Wonderful Times Seven

Sometimes it's a title that makes you want to peek inside the cover of a book. So it is with Betty Birney's The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs. Reminiscent of small town tales of folks like India Opal Baloni and George Bailey, this is the story of Eben McAllister's week-long search to discover seven wonders in his own small community of Sassafras Springs, Missouri. The week unfolds into a surprising adventure of discovery about many of the people Eben has known all of his life - and the things he comes to see as little miracles and marvels changes both his views and those of his neighbors. Accompanied by lovely little pencil drawings (like the ones I love in the original Harriet the Spy book) this is a loving, wise and enchanting book that had me smiling with tears running down my cheeks as I closed it. Definitely my favorite of the challenge so far!