Booktalking Colorado - Full Booktalk Record

Booktalking Colorado Full Record:

	Title:	Beyond the Deepwoods: The Edge Chronicles
	Author:	Stewart, Paul (illus. By Chris Riddell)
	Date Published:	2004
	Genre:	Fantasy
	Grade Level:	6 - 7
	Booktalker:	Sam Marsh

Booktalk:
Twig never had fit in with the woodtrolls. He was just too small and skinny. And different: dark, green-eyed, smooth-skinned and with unusually long legs for a woodtroll. But, he didn't speak until he was three years old. He always got picked on by the other woodtrolls his age, and his father, Tuntum, was always telling him to fight back. Not that it would have done him any good as frail as he was compared to the others. One day, playing trockbladder, Twig had gotten the bladder and was determined to be the hero for once. Instead of passing it to another on his team when he was cornered, Twig simply left the path, something no other woodtroll would think of doing, and scored a twenty-four pointer. "You stepped from the path." "No-one steps from the path." they said. But when Twig pointed out that the rules didn't say anything, the others jumped on Twig and kicked and punched him. After that, he was truly alone with no friends. Then came the day that Tuntum took Twig with him to see the sky pirates. And, everything changed. Spelda, his mother, was certain that they would be back for Twig. She reminded him of woodtrolls that had been taken from their beds. So it was decided that Twig would go to stay with a cousin until things blew over. He would have to go alone. Through the mysterious, endless, frightening Deepwoods. At night. But, so long as he stayed on the paths, he would be fine. And woodtrolls always stick to the path. Twig, of course, left the path . . . Sam Marsh November, 2004 for Spring, 2005