Reviews

Tomfoolery

April 3, 2024 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product Tomfoolery! through Raincoast Books. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and it is so much appreciated. 🙂

I don’t know about you, but part of fun of a good picture book are the illustrations contained therein. They either help tell the story, stimulate the imagination, or both. 🙂 Did you know that children’s books didn’t always have illustrations that did that? Books contained pictures with posed figures, that were static. Along came Randolph Caldecott. A boy, turned into a man, who developed his artistic flair filled with action. Action that flows off the pages and across the edges. Action that helps bring stories for children into abundant life. Come along, learn Caldecott’s story in Tomfoolery!

The Basic Details for Tomfoolery

Title: Tomfoolery! Randolph Caldecott and the Rambunctious Coming-of-Age of Children’s Books.
Author: Michelle Markel
Illustrator: Barbara McClintock
Publisher: Chronicle Kids
Pages: 37
Intended Audience: kindergarten to grade 3
Genre: biography, historical biography, libraries and reading, children’s books
Available formats: Kindle, Hardcover
Received: Hardcover with fly
Reviewed for: Raincoast Books

About the Author and Book

Written by Michelle Markel who hails from California with her hubby and cat! She’s loved writing since she was young, and has loved reading biographies. She started writing for children when her children were young.

About Tomfoolery!

Get ready to meet Randolph Caldecott, the man who redefined illustrations for children’s books. He transformed the reading experience with fun, active images bringing stories to life!

Talking about Tomfoolery!

Tomfoolery is a children’s picture book that teaches about the life of Randolph Caldecott and his journey to becoming a children’s book illustrator. I happen to adore children’s literature that tells the story of a person’s life in an engaging manner, and Tomfoolery fits the bill. Follow his journey starting with doodles in grade school through to adventures with a variety of art forms until he discovers his calling in children’s literature. All those steps built a path to his eventual success.

Bright images flood the pages, helping children (and their adults) see the life the Caldecott lives. Teaching not only the history of children’s books, but the joy in the present and curiousity about the future. Gone are the days of stiff and/or pretty poses.

Caldecott needed to explore art in many different ways, and not always in ways that some would expect. He, as any artist would, wanted to do art in a way that pleased him. Showing active life brings delight!

It’s rather funny. I’m seeing some of the pics in this biography of Caldecott and it brings back memories. Memories of brilliant images flashing across the page, sparking my imagination, and setting up me to chatter away at my mom. I still love books with lots of pictures and talking points, and Caldecott helped to inspire generations to tell stories better!

Final Thoughts

Tomfoolery!: Randolph Caldecott and the Rambunctious Coming-of-Age of Children’s Books is a wonderful book. Showing determination to do art the way he wants to even if he takes a round-about way getting there, he’s a source of inspiration for young artists. Read this book to remember for yourself, read this book to inspire your children on in their determination to be what they need to be. Enjoy the pictures and learn Caldecott’s story. You won’t regret doing so. 🙂

Born Survivors

March 27, 2024 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

When I picked up Born Survivors I thought I would be getting a novel telling a story about three fictious women in war-torn Europe. Instead I got a story that was more of a documentary about women who actually survived the Nazi reign of terror. I met the most amazing women Rachel, Priska, and Anka. I am so inspired by their outlook on life and how their perspectives helped them to survive. All links provided are to amazon of which I am an affiliate. Costs you nothing, helps me provide you with reviews!

The Basic Details for Born Survivors

Title: Born Survivors: Three Young Mothers and Their Extraordinary Story of Courage, Defiance, and Hope
Author: Nicki Pau Preto
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Pages: listened on audible 13 hours and 8 minutes
Intended Audience: adult
Genre: WW2, history, Holocaust, Jewish, documentary
Available formats: Audio, Hardcover
Read: Audio book on Audible. Give audible a try for free, get a free book each month with a paid membership!

What Did I Think?

This story takes us into the world of three women surviving till the end of the war under the reign of the Nazis. Young women with husbands and extended families. None had been married long, all were well attached to their extended families, none were orthodox Jews. And then the Germans came and life changed. Bit by bit, push by push until ghettos were formed and concentration camps filled.

They focused on their life perspectives: one of which was “find the beauty in the everyday. Look for the beauty in life”. Through love, family, focusing on goals, following their instincts, and sheer determination, they survived. And I am so privileged to have heard their stories.

They avoided the trap of Josef Mengele and his “are you pregnant” questions. Miracles occurred when towns intervened to feed unfed prisoners, when Zyklon-B tanks ran empty, and when forgotten women were found and medical intervention happened for starving infants.

It was lovely to be able to follow their lives post-WW2, reunions and meetings. Learning of the other babies born in concentration camps who survived and just how these women built up their lives after suffering so terribly.

I am not going to say Born Survivors is easy to listen to. There were times when it is so hard to listen to what was done to them. BUT there were also times when you could see the miracles, and feel the love, and see the growth that hardship wrought. THAT is worth listening for!

Give Born Survivors by Wendy Holden a listen and see if you to might be inspired by their courage and determination as well!

The Watchman

March 20, 2024 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

This is my first Robert Crais book ever! I think I will have to read more of his Joe Pike books! Just think, there are 20 in the series so that should keep me busy for a while eh? This particular book is entitled The Watchman. It involves Joe looking after a young adult witness so she survives efforts to kill her.

The Basic Details for The Watchman

Title: The Watchman
Author: Robert Crais
Series: Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, book 11
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Pages: 292
Intended Audience: adult
Genre: mystery, thriller, suspense, action, adventure
Available formats: Audio, Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle
Read: Hardcover

What Did I Think?

I enjoyed it! I did. Was it perfect? No. Were some scenarios predictable? For sure, but that’s not a bad thing eh? I knew the bad guys would want to kill the witness, and I also knew that Joe would save her. You know these things are going to happen right?

That doesn’t stop the read from being a good one. Action, mystery, throw in some suspense. A man with determination, a witness with a need to mature in some areas. Seeing hidden strength emerge and knowing the bad guys… even the ones hidden behind a screen will the found out in the end. That makes for a good read in my eyes.

You’ll find it to be a fast moving story with various elements that work well together. It’s funny in parts, especially with the science guy needing to step up a bit.

I also happen to like Reacher books, so if you like him, you’ll like this Pike book “The Watchman“.

Crown of Feathers Series

February 15, 2024 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

So for the past month I’ve been listening my way through the Crown of Feathers Series by Nicki Pau Preto. This series includes Crown of Feathers, Heart of Flames, and Wings of Shadow. Young adult fantasy literature that grabs your attention and focus you to listen for details. I’ve replayed whole sections where I know I missed something because I got distracted by my work! It’s got to be a good read if I hit the replay button eh? 🙂 If you aren’t part of Audible, get your own account! First month is free…

Anyways, I’ve so enjoyed this series with the Ashfire women, Sev, Tristan, and Sparrow. Honestly though, sometimes I just wanted to shake Sev so he would develop some confidence in who he was. And times when I just want Val to have a convenient accidental death. These characters inspired a whole variety of emotion and an eagerness to see how they resolved their problems.

The Details

Title: Crown of Feathers, Heart of Flames, Wings of Shadow
Author: Nicki Pau Preto
Series: Crown of Feathers
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Pages:
Intended Audience: young adult
Genre: fantasy, phoenix birds, action & adventure, siblings,
Available formats: Audio, Hardcover
Read: Audio

About the author

Did you know that Nicki Pau Preto is a Canadian? I was so surprised to learn this. Though she isn’t fond of hockey, geese, or snow….so can she really call herself Canadian? A graphic designer turned full-time writer she’s working on a middle school read called The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents.

Instead of going through the storyline of each of these books, I’ll invite you to go to Nicki’s website to learn about each one. Just click on the image!

So What Did I Think?

Each book has it’s own storyline and conclusion which I think is fantastic. I hate when books just kinda stop and then you have to decide if you like it enough to read the rest of the story. And yet, when each book ends… you want to know what happens in the next one! That’s a good thing eh?

Crown of Feathers introduced us to the word of phoenix fire birds, their riders, and Val, Veronyka, and the rest of the main characters. Veronyka finds a place to belong. A home that she can build from. Hard things happen and we start to see the strong divide between Val and Veronyka.

This book is a great start to the series, giving a good grounding into the heart of each of the characters.

Heart of Flames builds up some budding romances between Veronyka and Tristan, Sev and Kade, and more. These relationships help them grow into better adults, while in many ways they are still very young in learning to adult. I really wasn’t keen on the same gender relationship budding with Sev, but honestly, it kinda fit his personality/character. We get to see the deepening of Val’s darkness, and struggle of Veronyka to be the person she needs to be.

Now I haven’t actually finished Wings of Shadow yet, but Val’s abilities in Shadow Magic have grown in well…kinda scary ways, and Sev starts to kinda figure out his worth a bit. And Veronyka is becoming a bit of a force of her own…. I’m so looking forward to seeing where the story goes.

So if you like fantasy…. and big flying birds with riders out to do good in the world… then the Crown of Feathers Series will be up your alley. Get invested in a world aiming for turmoil…. and see if peace results. That’s what I am looking forward to finding out! Join me! 🙂

The Curse of the Shaman

February 7, 2024 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

So I’ve been slowly sorting through books that I held for my boy to read during our homeschooling years. Sometimes I go “hey, that might make a good read” so I grab it up and kept it in my stash. Unlike me, my lad didn’t turn into much of a reader, I would have liked for him to read though The Curse of the Shaman. Themes of determination, community, and help from unexpected sources.

The Basic Details for The Curse of the Shaman

Title: The Curse of the Shaman
Author: Michael Kusugak
Illustrator: Vladyanan Krykorka
Series: A Marble Island Story
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 168
Intended Audience: 9-12 years, Elementary Students, Middle School
Genre: first nations, Canada, folk lore, Inuit,
Available formats: Kindle, Paperback
Read: Paperback

About the Author

Michael Kugusak is a Canadian author who has written several books. Growing up in Repulse Bay, NWT he currently lives in Sooke, BC. As a child he rode dog sled, went hunting and fishing, and lived a traditional Inuit lifestyle. This history can be seen in The Curse of the Shaman.

About the Book

The Curse of the Shaman takes us into the life of Wolverine from birth through to young adulthood. We get to see him grow up within the Inuit lifestyle. The anger of a Shaman led to a curse which is later rescinded, but Shaman’s magic helper disagreed. And so the story unfolds….

What Did I Think?

There were things I loved in this story and things that took me a bit to adapt to.

I struggled with some of the names in this story as well as some of the Inuit language. And a part of me wanted the author to make it easier for me! How my… how selfish of me is that eh? Good thing I recognize that eh? Changing the names would also have changed fundamental parts of the story, which I so much enjoyed.

The focus on family and community is fantastic! People care for their family units deeply, and getting together with others is a time of work, celebration, and appreciation of each other. People shared what they had and who they were freely because that was the best way to live in community. Share and share alike is how folks survive in a harsh environment.

Stories told to Wolverine as a youngster prove to be invaluable, again showing the importance of family. And as children grow up and develop new skills, so do shamans! 🙂 It is good to see not only children learn new skills but the grown ups on their lives as well! It’s a pleasant twist on a story, and another twist (though as an adult reader I rather anticipated it) is a good one as well. 🙂

All in all, a good story that immerses us into the lives of the Inuit and a possibility of how shamans work their magic. The Curse of the Shaman is well worth reading if you are looking at doing a study on Inuit of Canada.

The Royal Ranger: The Red Fox Clan

January 17, 2024 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

Reviewing The Royal Ranger: The Red Fox Clan just because I like reviewing books and this was my latest read. 🙂 Well, okay, perhaps I didn’t sit down and read it, Maddie and her family kept me company as I took care of the rabbits over this past week.

We spent long hours in the car when my lad was young on car trips listening to the Ranger’s Apprentice. Flanagan does an excellent job of bringing the Ranger core of Araluen to life. A word of horses, kings and kingdoms, and men guarding the kingdom. Sworn to protect the king and their people. Anyways, those stories centred around Will and Holt, the royal rangers series focuses on Maddie. Maddie is the first female ranger with a tough job ahead of her.

The Basic Details for The Royal Ranger: The Red Fox Clan

Title: The Royal Ranger: The Red Fox Clan
Author: John Flanagan
Series: The Royal Ranger (book two of six)
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Pages: 352
Intended Audience: 10-13 years, Elementary Students, Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Arthurian Folk Tales & Myths, Children’s Fantasy, Children’s action and adventures
Available formats: Hardcover, Kindle, Audio, Paperback
Received: Audio

The Author:

Australian John Flanagan began writing stories in an effort to encourage his son with his reading. Those stories eventually become The Ruins of Gorlan, Book 1 of the Ranger’s Apprentice epic. His family now includes grandchildren!

The Story

The Royal Ranger: The Red Fox Clan continues the story of the ranger core’s first female ranger in training. Maddie, the princess, is learning what it takes to be a ranger. While on summer holidays disaster strikes! The Red Fox Clan seeks to overthrow the king. Maddie and her family are in trouble. Can she, together with her mom Cassandra, save the kingdom? Can they prove that yes indeed, women can rule effectively in times of trouble?

My Thoughts

As much as this is a children’s story it’s a fun interesting story to read/listen to. Full of action and intrigue, with people doing good.

Lessons in honesty, doing your best, humility, asking for help when needed, being patient, and working hard to achieve your goals.

I love the development of characters and how they say true to themselves. Maddie’s insatiable curiousity and determination are evident in all her actions. Her inexperience shows through at various moments which I think is excellent for Flanagan to portray.

This book is part one of a two part book. I was admittedly VERY disappointed when the book just stopped. No good conclusion. Just stopped. ALMOST but not quite made me stop wanting to read the series. I did pick up the next in series The Royal Ranger: Duel at Araluen. I’m listening to it as I write this review!

Just so you know, Duel at Araluen picks up exactly where The Red Fox Clan picks up. I really wish it had been written as one book, but perhaps that would make the book too long for the intended audience?

Should you read it? YES! If you like a good adventure story with good morals, no bad language, just overall a good story, this will fit the bill. As interesting for adults to listen to as well as children. Go out, introduce yourself to Series from Flanagan of The Brotherband, The Ranger’s Apprentice, and The Royal Ranger. Immerse yourself in the days of knights, rangers, kings and kingdoms. 🙂

A Leaf and Pebble

January 10, 2024 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product for A Leaf and Pebble through Voracious Readers. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and it is so much appreciated. 🙂

A Leaf and Pebble is by Andrew Monroe, a fantasy author who is new to me. This is book one of Learner Trilogy series. What an interesting world he has introduced me to. Not only are people naturally born able to use magic, but you can also have others who can learn how to use magic. Nil and Volant are on the run! Will they get help to survive?

The Basic Details for A Leaf and Pebble

Title: A Leaf and Pebble
Author: Andrew Monroe
Series: The Learner Trilogy (book one)
Publisher: Independ Publishing
Pages: 389
Intended Audience: young adult, adult
Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy Adventure,
Available formats: Hardcover, Kindle, Audio, Paperback
Received: PDF
Reviewed for: Voracious Readers

Author:

Andrew Monroe is a lover of food (particularly desserts), coffee, books, and tabletop gaming. Worker of various jobs in order to pay the bills… and his spare time is taken up by writing.

The Book:

In a land of elemental magic (naturals) and Learner Skill (learners), a gripping tale of two friends who narrowly avoid death while attending the school under the mountain takes place. As both are forced to flee before finishing their studies, they must unravel and attempt to thwart a plot to plunge their homeland into war after ages of peace. Can Nil and Volant uncover the mysterious group plotting to turn their five peaceful kingdoms in war-mongering enemies?

So what do I think?

So, I like the story. I want to know how the story ends, so Andrew needs to finish the next book in the series post-haste!

I received a PDF, and I really dislike reading books on kindle, particularly those not really formatted for kindle, but it did make for a good lunch-time read. Just not as smooth a read as turning the pages of a book or as comfortable. 🙂

Occasionally though, it felt like a page was missing. I’d be reading and then the story would jump, or I’d lose half a sentence, so that spoiled the progression of the story. I’m sure that the final version (since this was published in 2019) has avoided those jumps.

The characters:

Nil and Volant (the Leaf and the Pebble respectably) are likable individuals, though the propensity of Nil to find the nearest good-looking girl was an unnecessary distraction to the storyline. Very different in their personalities, yet mindful of each other as good friends are apt to be.

The Storyline:

A good protagonist needs an equally good antagonist. The bad-guys are well connected, very much not nice guys, looking to benefit from a land in battle. Nil and Volant have their work cut out for them if they want to firstly, save their own lives, and secondly, prevent the reordering of their society.

Action floods the pages with the young men narrowly avoiding death repeatedly, and running into and out of trouble every couple of days. Folks to help them regularly pop into the picture, some to teach additional skills, some to provide respite, and others to put them into untenable positions with really only one way out. They need to navigate all these situations while considering what is the right thing to do.

Whose it written for?

Young adults I think will like this story. It is written for a high energy crowd following the lives of two young men. Not teens, but more young men, fellows not quite done with school, and just starting into their adult lives. Young men who are bound to make mistakes, but old enough to realize when they need help, and young enough to be bold enough to move on when the adults are being too protective.

All in all… Andrew Monroe is a new author to me and I’ll happily read the next in the series. It’s a fun, busy read. It’s like a cozy mystery wrapped up in a world of fantasy, complex magic, and boys out to save their world! 🙂 Get your own copy of A Leaf and Pebble now! 🙂

Reviews

Tomfoolery

The Basic Details for Tomfoolery