Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs

The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty G. Birney is a book with an old-fashioned, folk-tale feel.  Eben is fascinated by the seven wonders of the world, and his father challenges him to find seven wonders right in his small, rural home town of Sassafras Springs.  Eben doubts that it is possible, but his father says that he can travel to Colorado if he manages to find all seven wonders in seven days.  The reader is carried along with Eben and his faithful dog as they search the entire town for wonders, meeting all sorts of characters along the way.  

The writing and subject are perfectly matched.  The writing is as unadorned as Sassafras Springs but leads to the same sort of joy as the wonders. Unfortunately, the brown cover of the book will not draw children to reading it. This one will take some hand selling or direct sharing to find its audience.  

This is a perfect book to read aloud to third or fourth graders, especially those living in small towns.  It will inspire children to see their own communities in a different way, celebrating the small things that make us all unique and learning about the tale tales and ghost stories that may be right under their own noses.