From Booklist
Gr. 6-9. The Hausmans introduce the life of Henry David Thoreau in a series of short, anecdotal chapters, each centered on one, often small event in the writer's life. The authors frequently use dialogue in their accounts; however, as they explain in their introduction, the "dialogue is crafted out of Henry's own statements." Overall, their approach helps to paint a vivid portrait of Thoreau and his quirky, highly original mind, although in the midst of all the anecdotes, Thoreau the writer and his contributions to American letters get somewhat lost. More direct quotes from his writing and more information on the tremendous influence that Walden had after his death would have helped fill out the picture. Young readers, however, will appreciate the attempt to make Thoreau a compelling figure and not a dusty name from the past. Todd Morning
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