A Mind with Wings: The Story of Henry David Thoreau

by Loretta Hausman and Gerald Hausman

It's July 4, 1845. A soft-spoken young man named Henry David Thoreau has carefully constructed a small, simple cabin in the woods overlooking Walden Pond. For the next two years, his closest... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1590302281
• ISBN13: 9781590302286
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: Trumpeter
• Length: 148 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.8" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

The Spirit of America

There is no other single person who represents the spirit of America's environmental and creative consciousness movement as does Henry David Thoreau. The Hausma's have done a considerable service of introducing the great man to children and young people and in an accessable manner. Let us all be reminded of the importance of nature.

A reminder to slow down

Reviewed by April Sullivan for Reader Views (08/06) "A Mind With Wings" is a book for young readers about the life of Henry David Thoreau. It takes us from birth to death and includes all of the major events in between. We learn how Henry grew up in a family of free thinkers. We meet influential people in his life such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and John Brown. We learn of his setbacks and achievements such as getting thrown in jail, but turning it around into a lecture series. Using information from biographies on Henry David Thoreau as well as notes from his journal, the book gives readers an intimate peak into the life of this great American thinker. Henry David Thoreau was a son, a brother, a pencil-maker, a thinker, a writer, a naturalist, and so much more. Any young reader asked to do a report or research paper on Thoreau should pick up this book. The authors know their audience. A timeline and glossary are included in the back for reference and the book is just long enough for the intended age group. I was excited to read this book, because I have never been able to dive into "Walden", yet I wanted to get a sense of this man. After reading "A Mind With Wings", I have a better understanding of where he was coming from and feel better prepared to try reading "Walden". However, it goes beyond that. This book teaches lessons that all of us should practice. It reminds me that I need to slow down, take more walks in the woods, and get to know nature better. Henry also teaches us to follow our hearts and personal morals. If something seems wrong to you, don't do it. Stand up for what you believe in. Henry did all of these things, lived a full life, and died a peaceful man.

Reintroducing a Great Man

I read some of A Mind with Wings every night for a week to stretch it out. I enjoyed every minute of it. Thoreau has so much life to him in this book. The Hausmans chose just the right places to meet him and just the right tone for him to speak to us, grown ups and kids alike. And I learned a heck of a lot. I never knew so many of the things that were in the book; things it gave me pleasure to learn. I always loved HDT, but he seemed kind of old and dead in my mind. In this story he was young and lively and friendly. I hope this book introduces this man, who started nonviolent revolution and was a fearless abolitionist, to today's younger students. As a middle school teacher, I will bring this book into my class so my children can meet HDT in a way that they will think of him as a friend.

Lively fiction and thorough research reveals Thoreau's life and personality

The portrait of Henry David Thoreau written in "A Mind With Wings" is so good that I wanted to read Walden Pond again. The authors have done a great job of researching each detail and made this reclusive author turn into a real, warm-bodied human being whose writing is ever more accessible to me. I hope a great many others will also enjoy this new perspective of a great author.