WeslandiaA picture book by Paul Fleischman
Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
Published by Candlewick Press, 1999
Lexile: 820L
34 pages
found: on the shelves
I must admit that I have always wanted to live simply off the land and grow and craft everything I need. I love to garden and sew and other domestic things one would need to do to survive. Weslandia is the story of a boy who doesn’t quite fit in to “normal” society and finds solace in his own backyard. He discovers a new plant from which he is able to eat, drink, and craft utensils, clothing, and tools. In the end, it is the other kids in town who find themselves trying to get into Weslandia.
I like the fantastical way that this encourage children to be themselves and carve their own path, regardless of how others behave. The end message is that in the end, the true leaders are those who are passionate and confident in their quest. Wesley decides that if the kids at school are going to treat him like an outcast, then he will find is own place to fit in.
To use this story in the classroom, I would take a scientific/creative problem solving approach in small groups. I could give each group a few ears of corn or potatoes and ask students to think of creative uses for various crops. Ask them to create a vessel, a tool, two ways to consume, and one fabric (either to write on or sew). Getting students to think creatively, “outside the box” gives them confidence to accept that there are many ways to accomplish a task. When one path does not lead to success, another can be tried. An exercise like this teaches students to think of using their resources in unique ways.
