Know Wonder – Becoming Jesse, Book III
By Patsie McCandless
Know Wonder
~ Sequel to the multi-award-winning Secrets of Windy Hill ~
Wonder is the beginning of everything.
Oh, what a wonder-lush year Jesse has spent with his darling grandmother, Gemma, on their island farm at Windy Hill!
But now it is 1955, and eight-year-old, orphaned Jesse finds that life can be bleak, with ruined crops, little to eat, and money in short supply. Gemma is thwarted, and bitterly broken-hearted that her husband, Daniel, is still missing, after twenty-five years. On top of that, ominous strangers creep around the farm, seeking the ever-rumored treasure.
Feeling the brunt of Gemma’s frustrations, Jesse is baffled. How can he bring Love and Light back to his cheerless grandmother?
The answer is in the wonder of Jesse. Learning to cope, he shines his Light, still puzzling out astonishing mysteries and muddles. Jesse is still becoming the accidental hero in his sometimes hilarious, sometimes perilous, but always amazing adventures. Jesse is learning to Know Wonder!
Featuring classic illustrations and words that beg to be read aloud.
Artwork by:
Patsie McCandless
Cover:
PaperSolo no paint – no pen – no ink
only layers of exquisite paper
Illustrations:
pencil / pen & ink
PaperSolo.com
Testimonials
“I must say, I very much enjoyed this middle grade reader from the pen of P. McCandless. Set in the 1950s on Windy Hill Farm on an island in New England, it’s the story of a young boy, Jesse, the adventures he has, and how he finds a way of helping his troubled grandmother, Gemma.
With an ‘Enid Blyton’ feel to it, it’s a FAB book for 9 – 12-year-olds looking for mystery, suspense, and family drama.There’s a lot of magic in this novel. And, when I say magic, I’m not referring to the Harry Potter sort. Jesse, a young orphan, is a magical character, and he’s very much the strength of this story. Not only is he wise beyond his eight years, he’s also very giving, and I suspect most readers will enjoy rooting for him all the way to the exciting end.
The pacing is spot on, as the author is adept with a strong writing style and developing her characters, using speech.
So if you happen to be on the hunt for a cleverly plotted novel for a boy or girl, this book is for you. I understand it’s Book 3 of the set and, although this could be read as a stand-alone, why not enjoy the story from the beginning?
I have a feeling Becoming Jesse ~ Celebrating the Everyday Magic of Childhood is a superb read, too, packed full of twists, turns – magic and suspense!”
“Jesse is back in all his glory!! With new puzzles, mysteries, adventures, laugh-out-loud fun, dangers, and of course, his many Light Lessons! Return to Jesse’s special island as he lights the way for his grandmother, Gemma, and all the wonderful characters who make up his world – and for YOU, too!
Parents, grandparents, and children of all ages will delight in this next book in the Becoming Jesse series. Reading it aloud to my boys was not only fun and filled with so many “gigglesnickens,” but we had many opportunities to discuss real-life problems and how we could learn from Jesse to solve them. Another resounding 5 stars for McCandless!”
“Know Wonder earns Patsie McCandless a hat trick in the children’s literature genre. Jesse is a great role model for friendship in children’s books, as he provides a truly uplifting story of orphans, through an incredibly self-reliant and resilient character.
It’s been fun reading about Jesse’s adventures as he is growing up and learning the facts of life. This children’s 1900s historical fiction is a joy to read, and a great third volume in this sequel. The imagination written into these tales is inspirational. The way McCandless takes the readers on Jesse’s adventures and draws us into the mysteries he encounters makes for great family reading.
I can’t wait to see if this grows from a trilogy to an ongoing series for Jesse — and us!”
“Patsie McCandless delivers again with the third installment of Jesse’s adventures! What a wonderful reminder for young readers (and grown-ups) that we can choose to put Light out into the world. We need Jesse’s magic more than ever, right now. Know Wonder has all of the witty banter and mysterious puzzles that characterized the first two books in the series. Let Jesse’s journey help facilitate discussions with the young people in your life about how to deal with setbacks and the power of reframing our thoughts to let the Light shine through.
I always give books as gifts for birthdays, graduations, etc. Jesse’s trilogy just moved up to the Top of my gift list!!!”
