Discern Ratings
Age & Family Safety
Children
Youth (13–18)
Adults
Scored Dimensions
Language & Content
Language purity, violence, and sexual content
Moral Framework
Virtue honored; vice has consequences
Theological Claims
Faithful to Scripture when theology is present; 100 if no claims made
Ideological Worldview
Consistent with biblical teaching on sexuality and identity
Composite = Language & Content 25% · Moral Framework 15% · Theological Claims 40% · Ideological Worldview 20%
Informational
Redemptive Arc
Grace, hope, or transformation present in the story
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This "impeccably paced fantasy"* from Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant is a don't-miss classic animal adventure.
Told from the perspective of four animal friends and filled with charming black-and-white illustrations, Gooseberry Park works well both as a read-aloud and as a fun independent book for second through fourth graders.
Stumpy Squirrel has just settled into a new nest in a magnificent pin oak in Gooseberry Park. It's the perfect spot for her babies to be born! When they arrive healthy and strong, Stumpy's three good friends--a Labrador retriever, a wise hermit crab, and a bat--are thrilled.
But after a terrible ice storm destroys the pin oak, Stumpy disappears. It takes a special combination of courage, humor, and tenacity for Stumpy's friends to rescue her babies and bring her home again.
Plus the adventures continue in Gooseberry Park and the Master Plan and the third book in the series, A Kitten in Gooseberry Park.
*starred Publishers Weekly review
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