The Weaver (A Weaver Tale)

The Weaver is a truly unique story about a girl named Mary who lives in The Tales. It is a village, as the opening paragraph describes, whose inhabitants “can tell stories about anything at anytime and often do.” Storytelling doesn’t come easy for Mary and she watches as her peers advance in their skill while she still struggles with the basics. It is difficult for her. Her own mother is considered to be among the best story weavers and the perceived expectation, and subsequent disappointment, that Mary should easily follow in her footsteps makes Mary’s seeming lack of ability all the more unbearable. One day a chance meeting with a magical creature changes Mary’s life, but it is up to her to find out the true meaning of that change.As the mother of an extremely brilliant child who is often feels held back by his learning disabilities, this story struck a resonant chord. It isn’t that Mary isn’t capable, she just hasn’t found a way that works for her. Though she feels that the weight of unspoken criticism alienates her from her peers and loved ones, the truth is she is well loved for who she is, not judged by what she hasn’t been able to accomplish yet. As she comes to understand that and finds her own way, her life changes in wondrous ways.The characters in this delightful tale are vivid and fun. Like Mary, I would have a difficult time weaving tales. I would still love to live in this charming place. I love how the theme of practice and perseverance is, pardon the pun, woven throughout the story. My favorite quote is “The only time success comes before work is in the dictionary.” There are no quick fixes in life.This book is recommended for children ages 9-12. The reading level is appropriate for that age range, however I believe it would make an excellent bedtime story for much younger children. It should be a staple in every elementary special education classroom library.I will definitely be looking for the next books in this series.

The Weaver by Kai Strand is truly a special book. Although ranked as a middle-grade read, I would recommend it for children just a little younger. The story entwines all the necessary plots of a classic fairy tale; a young protagonist (Mary) with what she perceives as a great problem, a clever little blue man closely resembling a troll, supportive and not so supportive characters, and the quintessential fairy godmother in the form of Mary's own mother who guides her into becoming a self-confident young lady. This is a perfect book for bedtime.

Mary lives in a town of word weavers. Her mother is one of the best storytellers around, but Mary isn't great with stories. Her tales fall flat, which makes her stand out in the wrong way. When Mary meets an odd blue elf who wants her milk, she exchanges it for a wish...but she uses the wrong words while making her wish. This is a delightful tale of a girl who's insecure and who doesn't yet have a skill everyone else has, but nonetheless she's unique and wonderful. The lesson in this novel is that we need to accept ourselves and the process of personal growth.

My Review: This is a book that truly captures the reader's imagination. Mary Wordsmith wish is to be able to weave a tale just like her mother Abigail. When a little blue creature that looks like an unfortunate cross between a goblin and an elf grinned up at Mary and took her bottle of milk, he decided to grant her a wish in exchange for the milks. She couldn't believe her luck and her wish was to weave a yarn as beautiful as her mother.This is a great book that keeps you wanting to know what's going to happen next.Did Mary's wish given by the little blue creature work? Did Mary's storytelling improve? You have to read the book to find out. If you love fantasy books you would love The Weaver. I highly recommend this book.Disclaimer: As per FTC guidelines, I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation. All opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone.

I absolutely loved this story for its unique plot, the author's engaging storytelling, and its wonderful message. The Weaver by Kai Strand is a beautifully written fantasy chapter book for tweens. Strand draws upon her love of crafting stories for the book's plot. Imagine how you would feel if your mother was the best at the one thing you couldn't do right. What would it be like to stand out among an entire community of people for your lack of a certain skill? This is exactly where Mary finds herself. Even worse, when she thinks all that will change thanks to her wish, she discovers she still can't weave a good yarn like her mother. Strand does an excellent job of making the reader care for Mary and has us wishing things will turn out right.