Gossamer by Lois Lowry

Gossamer by Lois Lowry

This book was a very quick read, but it was a wonderful story.  I liked it both as a reader and a teacher.  I liked it more as a librarian because it was recommended to me by one of my avid readers.

I had to look up the reading level, because it leaves a lot to be assumed/understood by the reader, with wonderful hints to point him in the right direction.

For example, the characters are all named with character traits.  One character is named Fastidious.  I had to reach back into my junior year of high school (thank you Mary Nyhan) when I had this word as a vocabulary word, in order to relate that character's personality, behaviors, and feelings to the name attributed.  It added levels to the book that help bridge the gap between "reading by your self" books and adult books.  

Scholastic Books rates this as a T in the guided reading level guide, and suggests that it is mostly for those around 6th grade.  I'd agree, but I think it could be enjoyed by even 3rd grade readers, just at a different level.  

This book I would definitely recommend to third through sixth graders looking to build their reading skills.