I really liked how the author included elements of Emerson's Self Reliance. There's quite a bit of what I would call "mysticism" here so parents be forewarned if you frown on that sort of thing. The characters are well drawn and Polly is a character that I think every "tweener" can identify with, be it boy or girl. There's a great environmental message here about keeping in touch with the land and how everything is inter-related, but it's not heavy handed. What kid (or grown up for that matter) hasn't dreamed of living in an actual castle, and having conversations with animals? The author does a great job here of portraying a magical environment with just the right note of whimsy that makes the whole tale just mesmerizing. This is a very well written book that was captivating even for a grown up like me. All is not well though, because Polly often feels like a freak because she lives on such a magical place and when one day it quits raining, she must discover her true power so she can save not only the farm, but her family as well. Polly Peabody believes in magic, and it's a good thing too, because she lives on a farm where the insects talk (or spell, really), the weeping willows really weep, the rhubarb plants communicate and it rains every Monday at 1:00.
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