I Read What You Write

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.