The Things with Wings

by Greg Holch

Book Overview

"Adventure," Vanessa A. Zephyr says to her new friend Newton Bellnap on a bright spring day. "Adventure is my middle name." Timid, curious, lonely Newton had hoped for a quiet spring break. New to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 059093502X
• ISBN13: 9780590935029
• Release Date: May 1999
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
• Length: 227 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

The Things With Wings

this is the best books can get! from page 1 I couldn't put it down. Newton was my favorite because he is so much like me. I reccomend this book for ages 8+.

A Mystery

I recommend girls from ages 9-12 to read this book. I liked it because it had mystery and fiction in it. I liked when the two children find the secret garden beacuse I wanted to know what it was and what was in it. It also shows that anything is possible, in this book Vanessa gets to fly which is her biggest dream. I also liked the man in that black baseball hat with the mirrored sunglasses. He was cool because I didn't know who her was. This is my favorite book and I think everyone should read it. I plan on reading it again.

A Great Read!

I think this book is good, I read it in the 5th grade. My teacher had it because she ordered it from a bbok club. I think that this book is a good book to read while you wait for something because time flies when you are reading it! E-mail me at: KristinEnglish@catsrule.garfield.com

My students LOVE this book!!!

I teach 5,6,and 7 year olds, and have read this story aloud to my class as we study butterflies. They have really enjoyed Newton and Vanessa's adventures, and wondering where the man with the black hat is going to show up next. One of the best parts of the story is the way the author described the garden and the tree covered with butterflies. They are amazed at how the two characters figured a way to get the books to the rest of their class (caterpillars). Some wish that they could turn into butterflies also, just like Vanessa. They are so excited about this story, that they could listen to me read it all day, and always ask "when are we going to read another chapter?". Thank you for writing this story so that children of all ages, and adults, can enjoy the descriptiveness and details of the adventures and friendship of two children.

I devoured this book in an afternoon

The magical parts are so powerful--the garden with its magnificent tree, the river of emerald rainbow butterflies, the food of the kid-caterpillars--that you might not even need strong characters, but Newton and Vanessa are great. Of course I loved it that she was the first-step adventurer and risk-taker, but you admire Newton too. He may be scared at first, and (like most people who read the book) uncertain of whether Vanessa is nuts or if he wants to do any of these mad things, but that makes him all the more human, and all the more courageous because he *does* become an adventurer and a hero. This reminds me of Edgar Eager's *Half Magic* and Zilpha Keatley Snyder's *Black and Blue Magic* because, while the magic is there and powerful, the kids react in absolutely realistic ways. In all other respects this is a unique and lively book that needs bow to no one else. I hope Gregory Holch writes more books soon!