The Wing Shop [Hardcover]

Elvira Woodruff (Author), Stephen Gammell (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

After his family moves to a different part of town, Matthew tries to get back to his old house by trying on different pairs of wings in an unusual wing shop.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When his family moves, Matthew does not like their new neighborhood. Desperate for a way to get back to his old house, Matthew stumbles into the wing shop, where Lucy Featherman lends him three different pairs of wings. In one high-flying adventure after another, Matthew learns that home has more to do with the people who love you than anything else. Woodruff's gentle wit and sense of broad fantasy raise The Wing Shop head and shoulders above the norm for problem-solving books. Best of all, Gammell's shimmering watercolors, especially his panoramic paintings of Matthew in flight, are positively breathtaking. The slightly nerdy, bespectacled Matthew and carrot-topped Lucy--one shoe purple, the other green--are exuberant creations. Gammell's work here is even stronger, looser and more appealing than in his Caldecott-winning Song and Dance Man . Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-- Matthew has recently moved and longs to return to his old neighborhood. One day he happens upon a windblown, red-haired child named Lucy Featherman, who outfits him, in turn, with wings from a seagull, a bat, a biplane, and finally, a bee. Eventually Matthew, like most questers, learns that he can't go home again. Gammell's colored-pencil renderings are--as expected--superb. His vibrant watercolor hues and whimsical characters are reminiscent of those found in his illustrations for Lyon's Come a Tide (Orchard Bks., 1990) and Ackerman's Song and Dance Man (Knopf, 1988). Each spread is filled with his unique, intoxicating treatment of light and shadow, of space (his skies are breathtaking), of flying--and falling. Wit and humor abound on every page; buildings are skewed appealingly; clouds, trees, and walls harbor subtle images that will intrigue readers of all ages. There's more than a bit of Icarus in this tale; a gull-winged Matthew plummets seaward while a wiley shark lurks below. Unfortunately, the text comes nowhere near Gammell's artistry. His work is airborne, while Woodruff's is consistently pedestrian and self-conscious. --Eve Larkin, Chicago Public Library
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 1 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House; 1st edition (March 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823408256
• ISBN-13: 978-0823408252
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #519,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Elvira Woodruff is the author of over twenty picture books and novels for young readers including George Washington's Socks. Most recent books include Fearless and Small Beauties: The Journey of Darcy Heart O'Hara.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great entertainment and imagination, May 3, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Wing Shop (Paperback)

The illustrations make this book come alive and provide the adults with some good belly laughs. You can feel yourself flying with Matthew and yelling "whoa!!!" as different pairs of wings take you on all kinds of unexpected rides. Great fun for everyone

5.0 out of 5 stars Change might be ok with a pair of wings!, January 22, 2006

By 

T.L. (Maine) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wing Shop (Hardcover)

I adore this book! The illustrations alone make this book come alive and provide the reader with a visual invitation into the Wing Shop. You can feel yourself flying with Matthew as different pairs of wings take you on all kinds of unexpected adventures. Not only do the illustrations invite you into Matthew's adventure; reading the story is as rewarding!

4.0 out of 5 stars Wing shop was a fun and exciting adventure!, November 24, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Enifeil elementary pa United states) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wing Shop (Hardcover)

Dear. Amazon We liked the story Wing Shop because the boy had a sence of humor, different type of wings, colorfull wings, bat wings, the buter, And how the bee wing got the little boy homw

The author and publisher of Whing Shop as Elvira Woodruff and are publiser is Holiday Hose. We hope to actually meet Elvira Woodruff in our school in March. We have some questions for her when she visit. 1. What is your favorite book? 2. Why did she write Wing shop? 3.How did she get all thos wings in the wing shop 4. What was your favorite type of wing in the wing shop. 5.How did you get this job.