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Table of Contents
About The Book
From the author of Stopping to Home and Seaward Born comes this remarkable story of hardship, determination, and the joy of finding the right path in life.
All Will Ames ever wanted to do was farm. But when he's injured in a farm accident, Will is left without a leg—and without his future.
After a winter of healing, Will knows his future must be away from the farm that he loves. He and his younger sister Cassie go stay with their older sister and her husband in the nearby town of Wiscasset. There, with the excitement of Maine's new statehood as a backdrop, Will finds that being disabled can be a social handicap as well as physical one. But with hard work he can win respect—and find exciting possibilities for his future.
Living in town opens Cassie's eyes too. She sees Will considering career options that aren't open to her as a young woman in 1820, and she wonders if she can be fulfilled by simply keeping a house and a family—or if she can find her own exciting place in the world.
Told through Cassie's journal entries, Wintering Well is a story of resilience and self-discovery in the face of hardship.
All Will Ames ever wanted to do was farm. But when he's injured in a farm accident, Will is left without a leg—and without his future.
After a winter of healing, Will knows his future must be away from the farm that he loves. He and his younger sister Cassie go stay with their older sister and her husband in the nearby town of Wiscasset. There, with the excitement of Maine's new statehood as a backdrop, Will finds that being disabled can be a social handicap as well as physical one. But with hard work he can win respect—and find exciting possibilities for his future.
Living in town opens Cassie's eyes too. She sees Will considering career options that aren't open to her as a young woman in 1820, and she wonders if she can be fulfilled by simply keeping a house and a family—or if she can find her own exciting place in the world.
Told through Cassie's journal entries, Wintering Well is a story of resilience and self-discovery in the face of hardship.
Reading Group Guide
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ABOUT THE BOOK
The door to Will's cherished plans has been closed forever. What now lies ahead for him? After an awful accident, fifteen-year-old Will must decide what to do with his life. As he discovers his talent, his sister, Cassie, also learns there are more opportunities a young woman can pursue.
THEMES
Family life; Brothers and sisters; People with disabilities
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• Why did Will's father tell him he could never be a farmer?
• What skill did Will acquire to help pass time?
• What kinds of opportunities were offered to Will in the city?
• Who did Will carve at the end of the story?
• How is life different in this book, set in the 1820s, than it is today?
• How do you think you would cope with such a disappointment as Will has in this book?
• How would the story be different if Will's accident occurred in modern times?
• What does it mean to "winter well"? How does this expression apply to Cassie and Will's story?
ACTIVITIES
• Since Will enjoyed whittling animals, make your favorite animal out of molding clay.
• Make Dr. Theobold's wife's favorite flower, a rose.
• Serve cider and molasses cakes after reading the description from the book.
• Several topics for research are available in the Historical Notes and in the book: Wiscasset, Maine; early medical procedures; Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell; Thanksgiving; New England farming techniques; ship figureheads; apothecaries.
• Design/sketch a figurehead you'd like to see on a ship.
This reading group guide is for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.
Prepared by Lori Swiercinsky
© William Allen White Children's Book Award
Please visit http://www.emporia.edu/libsv/wawbookaward/ for more information about the awards and to see curriculum guides for other master list titles.
The door to Will's cherished plans has been closed forever. What now lies ahead for him? After an awful accident, fifteen-year-old Will must decide what to do with his life. As he discovers his talent, his sister, Cassie, also learns there are more opportunities a young woman can pursue.
THEMES
Family life; Brothers and sisters; People with disabilities
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• Why did Will's father tell him he could never be a farmer?
• What skill did Will acquire to help pass time?
• What kinds of opportunities were offered to Will in the city?
• Who did Will carve at the end of the story?
• How is life different in this book, set in the 1820s, than it is today?
• How do you think you would cope with such a disappointment as Will has in this book?
• How would the story be different if Will's accident occurred in modern times?
• What does it mean to "winter well"? How does this expression apply to Cassie and Will's story?
ACTIVITIES
• Since Will enjoyed whittling animals, make your favorite animal out of molding clay.
• Make Dr. Theobold's wife's favorite flower, a rose.
• Serve cider and molasses cakes after reading the description from the book.
• Several topics for research are available in the Historical Notes and in the book: Wiscasset, Maine; early medical procedures; Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell; Thanksgiving; New England farming techniques; ship figureheads; apothecaries.
• Design/sketch a figurehead you'd like to see on a ship.
This reading group guide is for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.
Prepared by Lori Swiercinsky
© William Allen White Children's Book Award
Please visit http://www.emporia.edu/libsv/wawbookaward/ for more information about the awards and to see curriculum guides for other master list titles.
About The Author
Photo Credit:
Lea Wait (1946–2019) was the author of the Antique Print mystery series and the Mainely Needlepoint mystery series, as well as historical fiction for young readers.
Product Details
- Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (May 11, 2010)
- Length: 192 pages
- ISBN13: 9781439136287
- Ages: 8 - 12
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Raves and Reviews
"A treasure waiting to be found." -- Kirkus Reviews
"Authentic historical details enrich the already fine writing." -- Kirkus Reviews
"The . . . message of triumph over adversity is . . . uplifting." -- School Library Journal
"Limned with just the right amount of detail." -- Booklist
Awards and Honors
- William Allen White Children's Book Award Reading List (KS)
- PSLA Fiction List
- Maine Student Book Award Reading List
- Great Stone Face Book Award Nominee (NH)
- SSLI Book Award Honor Book
- Volunteer State Book Award Nominee (TN)
- Massachusetts Children's Book Award Nominee
- Mark Twain Award Final Nominee (MO)
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
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Book Cover Image (jpg): Wintering Well
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