Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
5th out of 93 books
—
48 voters
Weslandia
WESLANDIA honors the misfits—and the creators—among us.
Enter the witty, intriguing world of Weslandia! Now that school is over, Wesley needs a summer project. He’s learned that each civilization needs a staple food crop, so he decides to sow a garden and start his own - civilization, that is. He turns over a plot of earth, and plants begin to grow. They soon tower above hi...more
Enter the witty, intriguing world of Weslandia! Now that school is over, Wesley needs a summer project. He’s learned that each civilization needs a staple food crop, so he decides to sow a garden and start his own - civilization, that is. He turns over a plot of earth, and plants begin to grow. They soon tower above hi...more
Paperback, 40 pages
Published
August 1st 2002
by Candlewick Press
(first published June 2nd 1999)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,318)
I remember this book coming out when I was still in primary school. I remember pawing through the pages and--for the first time--being impressed by the art. I remember marvelling at Wesley's great ideas and the creation of his own civilisation. I remember, hoping against hope, that the little pot of dirt I left on the verandah would catch some of the seeds that Wesley had. I remember wondering what I would do if I ever got my hands on a piece of Weslandia.
When I was younger, I was a geek like We...more
When I was younger, I was a geek like We...more
Until now Paul Fleischman's WESLANDIA, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, was my favorite of his many titles.
In this story Wes launches his summer vacation in his own backyard, equipped only with what he has learned in school, that the core of every enduring civilization is a staple food crop. That knowledge in the hands of a boy with insatiable curiosity and ingenious creativity needed only a summery night breeze to deposit a few seeds of unknown origin. An entire civilization takes root in his yard...more
In this story Wes launches his summer vacation in his own backyard, equipped only with what he has learned in school, that the core of every enduring civilization is a staple food crop. That knowledge in the hands of a boy with insatiable curiosity and ingenious creativity needed only a summery night breeze to deposit a few seeds of unknown origin. An entire civilization takes root in his yard...more
Weslandia by Paul Fleischman
This is such a great book! Paul Fleischman tells a story about how being different is not only okay but great things can come from it. Wesley is different from his town and he knows it. The people in the town want everyone to exactly alike; same haircut, interests, hobbies, etc. Wesley does not fit the mold and doesn’t try to. The story line is creative and inviting. The illustrations are filled with bright, vibrant colors and details. The illustrations really paint t...more
This is such a great book! Paul Fleischman tells a story about how being different is not only okay but great things can come from it. Wesley is different from his town and he knows it. The people in the town want everyone to exactly alike; same haircut, interests, hobbies, etc. Wesley does not fit the mold and doesn’t try to. The story line is creative and inviting. The illustrations are filled with bright, vibrant colors and details. The illustrations really paint t...more
I chose this book as another of Fleischman's books -- a picture book, with illustrations by Kevin Hawkes (very evocative, perfect illustrations for this story). This is about a young man--Wesley--whose parents worry about him because his seems miserable because he "sticks out" . . . "like a nose." We soon learn that his unique interests and tastes made him different from all his would-be friends. But he liked what he liked and was having a great time with his unusual pursuits. When summer began,...more
Wesley didn’t fit in with the other people in his neighborhood. Even his parents thought he was strange. He didn’t have any friends instead all the kids tormented him. Wesley knew he was an outcast in his own civilization, so when summer rolled around Wesley decided he would grow his own staple food crop and found his own civilization, Weslandia. He turns over a plot of land in his backyard and soon a new and unknown plant begins to grow and grow and grow until it towers over Wesley. Wesley dis...more
Enter the witty, intriguing world of Weslandia! Now that school is over, Wesley needs a summer project. He’s learned that each civilization needs a staple food crop, so he decides to sow a garden and start his own - civilization, that is. He turns over a plot of earth, and plants begin to grow. They soon tower above hi...moreWESLANDIA honors the misfits—and the creators—among us.
Enter the witty, intriguing world of Weslandia! Now that school is over, Wesley needs a summer project. He’s learned t...more
Enter the witty, intriguing world of Weslandia! Now that school is over, Wesley needs a summer project. He’s learned t...more
This is a very enthicing book that kept me intersted from begining to end. What I like in the story is the sense of discovery and independence that Wesley has. He was an outcast in his school and neighborhood, but being an outcast did not deter him of creating his own and very original summer project; he created his own civilization. I really admire in people when they overcome obstacles in life and succed in what they believe.
Coming back to the story,this book can have multiple connections and...more
Coming back to the story,this book can have multiple connections and...more
Weslandia
Paul Fleishman and Kevin Hawkes
The author and illustrator of Weslandia put a fresh look on thinking outside the box with this story. The story begins with a young boy overhearing his parents talking negatively about him because his interests and appearance are not normal, in comparison to that of his peers. Instead of feeling low about being different, Wesley embraces it and spends his entire summer creating a world relies upon a mysterious flower that has been planted by the wind in hi...more
Paul Fleishman and Kevin Hawkes
The author and illustrator of Weslandia put a fresh look on thinking outside the box with this story. The story begins with a young boy overhearing his parents talking negatively about him because his interests and appearance are not normal, in comparison to that of his peers. Instead of feeling low about being different, Wesley embraces it and spends his entire summer creating a world relies upon a mysterious flower that has been planted by the wind in hi...more
Wesley is a boy who doesn’t seem to fit in with others. He lives in a boring neighborhood where everyone has the same haircut, grows the same crops, and lives in the same style home. Wesley decides to grow his own crop. When he does so, he ends up creating his own civilization. He names it Weslandia. He has edible food, creates his own clothing, language system, and games. Soon, the children of the neighborhood are less interested in picking on Wesley and more interested in participating in Wesl...more
‘Weslandia’ is a fabulous book, which tells the story of an outcast boy by the name of Wesley who creates his own world. Poor Wesley who knows he is a bit different than anyone else in his town gets out of school for the summer and decides to create his own summer project. It all starts with a plot of land in his back yard which grows into something much more. Eventually Wesley’s plot of land develops into an entire civilization. He has no need to ever leave this place. His land produces food, c...more
Wesley really does march to the beat of his own drummer, and he's happy doing it.
Pity he's stuck in the doldrums of conformist suburbia. Even his parents aren't happy with a quiet, studious kid who doesn't get into trouble - they keep bribing him to wear the idiotic fashions and hairstyles of his classmates instead!
Wesley's not very popular, actually, which is a pity because he's really a pretty awesome kid. For his summer project he decides to start his own civilization. By an amazing coinciden...more
Pity he's stuck in the doldrums of conformist suburbia. Even his parents aren't happy with a quiet, studious kid who doesn't get into trouble - they keep bribing him to wear the idiotic fashions and hairstyles of his classmates instead!
Wesley's not very popular, actually, which is a pity because he's really a pretty awesome kid. For his summer project he decides to start his own civilization. By an amazing coinciden...more
This is a picture book story about a boy who is being mocked and bullied at school. He is a lot different than the kids at school who all shave half of their heads to be cool. For his summer project he decides to grow a sustainable food source in his back yard and he does just that. This crop is delicious and it serves for many other purposes as well. He can make clothes out of it, and oil ad bug repellant and so many different things. The town finally has an appreciation for the boy and he is s...more
This is a story about a boy finding his true self. He doesn’t fit in with the “civilization around him,” so when summer begins, he decides to create one himself by using a fact he learned in school (every civilization has a staple food crop). Soon he starts to grow a garden filled with strange fruit-bearing plants. He finds out he can use these plants for food, shelter, clothing, and leisure time activities. His classmates start to come around and share in on the fun he has created with his own...more
I loved this picture book about a little boy, Wesley, who doesn't fit in. He doesn't eat junk food or hang out with the "cool" boys. He actually learns something in school. When school gets out Wesley decides he needs a summer project. Magically, some unique seeds float in the air overnight and land in his backyard. The plant grows and it is unlike any plant ever seen. Wesley creates Weslandia, his own civilization using this plant and the products he makes from it.
It's a great story for kids to...more
It's a great story for kids to...more
I love this story of this book in terms of the inventiveness of the protagonist and sustainability techniques demonstrated by his reliance on local, renewable resources. It does lack some good female characters though- even the backgrounds seem to contain almost entirely boys. The illustrations seem to be more good than great, although they do contain some interesting perspectives. The acrylic paints feel a bit blurry although they generally contain bright colors. It could also be the lack of ou...more
Aug 04, 2011
Jill
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Jill by:
teaching blogger
I feel like this book could have been written by none other than Matt Reynolds.
Wesley is a misfit who doesn't go along with cultural norms. He doesn't want to do his hair the same way as everyone, he hates sports that everyone loves, and the monotony of his town just gets him down. After learning about civilizations in school, he makes it his summer project to create his own civilization.
This was a really interesting picture book about being different, things that make up civilizations and cultu...more
Wesley is a misfit who doesn't go along with cultural norms. He doesn't want to do his hair the same way as everyone, he hates sports that everyone loves, and the monotony of his town just gets him down. After learning about civilizations in school, he makes it his summer project to create his own civilization.
This was a really interesting picture book about being different, things that make up civilizations and cultu...more
Weslandia is a refreshing and intersting children's science fiction book. The cover is a full bleed, double spread illustration containing many vibrant colors; much like the rest of the double spreads found within the book. Each illustration is teeming with life and creativity. The creativity of the boy within the story mirrors that of the author especially in the fact that both the main character Wesley and Paul Fleischman created their own secret civilizations whn they were young children in s...more
The wife of my former boss told me about this book and how she made use of it for her middle school class. It is about a boy named Wesley who is much different than the boring, ordinary kids he grows up with. Wesley seems to be a bookworm, who consumes a lot of information, and, wanting to put the information to good use, decides to create his own civilization, Weslandia, based around an obscure crop. The book does a decent job sketching some of the incipient stuff that a civilization needs. It...more
Wesley does not fit in with the other children in his neighborhood or with what his parents consider "normal". Wesley begins to create his own civilization over summer break.
This book would be great as a social studies book when learning about civilizations. The main character begins with a plant that he can use in many ways. He then uses this plant for food, clothing, shelter, and lotions. Another way to use this book is to talk about bullies. The main character is kind of “odd” and does not fi...more
This book would be great as a social studies book when learning about civilizations. The main character begins with a plant that he can use in many ways. He then uses this plant for food, clothing, shelter, and lotions. Another way to use this book is to talk about bullies. The main character is kind of “odd” and does not fi...more
We haven't read this for many years, but yesterday we needed a picture book for a writing exercise and pulled this one off the shelf. It is a beautiful (and beautifully illustrated) story of an unconventional, misunderstood, unpopular boy and the life he creates for himself. After we reread it, my son said that it had the three pieces of advice he'd gotten at his Boy Scout banquet last week, from a highly-accomplished Eagle Scout: "Reach for the stars, date to be different, and seek responsibili...more
Weslandia is a tale that many can relate to. It is a story about a young boy named Wesley who does not fit in with society, so he decides to take matters into his own hands and grow his own staple food crop and build his own civilization. People in his town become so curious that they join in and play Wesley’s games that he made up and wear his clothes that he weaved. The book has a predictable and happy ending that is sure to please any reader. The pictures in this book are bright and colorful...more
May 28, 2011
Dolly
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
parents reading with their children
This is a fascinating, but odd story about a little boy who is unafraid to break out of the conformist mold that many of us are stuck in. He avoids the trap of television and video games and turns his summer vacation into a true adventure by creating his own little civilization. The story subtly educates the reader about the foundation for a civilization. I love that this story encourages children to go outside and do rather than just be passive and idle. The illustrations are fun and the story...more
I loved the bright colors the illustrator used in this story. It used a variety of colors. I also like how throguh out the story it uses different views. Some of the illustrations you were loking up, down, or face to face. I also like how some of the pages had the texted framed to wear it stook out from the background. Some of the pages the texted blended in with the background. There is alot of detail in each illustration. I really liked the theme of the book as well. Great book to read a loud...more
This book is fantastic simply because it has captured a premise that is unintuitive and overlooked, and yet was as much a part of my childhood daydreams as any over-done stories of fairies, witches, or wizards.
Weslandia tells the story of a young boy, Wesley, who decides to... wait for it... make his own civilization. Starting from a staple crop, and building up slowly through architecture, writing, language, art, and so forth, Wesley builds the civilization of Weslandia. When I read this, I sud...more
Weslandia tells the story of a young boy, Wesley, who decides to... wait for it... make his own civilization. Starting from a staple crop, and building up slowly through architecture, writing, language, art, and so forth, Wesley builds the civilization of Weslandia. When I read this, I sud...more
1 like · like · see review
Urban anthropology + great illustrations = a fantastic kids book to read again and again.
I tried to do many of these things with my beloved mimosa tree-- make clothes, paper etc. so it rings very true to me as a kids dream to create his own place in the world.
Wes finds friends and changes his life by following his an inner call to explore the near unknown.
The book celebrates individuality and invention, but also the value of building community despite differences.
I tried to do many of these things with my beloved mimosa tree-- make clothes, paper etc. so it rings very true to me as a kids dream to create his own place in the world.
Wes finds friends and changes his life by following his an inner call to explore the near unknown.
The book celebrates individuality and invention, but also the value of building community despite differences.
This book is about a misfit boy-genius who is bullied and has no friends. Over the summer he decides to grow his own crop and create his own civilization, putting what he learned in school to use. A magical seed is swept into his garden and a luscious fruit is grown. We get to see how he makes his own games, alphabet, counting system, foods, clothes and much more. In the end, the other children are drawn to his civilization and he finally makes friends.
To me it felt a little unfair that the bull...more
To me it felt a little unfair that the bull...more
Although this is a picture book, this has always been one of my favorites. Wesley is a misfit, his parents try all these things to get him to be like other boys but Wesley stays the same. When summer comes his parents tell him he should start a summer project about the things he learned in school. Things like every civilization has it's own food crop and other civilization oriented knowledge. Wesley turns over some land in his yard and unknown plants begin to grow in his yard. I think it's reall...more
Oct 02, 2010
Eva Leger
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Eva by:
library
Shelves:
julias-books
This is a strange book. Some parts were really, really good and other parts were really, really bad. Julia wasn't invested in it one bit and it was just too different from anything she knows for it to be interesting for her. We finished it but only because of me.
I'd probably recommend it to boys (maybe some girls) who are older than Julia, maybe in the 8-11 age group or so who are having difficulty separating themselves from their peers.
I'd probably recommend it to boys (maybe some girls) who are older than Julia, maybe in the 8-11 age group or so who are having difficulty separating themselves from their peers.
Wesley doesn't fit in, so he decides to start his own civilization, called Weslandia. He even adopts his own counting system, based on the number 8. He divides the day into 8 segments and tells time using somewhat of a sundial. All of these ideas can be used to get students thinking about numbers, specifically, our base-ten number system, our system of telling time, and the use of a sundial to tell time.
One of my all-time favorite books. Gorgeously illustrated and designed by the talent Keven Hawkes, it tells of an off-beat kid who dances to his own drummer, and after an amazing summer, gets everyone to dance along. (if only life were really like this). It might be a comfort to "different" children, and would be a great jumping off place for conversation in a classroom. And it's a FUN, creative, read.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Paul Fleischman grew up in Santa Monica, California. The son of well-known children's novelist Sid Fleischman, Paul was in the unique position of having his famous father's books read out loud to him by the author as they were being written. This experience continued throughout his childhood.
Paul followed in his father's footsteps as an author of books for young readers, and in 1982 he released...more
More about Paul Fleischman...
Paul followed in his father's footsteps as an author of books for young readers, and in 1982 he released...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
I haven't read this, but from what you've said I would love to one day. It's so true what you say about life being lived less fully and...more
Apr 05, 2009 12:51am