Brief Description: 6 Dutch children in a small village endeavor to entice storks back to their nests.
Geographical Setting: Europe, Friesland, Netherlands
Historical Era: 20th Century
Date Range: 1910s or a bit earlier
Keywords: storks, village life
Original Publication: 1954
Suitable for Grades: 3-8th
Target Audience: Chapter Book, Middle Grade
Librarian's Review
This might not technically be classified as historical fiction, but the story is so delightful that I include it here. The book never specifies the time period, though it is likely in the early 20th century (work horses still do the work ), set in the small fictional village of Shora near the coast in the Netherlands, which time and fashion have passed over. Six school children live in this Dutch village with “just old people, so they weren’t too important.” The children’s quest to entice storks back to nest on the rooftops unexpectedly unites the young and old residents of the village. Some really fun and free educational ideas for this novel can be found here: Creative Teaching Ideas for The Wheel on the School.
I read this book some time ago, before I fully developed my plans for this website. I therefore don’t have a comprehensive list of historical key words. My short review and lack of key word detail in no way reflects my impression of this novel. I highly recommend this read for the social lessons it imparts, and for a peek back at a simpler and innocent time in the Netherlands.