, and Alice meeting unusual characters. It's exciting and fantastic.This is complemented by the fact that the writing style is clear and direct for a young reader, but often richer and more expressive and more fully imagined than one usually expects. There are some gentle and lyrical descriptions and some sweetly framed conversations between mother and daughter that are just way beyond what you usually get in fantasy/adventure. And even the simple line drawing illustrations are charming.This is a ripping yarn, a touching family story, a tribute to writers, and an inspirational piece all wrapped together. Gosh, now I want to eat my broccoli.Please note that I found this book on my own. I have no connection at all to either the authors or the publisher of this book.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.Great adventure read
By Eileen Griffin
This is indeed one of the sweetest books I have ever read! I cannot wait to share this with my third grade class. What a treasure. I cannot wait until book 2
