Ten-year-old Winnie Foster is tired of her strict, overly protected home life. Her decision to sneak in to the woods brings with it adventures and decisions Winnie never dreamed existed. Winnie becomes lovingly entwined with the Tuck family after they kidnapped her to keep her from spilling their secret of the fountain of youth they’ve all sipped from. The news of the life-giving spring can’t fall into the wrong hands, and Winnie helps a murderer break out of jail, and is offered the eternal gift of the spring. The book elicits profound questions about the cycle of life, nature, and the meaning of life and death. This enchanting book will stick with you forever. Natalie Babbitt’s use of language lends itself perfectly to lessons on language development and voice.
