Seven Wonders of Tampa Bay

The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty G. Birney is a book with an old-fashioned, folk-tale feel. Eben is fascinated by the seven wonders of the world, and his father challenges him to find seven wonders right in his small, rural home town of Sassafras Springs. Eben doubts that it is possible, but his father says that he can travel to Colorado if he manages to find all seven wonders in seven days.

The Tampa Bay area is home to some amazing wonders as well. Look through this week’s editions of the Times for pictures and stories about special people, places and things in your neighborhood or the entire Tampa Bay area. Share your list with us here by clicking on the comments link below.

Comments

[TW,Mrs.Fry's 5th grade class Garrison-Jones Elem.]

I really liked this book. It was adventures book full of fun and excitment. This book was my favorite book of the battle of the books so far. It was a great book.

[ELC]

We're reading this book in our reading group. So far I really like it, but I'm ahead of everybody else- I can't help it if I'm a fast reader!
THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sheryl Adams]

The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs is an amazing outstanding book! It is a hesterical story with so much mystery and with tons of secrets. It's full of wonders, it is just so good. I can't wait to finish it.

Jessica, Mrs. Little's 5th Grade
Ms Adams Snack-n-Chat session.
Oct. 11.2007

[c.b miss downes 4th grade class]

still reading but I think it is kind of wordy.but that's my opinon.I think puting all the stories in there was not a good choice. I'm gonna keep on reading to see if it get's better.by the way you must read miraculuos journey of edward tulane.(awsome!!!!)

[ctr/mrs.Christie 5 grade orangegrove elem]

I have a wonder in the St.PETE times.Mr.john forest saves 40 horses from A fire.He woke up at 5:40 and found his barn on fire.He ran to the barn to save his horses from the fire .He slaped them on their butts as he watered the burning barn.One horse was in labor.This is a great wonder!

[ac Mrs.Christie 5thgrade Orange Grove Elementry]

Hello, I would like to tell you a wonder that I found of the Tampa Bay area. If any of you out there are football watchers you would know that the Tampa Bay Buccaners played aginst the Tennesse Titans on October 14, 2007. The Buccaners kicker Matt Bryat kicked a 43 yard kick with 11 seconds on the clock. Leaving the Tennesse Titans in the dust 13 to 10.!!!!!!!

[db,mrs.christie's class,5thgrade,orange grove]

One wonder I found in the October 8 issue of the St. Petersburg Times is on the classified page. The swinging frog was wedged in between the chain holding the bench up the guy who found it is Allen Jeringan. I wonder how it will get out of the hole in the bench??????????????

[jb,mrs.christie's,5thgrad,orange grove]

I think the spookey graveyard in St.Pete is a wonder because it is neat.I found it in the Monday,October 15 issue.The reason I think it is a wonder and neat is because it looks like a good place to visit.I think it would be a very cool because it has a gargoyle in the front yard.

[K.B.R.K Mrs. Christie 5th grade orange grove]

I think the Florida Orchestra is a wonder because it's new to Tampa Bay. The music is wonderful, and everyone who went there could see the musicians had worked very hard. The experience is almost unexplainable. There was humorous, happy, proud, and sad types of music. There was even the "Star Spangled Banner," where everyone stood up, and sang along. The Florida Orchestra is truly a wonder of Tampa Bay.

[mb Mrs. Christie 5th grade Orange Grove Elemantry]

I have a wonder from the news paper. Here it is. Six friends went to a fishing tournament looking to catch some grouper. They caught an 844 - pound shark instead. Adlee Bruner and five others headed out into the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday night. On a charter boat and came back with a record catch for the decades - old destin fishing record. I think this is a wonder because it happened to six people and it was suprising to others and me. It's unusaul to hear that. I coudent beleive what I heard.

[lad,mrsChristie,5 grade ,Orange Grove Elementary]

Six friends thought they were going out to catch some grouper. But they caught a 844 pound Shark. They knew they must have won some kind of trophy. The fight was a hour long. I thought their line was going to break, but instead they got a miracle.

[a.k mrs.christie,5th grade,orange grove elementary]

A tiny single cell called karenia brives,is able to cause red tide and guess what? I think it is a wonder of the Tampa Bay Area. More than 40 or more Red Tide blooms happened in our area from 1957 to 2007. It does have effects on humans too. It can cause numbness of the lips, , tongue and mouth. The reason we know this is because a woman named Karen A. Steidinger has been researching about this for years.

[kg Mrs.Christie 5th grade Orange grove elemantry]

I think that the 844 pound Mako shark in the newspaper was a huge wonder to me because its one of the hugest sharks in Florida I've ever seen. I thought it was so funny when they said that they went fishing for some grouper,Instead they caught a huge Mako
shark.I thought it was one great wonder.

[js Ms.Christie5th grade Orange Grove Elemantry]

I have a wonder from the news paper and from the Tampa Bay Bucs.His name is Joey Galloway.He has doen so much for the bucs.He is almost 36 years old,he also gives a great performance mostly every game.He is fast.Last game he ran a 69 yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.I hope he stayes on the Bucs a little longer and im sure he will still perform the same. I think he is a great player and a marvel to the team.

[ss Mrs.christie 5th grade orange grove elemantry]

An amazing wonder I found was about a 844 pound shark. One day six fishermen went out to catch some grouper but they caugt a shark instead. They struggled to get it to the boat. "It was amazing. I've been fishing for forty years." Bruner said. They faught the shark for over a hour, then finally the shark gave up. It was hung by a rope in a rodeo. People were amazed by what the fishermen caught. This is a wonder to me because stuff like this dosen't happen every day.

[cmk,Mrs.christie,5th grade,ograne grove]

Hannah Nichole Deal was born on Oct,30,2002 and died Oct,4,2007 .When she was born she was eight weeks early and weighted 3 pounds and 12 ounces.She was 4 pounds 6 ounces and didn't look real,people in stores would ask if they could hold Hannah(becasue they tought she was a baby doll).At 5 months she said her first word "kitty" andstarted sleeping through the night.Hannah fell off a swing and couldn't get up,she atummor and time was running out but Hannah never knew.She was a wonder because the joy she brought to her parnets.

[cc/msrings5thgrade/oldsmar]

sassafrass springs does not seem very interesting,but its about a boy and his dog who are searching for seven wonders,thats my opinion but you can read it to see for your self.

[A.H/Mrs.Ring 5th/Oldsmar Elementry]

My favourite part of Seven Wonders of sassafras is the story of Henrey Upitty.

[dc Mrs.Christie 5th grade orange grove Elementary]

My wonder is the Bucs winning against the Titans. The score was 13 to 10. Matt Bryant was the center. Bryant's kick sailed through the posts for a winning field goal. They only had 11 seconds left to do that kick and the Bucs won the game

[IM Rio Vista Mr.Ateek]

This is a good book because it explains all kinds of wonders and the different ones that the characters had in their lives.

[JK Mr. Ateek Rio Vista]

The Seven Wonders is boring in parts, but overall pretty entertaining.

Not my favorite so far........Worth is!

[fm, Oldsmar ES]

This selection would be a great tie in for storytelling, community, the 7 wonders of the world -- old and new ones; as just last year new ones were selected. We voted did you? The new ones were announced on July 7th. Now they are voting on the 7 NATURAL Wonders ... check it out... http://www.new7wonders.com/

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/07/photogalleries/seven-wonders

[ab/Ms. Ring's 5th grade/Oldsmar ES]

Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs didn't interest me very much.It was kind of boring,but it was a little funny on some of the wonders.If you like books with lots of wonders in it you will like this book.Plus my teacher is reading it in my class so I hope it gets better.So I hope you enjoy it better than me.Well thats all for now.Bye!!!!!

[R.C. Mrs. Fry Garrison - Jones Elementary]

This book is great. I learned that something doesn't have to be huge to be wonderous.Even in the most boring and small places you can find wonders.

[JW, ms. henderson's 5th grade class, Garrison-Jones es]

I think we have a wonder in Pinellas County too. I went to the big libary in Clearwter and they have a really big dollhouse. It was built to rember a nice lady who saved some kids who were going to be hurt by a car. Everyone shoudl go to see this dollhouse.

[T.W. Mrs. Fry's 5th Garrison- Jones Elem.]

This book is a great book. I think this book relates to us because there are lots of wonders in the Tampabay area. You just have to look for them.

[KLN]

We read this book as a class and we think you should read it too because it is really good! It is filled with wonders about Sassfras Springs. It is somewhat of a mystery book. We liked it because of the amazing stories in the chapters.

[A.H/Ms.Ring5th/Oldsmar]

This book rocks it's a radicale book nobody dare shall say this book is not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sm]

This book was interesting because of how the main character in this book got to hear all the stories of the different wonders he found from different people.Not only was it really fun to hear the actual book it'self but it was also fun to read all of the smaller stories in this book.When you read it you will have a hard time putting it down!

[AC, Mrs. Engelke's 5th Grade Class, St. Paul Catholic School]

This book was fantstic. I do not know someone who would not like this book. Each wonder had a great adventure...So if you have not read this book than go to the book store, buy the book, and READ IT! or go to the library and check it out.

[N.M.W]

One of the wonders was told by a girl named Rae Ellen.It was about some ship in a bottle that contains evil.Another one is Eben's sunday school teacher's doll that saved her from an illness.READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT THE STORY!!!!!

[Ebony]

I think it's kinda weird how the boat gets stuck in the bottle like that.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT???!!!
READ IT THEN!

[ts jarvis]

sassafrass springs is one of of the most interesting and fascinating book. sassafrass springs was the best book. the story about the saw was really exciting

[c.s.]

this book was funny and my favriot part was when Eben fot tricked.that wonder was pretty cool to.

[B.P]

I thought that The Seven Wonders Of Sassafras Springs was a very very good book! It was an adventurous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[L.J. , Mrs.Goller's third grade class - Largo Central Elem.]

The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs was boring in the beginning. As I read more the book got more interesting. The book is about a boy named Eben McAllister. He is brave and adventurous. I think he has a big heart and he cares about everyone in Sassafras Springs. He likes to stick through challenges. I think you'll like this book.

[P.N., Mrs.Goller's third grade - Largo Central Elementary]

The beginning is boring. But the wonders are EXCITING!!! I hated the beginning and so did my friend.

[Cliven Daluz South Ward elementary 5th grade]

This book started out boring but, when Eben starts talking about the Seven Wonders of the World then the bet starts it gets really interesting!Pls read this book, you might really like it!