Paddington Bear Movie

How did I miss finding out about this until just now?

Paddington Bear is coming to movie theatres next week - in North America, at least. I get the feeling that it's already been out for a while in the UK.

Raise your hand if you read the Paddington Bear books as a kid. I sure did! Unfortunately it's been so long ago that I can only remember one little scene from one of the books. I don't even remember what book it was.

The scene was the one where he's entered some kind of a Christmas Cake/Christmas Pudding contest and ends up messing up his recipe badly enough that in the end, he ices and decorates the oven and takes that to be judged - with the cake inside!

Nancy Drew: The Ringmaster's Secret - Carolyn Keene

Nancy Drew #31: The Ringmaster's Secret
Carolyn Keene
Grosset & Dunlap
Copyright : 1954
978-0448095318

The amazon.com product description:

Nancy is given a beautiful gold bracelet and finds that one of the charms is missing. When she learns the unusual story behind the jewelry, she sets out to solve the fascinating mystery. The bracelet had been presented to a former circus performer by a queen who loved horses. For some reason the performer had to sell the bracelet but would not reveal her true identity. Clues lead Nancy to Sims’ Circus, where she meets Lolita, an unhappy young aerialist who has a horse charm wrought exactly like those on Nancy’s bracelet. Will Nancy be able to find the original owner of the bracelet?

As a kid, I collected and read my way through quite a few of the original Nancy Drew series, and I still have several boxes of the books I loved as a kid stashed away around the house. This was one of my favorites. It held up fairly well on the re-read too, even though I'm now way, way out of the target age range. That, I think is the cause of any of my gripes with the book and the series.

Nancy Drew: The Ringmaster's Secret has held up pretty well. It's now 60 years old and still in print, which is pretty amazing in itself, but the story still works well too. Everyone loves the circus, and horses are always a draw too - that's what pulled me into this book if I'm remembering correctly from the first time I read it.

Now, though, I found myself gritting my teeth at the writing - had to remind myself that this book was really geared for kids between 9 and about 15 years old. Which is most definitely no longer me, and also that the characters and setting are those of the mind 1950's. With that in mind, I still found it an enjoyable and quick read - a bit of a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

Nancy's a clever character. None of my gripes can take away from that, nor do I want to. However, I did find that everyone around her was a bit too helpful - making it so that things came to her a bit too easily. Maybe that's just modern-day cynicism on my part though.

As a kid, I loved these books and collected any of them that I could. Always the original series though. For some reason I never did like any of the more modern versions. The same thing held true for the Bobsey Twins, Hardy Boys and the Cherry Ames series of books. Since then, I've recommended the original Nancy Drew books many a time when I worked in the bookstore. I still would recommend them.

My lastest time waster (Kanoodle)

Kanoodle. I don't usually review toys, but this one caught me. I remember playing with something similar as a kid - red tray with yellow blocks of various shapes that you had to set in to fill the tray. So, when I got the chance to play with Kanoodle a bit at work over the last couple of months, I couldn't stop myself.

Neither could one of the store managers. I see him at the table with the Kanoodle display all the time. And, I've caught some of the other employees fiddling with it now and again when I'm on shift. I like it enough that I bought myself one as well.

The 2D puzzles are fun enough - to start with and learn the way the pieces fit - you'll have to do one every time you want to put your Kanoodle away - the grid where they fit is how the puzzle pieces are stored. Not to mention, at the various levels, they're good for kids too. However, it's the 3D puzzles that really captured my eye. I've only managed to beat the first one at the most difficult level so far.

There's only seven of them though at that level. I'm wishing there were more puzzles at the challenger level. That's the main criticism I've seen about the Kanoodle in other reviews. But, for the price, it's well worth it - and I'm contemplating this as a Christmas gift this year for a few people.

The Kanoodle is compact - making it perfect for taking travelling, and great for the whole family: the listed age range is from seven to adult.

I have to ask though on a related topic, what's your favourite puzzle game? I know some people swear by the rubiks cube for example - I've certainly never been able to beat it, but one of my former co-workers could do so in less than a minute.

Friday Favourites - Your Favourite Book From April?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm asking what your favourite book from the month of April is.

Please leave either your response in the comments or a link to your response.

My answer is:

Although I didn't review it, my favourite book for the month was No Talking by Andrew Clements, a book for kids. The suggested reading level is for kids between the ages of nine and twelve years old, but I think it would be amusing for anyone who likes kids books.

Certainly the humour in the book is not just geared towards kids, and the premise of the story is an interesting one.

The amazon.com product description:

It’s boys vs. girls when the noisiest, most talkative, and most competitive fifth graders in history challenge one another to see who can go longer without talking. Teachers and school administrators are in an uproar, until an innovative teacher sees how the kids’ experiment can provide a terrific and unique lesson in communication. In No Talking, Andrew Clements portrays a battle of wills between some spunky kids and a creative teacher with the perfect pitch for elementary school life that made Frindle an instant classic.

Enjoy a nice, lighhearted, quick read, or suggest it to your kids. I think this is one that both boys and girls will like.

RIP Joyce Barkhouse

I just read on the CBC website that the author Joyce Barkhouse died at the age of 98. Her best known book was Pit Pony.

I remember borrowing and reading this book so many times from my local library. I must have discovered it soon after the book came out in 1990 - certainly at the time I read any and every horse story I could get my hands on. What I didn't know was that Pit Pony was made into both a movie and a TV series, which I'm going to have to see if I can find.

I also didn't know that Joyce had written other books too.

Thank you Joyce, for writing such a captivating book that even now, over a decade from the last time I read it, I still remember how much I enjoyed reading Pit Pony, although I can't remember all the details of the story.

Shannen And The Dream For A School - Janet Wilson

Shannen And The Dream For A School
Janet Wilson
Second Story Press
Copyright: October 2011
978-1926920306

The amazon.com product description:

It is 2008, and thirteen-year-old Shannen and the other students at J.R. Nakogee Elementary are tired of attending class in portables that smell and don't keep out the cold winter air. They make a YouTube video describing the poor conditions, and their plea for a decent school attracts attention and support from community leaders and children across the country. Inspired, the students decide to turn their grade-eight class trip into a visit to Ottawa, to speak to the Canadian government. Once there, Shannen speaks passionately to the politicians about the need to give Native children the opportunity to succeed. The following summer, Shannen is nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize. Tragically, Shannen was killed in a car crash in 2010, and was not able to see the dream of her school fulfilled. Her family, friends and supporters continue to honor her memory as they work for equality for children in Native communities everywhere.

This was a surprising little book that I picked up on a whim while at work today, having flipped through it quickly the other day. It's a kid's reference book, but just as interesting for the story it tells for adults, and frankly, Shannen And The Dream For A School left me with a lump in my throat and a hope that things will change.

Imagine going to school in various portables in the kinds of temperatures you can find in northern Canada - 40 below, I think I read - and having to go to the community center for classes like p.e. or only having one computer in the school! How about hearing that the old school building is perfectly safe to be in - If my memory's not playing tricks on my, there's one anecdote where they're told to just open a window and turn on a fan (in winter) to get rid of the smell!

Shannen manages to motivate her entire class to try and convince the government that yes, the community does need a new school, only to keep hearing that everything is just fine as it is, but she doesn't give up. This despite at one point a school being promised, only to have the government turn around and say "no" a bit later.

I found the book to be incredibly inspiring and yet at the same time to be extremely sad too. A couple of quick searches of sites like Wikipedia suggest that things haven't changed at all in the community, and yet Shannen's dream lives strong and has kept on going across the country.

Shannen And The Dream For A School is a great read for older kids and adults alike. It's inspiring, just reading about what she's trying to do, and saddening at the same time, because all these roadblocks keep getting put in her path, but she doesn't give up. That's the message to take away from this book. That's why I thought it was such a great read. And yet, it's great for kids too - a window into another part of Canadian life.

Dragondrums - Anne McCaffrey

Dragondrums
Anne McCaffrey
Simon Pulse
Copyright: 1979
9781416964919

The amazon.com product description:

In the world of Pern, Harpers with great musical ability are held in extreme regard. This is why the young, mischievous Piemur carries himself with so much pride, for he sings like an angel. But when his voice begins to change, Piemur loses all confidence and questions his role within Harper Hall.
Incapable of singing, Piemur is sent on various errands by Masterharper Robinton, including the task of learning the complicated beats of the messenger drums, Piemur has no clue of the grand adventures that await him, and he'll need to find the courage within himself to survive.

Dragondrums is the conclusion to the Harper Hall trilogy, following on Dragonsong and Dragonsinger. I know that in the past this one wasn't my favourite of the three books, but I really enjoyed the read this time. I still think the book is a bit of a surprise though. The previous two were all about Menolly, and this one's centered on her friend Piemur, which is kind of different in a trilogy, but I found the read a good one this time. Dragondrums is also set a few years after Dragonsong and Dragonsinger.

I have to admit though, that I'm having a bit of trouble placing Dragondrums in terms of the events the book describes. I think it's some time during White Dragon, but it's been so long since I read it that I'm not sure.

Overall though, the story seems to have a bit more adventure to it than the other two, although the cast of characters is a familiar one, and it's full of fun. Somehow this trilogy seems to have a closer feeling to it than the main books Anne McCaffrey's written in the world of Pern. Maybe it's just the perspective the books are written from.

If you're looking for a good introduction to this world, the books of the Harper Hall trilogy work very well in my opinion. They're quick reads that are good for both teens and adults and they serve to explain the world Anne McCaffrey's created - social structures, problems etc, very well. I definitely recommend them.

Read for the All The Books of Pern challenge (I keep wanting to type "All The Weyrs of Pern" which is the title of one of the books instead of the challenge name. :) )

Dragonsinger - Anne McCaffrey

Dragonsinger
Anne McCaffrey
Simon Pulse
Copyright: 1977
9781416964902

The amazon.com product description:

In the world of Pern, Harpers are regarded to be more powerful than kings, for the music they play can literally control the minds of others. For young Menolly, her dreams of becoming a Harper have nothing to do with power, but rather her love of music. Now she is finally living out her musical dreams as an apprentice Harper, but it's turning out to be more challenging than she thought.
Formerly forbidden to study music because of her gender, Menolly quickly encounters hostility from a number of her male peers and masters. But she is not alone in her struggles. With the help of new friends, teachers, and her nine fire lizards, Menolly finds that her musical talents may prove more powerful than anyone could imagine.

Dragonsinger is the sequel to Dragonsong, the first book of the Harper Hall trilogy. The final book in the trilogy is Dragondrums (which I'm reading now). The book picks up more or less where the first book left off, detailing Menolly's life in the Harper Hall and her experiences in the unfamiliar environment.

At the same time, it's a somewhat different perspective on Pern and the greater events going on, as Dragonsinger runs concurrently with the events of Dragonquest and Dragonflight, and even, I think, The White Dragon, Anne McCaffrey's original trilogy of Pern books. It's interesting to see the events from the perspective of one who's not involved with them in any way for a change.

Like the first book in the set, this book is marketed towards teens these days, although I don't know if that was the original idea or not. Either way, these books make for a great introduction to Pern and Anne McCaffrey's writing.

This one is my favourite of the three novels, to be honest. Menolly really comes into her own here, and the ending? well, I don't want to give any spoilers, but if you read the book, you'll see why I loved it so much. Also, the lyrics that start each chapter are a really neat touch - especially the first one, the "Fire Lizard Song".

If you're looking for a great introduction to a classic science fiction series, and a quick read, all three of the Harper Hall books might just be for you. I think, that even though these books are a trilogy, it might still be possible to read Dragonsinger without having read the first book, but they're good quick reads, so why not try Dragonsong first?

Dragonsong - Anne McCaffrey

Dragonsong
Anne McCaffrey
Simon Pulse
Copyright: 1976
9781416964889

The amazon.com product description:

Every two hundred years or so, shimmering Threads fall from space, raining death and black ruin on Pern. The great dragons of Pern hurl themselves through the beleagured skies, flaming tongues of fire to destroy deadly Thread and save the Planet. But it was not Threadfall that made young Menolly unhappy. It was her father who betrayed her ambition to be a Harper, who thwarted her love of music. Menolly had no choice but to run away. When, suddenly, she came upon a group of fire lizards, wild and smaller relatives of the fire-breathing dragons, she let her music swirl around them. She taught nine of them to sing. Suddenly Menolly was no longer alone -- she was Mistress of Music and Ward of the dazzling fire dragons.

Borrowed from the library and read for the All The Books of Pern challenge. Dragonsong is the first book in the Harper Hall trilogy of books, followed by Dragonsinger and Dragondrums.

Dragonsong is different in it's focus than some of the other books written for the Pern series. Where those books are covering events that affect the whole planet, the scope of this novel is different, zooming in on one girl's life during these great events but not a part of them. As a result, I found myself with a feeling like I understood better what their lives were like, what people's attitudes were etc. I liked seeing the daily routine of chores and how the older generation lives. At the same time, Menolly has her part to play.

Reading it after I've read some of the Pern novels set in earlier times is an interesting experience too. When I first read the Harper Hall books years ago, the attitudes the characters express - that matter-of-fact "girls can't do that" that some of the characters have - particularly Yanus, Menolly's father was something I just accepted as part of Pernese culture. Then, you read some of the earlier books, such as Dragonseye and there's much more equality, although you can start to see it evolving.

These days at least, Dragonsong and it's sequels are marketed as teen books. Thinking about it, I'm rather curious to know if they were originally written for that market or not when they came out in the 1970's. Regardless, they're still good stories, and make for a good introduction to the world of Pern. On the other hand, they're also shorter novels. Dragonsong comes in at just under 200 pages with a larger font size, and generous margins and line spacing.

There are times when a book or series of books just grabs my attention, demanding to be read or re-read. That's the case with this one, as soon as I found out about the challenge, I found myself wanting to re-read the Harper Hall books.

Definitely an enjoyable read, where every time I put the book down, I just wanted to get back to it. I have to recommend Dragonsong to anyone who's looking for a good introduction to Anne McCaffrey's world of Pern.

A Beautiful Friendship - David Weber

A Beautiful Friendship
David Weber
Baen Books
Copyright: October, 2011
978-1451637472

The amazon.com product description:

Stephanie Harrington always expected to be a forest ranger on her homeworld of Meyerdahl . . . until her parents relocated to the frontier planet of Sphinx in the far distant Star Kingdom of Manticore. It should have been the perfect new home --- a virgin wilderness full of new species of every sort, just waiting to be discovered. But Sphinx is a far more dangerous place than ultra-civilized Meyerdahl, and Stephanie’s explorations come to a sudden halt when her parents lay down the law: no trips into the bush without adult supervision!

            Yet Stephanie is a young woman determined to make discoveries, and the biggest one of all awaits her: an intelligent alien species.

            The forest-dwelling treecats are small, cute, smart, and have a pronounced taste for celery. And they are also very, very deadly when they or their friends are threatened . . . as Stephanie discovers when she comes face-to-face with Sphinx’s most lethal predator after a hang-gliding accident.

            But her discoveries are only beginning, for the treecats are also telepathic and able to bond with certain humans, and Stephanie’s find --- and her first-of-its kind bond with the treecat Climbs Quickly --- land both of them in a fresh torrent of danger. Galactic-sized wealth is at stake, and Stephanie and the treecats are squarely in the path of highly-placed enemies determined to make sure the planet Sphinx remains entirely in human hands, even if that means the extermination of another thinking species.

            Unfortunately for those enemies, the treecats have saved Stephanie Harrington’s life. She owes them . . . and Stephanie is a young woman who stands by her friends.

            Which means things are about to get very interesting on Sphinx.

 Written as a teen book, A Beautiful Friendship is the start of a new series set in the same world as David Weber's Honor Harrington series (On Basilisk Station, etc). Stephanie Harrington, Honor's ancestor, was both the discoverer of and the first person to be adopted by the treecats, Sphinx's native sentient species. That event is also described in the short story of the same title in the anthology More Than Honor. But, that's not the only short story referenced in this novel. Linda Evan's story The Stray from the anthology Worlds of Honor is also used as background, and the characters involved are main characters here.

For teen cross-over novels, (stories set in the same universe as an author's existing series), this is the best one I've seen to date. Nothing seems to contradict the existing Honor Harrington books, and the story doesn't feel particularly as though it's aimed at a younger audience. There's less of the political manoeuvring though than there is in some of the adult books.

If you like David Weber's writing, don't shy away from picking up this addition. It's a great read, and I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye out for the next books in the series. Stephanie's most certainly an interesting character, and I can see where Honor might have gotten some of her inspiration and character from, if she used this ancestor as something of a role model.

Highly recommended for both teen and adult audiences.

Black Horses for the King - Anne McCaffrey

Black Horses For The King
Anne McCaffrey
Del Rey
Copyright: 2006
978-0345422576

The amazon.com product description:

Lord Artos--later to rule as the legendary King Arthur--knew he could defeat the Saxon invaders if only he could find a race of horses swift and strong enough to carry warriors in full regalia fast and far. And so he set out for the Continent, in search of the famed horses of the desert.

The key to Lord Artos' plan was the young runaway Galwyn Varianus, whose gift for horse-trading was second only to his skill with horses. What no one expected was how crucial Galwyn would be to the upcoming battles--as he mastered the secrets of the iron shoes that would protect the desert horses' delicate hooves . . .

This fast-moving historical fantasy by bestselling author Anne McCaffrey--the story of King Arthur as it has never been told before--is about the beginnings of the British cavalry, as recounted by a boy growing up in exciting and perilous times.

Black Horses For The King is quite a departure from Anne McCaffrey's usual style of books, being a historical fiction novel rather than science fiction or romance (she does have a few of those, including Three Women, The Lady etc.

It's also one of the most different Arthurian stories I've read, and those range a bit, including such gems as Gwenhwyfar: The White Spirit, by Mercedes Lackey, The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley and the Skystone/Dream of Eagles Cycle by Jack Whyte. Where in each of those stories, the main character is one that is a known an major part of the general Arthurian story, such as Merlin or Morgan Le Fay, this time the character is an unknown.

Anne McCaffrey's love of horses shows through in the writing of Black Horses For The King, to the point where the focus of the story is on the horses, and the invention of iron horseshoes, which she has set to the same time. It's neat, seeing the evolution of that through trial and error, and all of the little details.

Seeing King Arthur's (or Lord Artos, as he's called in this book) court through the eyes of Galwyn, who has his own worries and problems is a very refreshing change, for he's not involved in the decision-making in any way, but just goes where he's ordered, and does his best to care for the horses the Companions need.

Actually, one of the neatest bits of this book - it's a shorter book, written for young adults, is the author's note at the beginning of the story, about the history of horseshoes, and some little bits of trivia about King Arthur and Great Britain.

I remember looking forward to this book and waiting for it to come out back in 1996 - I think I'd just started reading the Pern books around then too, and I've read it a couple of time since. I was inspired to read the book again now, because of Anne McCaffrey's death earlier this week.

Letters From Father Christmas - J.R.R. Tolkien

Letters from Father Christmas
J.R.R. Tolkien
Mariner Books
Copyright: 2004
978-0618512652

The Amazon.com product description:

Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R. Tolkien’s children. Inside would be a letter in a strange, spidery handwriting and a beautiful colored drawing or painting. The letters were from Father Christmas.
They told wonderful tales of life at the North Pole: how the reindeer got loose and scattered presents all over the place; how the accident-prone North Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas’s house into the dining room; how he broke the Moon into four pieces and made the Man in it fall into the back garden; how there were wars with the troublesome horde of goblins who lived in the caves beneath the house, and many more.
No reader, young or old, can fail to be charmed by Tolkien’s inventiveness in this classic holiday treat.

We all know of J.R.R. Tolkien's main books, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (formed of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King), but this little book is a neat reminder of one of Tolkien's other talents: artwork, both drawing and painting.

The letters started arriving for Tolkien's eldest son, John when he was only three years old, in 1920, and continued until 1943, throughout the childhoods of all of the author's children. The letters are charming, telling the story of life at the North Pole over the years.

Each letter is lavishly done, with different writing styles for the different people writing the letters - Father Christmas' hand is very shaky and elaborate, while the Polar Bear's is most definitely bold, and interestingly spelled. Nearly all of the letters are fully reproduced in all their glory, and the letters are also typeset for easier reading, although the different writers are differentiated by use of bold, italics etc. As well, the various details are reproduced on the plain pages: illuminated letterings, doodles, etc

In addition to all of the details of the writing, there are also a good number of full page pictures depicting the events described in the letters, all done in different media. There's pencil crayon, watercolour and others that I can't clearly identify, but they are all absolutely spectacular!

There are some intriguing moments in the letters, especially those from the 1930's and later, at least from my perspective - that's where there are some vague hints from Tolkien's other writings appearing: Ilbereth, the goblins, and even a mention of Tolkien's book The Hobbit. Really though, the Letters From Father Christmas stands independent from his other writings.

Overall, I found Letters from Father Christmas to be a charming read, both the first time I read it several years ago, and again this time, and it makes for a great gift to find under the tree, both for kids and for adults. There's something about the writing styles of the letters that just reignites the sense of wonder that is Christmas.

This edition in particular is absolutely spectacular, with all of the illustrations as well as the text of the letters and all of the rich colour. A great gift for Tolkien fans, and a wonderful read for the upcoming holiday season.

New Book Arrival

Every now and again, I discover (or re-discover) an old favourite book thanks to LibraryThing. Especially thanks to the group "Name That Book". They're absolutely great for telling you what the title and author is for a book based on what you can remember about it - plot synopsis, characters etc. So far, they've helped me rediscover Barbara Hodgson's The Tattooed Map and the Gone-Away Lake books by Elizabeth Enright.

This time, I went to the group for another book that I remembered reading years ago: about a boy and a dog who end up discovering some old bones. As has become usual for this group, there was an answer within a day. And, as has become usual too, my next stop was Abe Books to find the book. The book in question is Mr. Toast And The Woolly Mammoth by Stuart Brent and illustrated by Lilian Obligado. At the same time, I discovered that the book is actually part of a series, though I don't think I ever read any of the others.

The book arrived today. Now, this is where it's neat. I don't remember the cover looking like this at all - cloth outside and no dust jacket. On the other hand, it's been years since I last saw a copy of the book. But, the neat thing is the school library card still stuck in the back of the book. The last date stamped on it is December 15, 1967! And the book looks almost new. Typically when I've had school library discards before, they're in atrocious condition. Were kids just more careful with the books back then? or was this simply not as popular a book?

Either way, I'm looking forward to re-reading this little gem.

War Horse - Michael Morpurgo

War Horse
Michael Morpurgo
Egmont Books
Copyright: 2010
978-1405255431

The amazon.com product description:

In 1914, Joey, a beautiful bay-red foal with a distinctive cross on his nose, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western Front. With his officer, he charges toward the enemy, witnessing the horror of the battles in France. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey's courage touches the soldiers around him and he is able to find warmth and hope. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer's son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again? 

To be honest, War Horse is a a book I picked up on a whim, seeing a whole stack of the movie tie-in edition at work. Turns out, this is a book that's a spectacular, if quick read. Especially in the edition I was reading: the hardcover Deluxe edition, which is lavishly illustrated with little watercolour renderings of the various scenes in the book.

In many ways War Horse reminded me of the classic Black Beauty. Like that book, this one is written from the perspective of the horse, and starts while Joey is just a colt, tracing his life all the way through WWI and the various owners he had.

One of the things I really liked about this book was the way that both the English and the Germans were treated throughout the course of the story - neither side being demonized by the other or the author. There's one incident especially that I liked in the No Man's Land between the trenches. It reminded me of some of the stories I've heard 3rd hand from that war: about one Christmas when the Germans had a wind-up record player and they deliberately played the music in such a way as to share it with the English soldiers in the trench on the other side of the no man's land.

War Horse was full of little anecdotes that left me smiling throughout, as well as a few times which were utterly heartbreaking. Nonetheless, it's a great read - one I'd recommend for both older children and teens, boys and girls alike.

And, to top it off, the book is being done as a movie, directed by Steven Spielberg. The trailer looks good, and the bit of the soundtrack we hear is incredible. In short, this is one movie I'd really like to see.

Hannah And The Spindle Whorl - Carole Ann Shaw

Hannah And The Spindle Whorl
Carole Ann Shaw
Ronsdale
Copyright: 2010
9781553801030

The Amazon.com product description:

When twelve-year-old Hannah uncovers an ancient Salish spindle whorl hidden in a cave near her home in Cowichan Bay, she is transported back to a village called Tl´ulpalus, in a time before Europeans had settled in the area. Through the agency of a trickster raven, Hannah befriends Yisella,a young Salish girl, and is welcomed into village life. Here she discovers that the spindle whorl is the prize possession of Yisella´s mother, Skeepla, a famous spinner and weaver. When Skeepla falls victim to smallpox, Hannah finally begins to open up about the loss of her own mother. Hannah and Yisella are accidentally left behind when the villagers journey to the mainland, and witness the arrival of Governor James Douglas and numerous settlers on the Hecate. As the settlers pillage the village for souvenirs, Hannah and Yisella rescue the spindle whorl and escape into the forest, pursued by the ship´s crew. The darkness of the forest leads them back to the cave, and Hannah returns to her own time with a greater understanding of herself and the history of the First Nations.

Although a story written for children aged 9-12, Hannah and the Spindle Whorl is a good read for adults too. I certainly found it to be intriguing for several reasons:

First of all, the setting. The book is set in and around Cowichan Bay for the most part, although there is one part which is set in Victoria - the Royal B.C. Museum and Fort Street areas, both of which I've been to, so it was neat to see how they were described. I find there's a special thrill to reading books that are set in places I've been to. That was a bonus, though I'd picked the book up because of the Cowichan Bay aspect.

Second, the incorporation of spinning into the story. It's one of my hobbies, though to be honest, history-wise, I'm more familiar with the ancient Greek and Roman aspects, role and legends, so to see even a little bit of how it was done on the West Coast was something I liked. I actually wouldn't have minded more details on that, but I can see why it wouldn't have been included story-wise.

The third major thing I liked about Hannah And The Spindle Whorl was that it doesn't push an agenda like some of the childrens' books I read. It just tells the story and lets things fall as they may. Carole Ann Shaw has written a whole series of neat characters, and the way things all tie in together - modern day quirks, history and discovery along with the time-travel aspect, well it all works. I'd kind of thought that the two characters being able to understand each other because of the raven might be corny, but instead it just seemed natural within the context of the story. And the whole thing left me wanting to look up more on that period of history: 1860's Vancouver Island. I'm afraid that my grade-school history lessons on that period are rather foggy these days in my memory.

Interestingly, while I was reading the book, I found that both the beginning and the end of the novel kept me absolutely spellbound, but in the middle I was able to put the book down to read other books. Regardless, I found Carole Ann Shaw's book Hannah And The Spindle Whorl to be a very good read. One I'm definitely going to recommend.

My Side Of The Mountain - Jean Craighead George

My Side of the Mountain
Jean Craighead George
Penguin Young Readers
Copyright: 2001
9780141312422

The Chapters/Indigo description:

Sam Gribley is terribly unhappy living in New York City with his family, so he runs away to the Catskill Mountains to live in the woods-all by himself. With only a penknife, a ball of cord, forty dollars, and some flint and steel, he intends to survive on his own. Sam learns about courage, danger, and independence during his year in the wilderness, a year that changes his life forever.

This is a book I remember reading at least twice as a kid. And, bot times I absolutely loved it! The story is neat, being written from Sam's perspective as though we're reading the notebook he was keeping of his life in the wilderness for that year or so. Watching him gain confidence in the knowledge he had from the start as he finds that it does carry him through the year and the situations he finds himself in is just so natural.

And the friends he makes - although there's very few humans in the story, the animals more than make up for it: Frightful, the falcon Sam raises and trains to hunt for him, The Baron and also the raccoon all brought at least one smile to my face as I was reading. Not to mention the many sketches that this book is filled with. All of it has so much charm.

I don't know why it is, but so many of my favourite kids books are so old, because I also loved Gone Away Lake. My Side of the Mountain originally came out in 1960 and was made a Newberry Honor book. Despite being fifty years old now, the book didn't feel all that dated to me at all - despite the fact that a twelve-year-old boy was able to run away and live for more than a year on his own. I guess it is more than a bit unrealistic these days - at the very least, the librarian should have reported him as a run-away, and not to mention that his parents didn't seem to be too worried about him. I guess on second thought, the book is rather dated. But, it's still a great story.

When I first read My Side of the Mountain, I didn't realize there were sequels, but there are two. One of which, I knew about before I started this re-read: The Far Side of the Mountain. I have the feeling I've read the book before, but there's one after that too: Frightful's Mountain.

My Side of the Mountain is a book I'll gladly recommend for both boys and girls who are interested in the outdoors. I wonder though, if kids today might think the book is too tame compared with more modern books.

The Giver - Lois Lowry

The Giver
Lois Lowry
Delacorte Books
Copyright: 2006
978-0385732550

The Amazon.com product description:

Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear of pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. Jonas lives in a seemingly ideal world.

When Jonas turns 12 he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver does Jonas begin to understand the dark secrets behind this fragile community. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

Believe it or not, I'd never read this Newberry Award-winning book before, but I read it yesterday and quite enjoyed the experience. For all that The Giver is a very short book  - I think it took me maybe two hours overall to read, it was also a very thought-provoking one. I picked up the book on the recommendation of one of my co-workers and I'm glad I did.


As the story starts out, everything seems more or less normal, with a few changes - everyone uses bicycles to get around, for example and everything is done in a very disciplined manner. But, it's a society where everyone is generally happy, even though, as we discover, they have no real choice in how they live their lives. It's only as the story progresses that we learn how they came to that point by giving things up. There is one person in the community who remembers how things were before - the Giver. Jonas, the main character of the story is chosen to become the next Giver, and so the rest of the book is spent going through his training, by which he and we learn what everyone has given up: True family, love, even the ability to see colour or hear music. On the other hand, they've also given up real pain, violence and poverty.

At times, The Giver isn't the easiest book to read, being rather sad in places, but it's also extremely thought-provoking I found. Although, I'm still not completely certain about the ending to the story. It felt rather unresolved to me. On the other hand, something I only just found out while writing this review is that there are more books set in the same world: Gathering Blue and The Messenger. There's a good chance that they might resolve things, at least a bit.

I'm definitely going to have to read some more of Lois Lowry's books. She's an effective writer, who I can't believe I missed out on until now. This is one of those books that even though it's written for teens, I think that anyone will like. The Giver certainly swept me away into it's pages.

The Blue Sword - Robin McKinley

The Blue Sword
Robin McKinley
Ace Fantasy
Copyright: 1982
Ace edition 1987
00441068804

According to the back of the book:

This is the story of Corlath, golden-eyed king of the Free Hillfolk, son of the sons of the Lady Aerin.

And this is the story of Harry Crewe, the Homelander orphan girl who became Harimad-sol, King's Rider, and heir to the Blue Sword, Gonturan, that no woman had wielded since the Lady Aerin herself bore it into battle.

And this is the song of the kelar of the Hillfolk, the magic of the blood, the weaver of destinies...

The Blue Sword

The one line description of The Blue Sword that I use a lot is "British India, set in the desert." There's a lot more to the story than that, but it describes the set-up pretty well. This is one of my favourite fantasy novels, and for the longest time I thought it was a regular fantasy novel. Now, though I know it's actually a teen novel, and one that was a Newberry Honor book in 1983. Not that that changes my opinion of the story in any way.

I've loved nearly every single one of Robin McKinley's books that I've read - but this one remains my favourite. The Blue Sword is a book which you can read, and then turn around and start to read again, right after finishing the last page of the book. I've done that at least twice now. I've also reviewed The Blue Sword one other time, a couple of years ago. That review is here, and it's still one of my favourites.

A perfect book for anyone who loves both fantasy novels and horse stories. I have to say that I wish I could see some of the Hill horses, though I don't think I'd do very well riding them. I need my stirrups and reins too much. Not only that, but it's been more than ten years since I really did any riding. Still, I love the descriptions so much. Sungold is an incredible horse.

I said it before, and I'll say it again this time: There's so much to the book - it's a bit like Tolkien in the sense that there's a lot of stories left untold and history that's barely referenced at all. And, the main character, Angarahad Crewe, or Harry, as she prefers to be called is very real feeling. I can't help but sympathize with her so much.

A favourite novel that I know I'm going to love over and over again. Perfect for everyone from teens on up into adults of all ages. As always with this book, if I were rating books with stars here, I'd give The Blue Sword a five star rating. Thanks again for a wonderful read, Robin.

Soul Surfer - Bethany Hamilton

Soul Surfer
Bethany Hamilton
MTV: Mti Rep
Copyright: March 1, 2011
978-1439165799

The Amazon.com product description:

She lost her arm in a shark attack and nearly died, but she never lost her faith. Now a major motion picture, Soul Surfer is the moving story of Bethany Hamilton’s triumphant return to competitive surfing and has continued to be a beacon of inspiration to all who hear it.
They say Bethany Hamilton has saltwater in her veins. How else could one explain the passion that drives her to surf? Or that nothing—not even the loss of her arm—could come between her and the waves? That Halloween morning in Kauai, Hawaii, Bethany responded to the shark’s stealth attack with the calm of a teenage girl with God on her side, resolutely pushing aside her pain and panic while being rescued and brought back to shore. “When can I surf again?” was the first thing Bethany asked after her emergency surgery, leaving no doubt that her spirit and determination were part of a greater story—a tale of personal empowerment and spiritual grit that shows the body is no more essential to surfing, perhaps even less so, than the soul. 

I'd wanted to see Soul Surfer when it came out as a movie earlier this year, but never got around to it, so when I had the chance to read the book, I jumped at it. I have to say, I'm most definitely impressed with Bethany and what she's chosen to do with the life she's been given.

I'm also quite impressed with the book. When she first wrote it, Bethany was just fourteen. Now, with this edition, it looks as though she's a few years older, but still... impressive. On the other hand, the font size is quite large, which fleshes the book out somewhat. Something I don't normally like, but in this case, it's understandable.

Although the book is located in the Biography section of the bookstore, it's equally readable for anyone over the age of about eight (and probably interesting to that entire age range too). Not just for adults, and not too graphic at all. You don't have to know anything about surfing either to enjoy the book (I certainly don't). One other thing I found really neat was reading more about life in Hawaii. Probably because that's where I vacationed a couple of months ago, though on the island of Oahu rather than Kauai.

This is a movie tie-in edition, but I think that makes it the more interesting for once. There's actually a fair bit of new material as I understand it - more photos, interviews with the actors from the movie and also a movie diary from Bethany's perspective.

Personally, I found the Christian emphasis of the book to be a bit strong for my tastes, but that's just my feeling and bias coming through, and I will admit that.

The other thing about the book is that it's not exactly in chronological order. Bethany jumps around her life, going from this story back to the attack and the aftermath then jumps to another event and back. It's still interesting and very readable though.

Soul Surfer is a quick read, but an interesting one. I may still have to get my hands on the movie once it's out in DVD. Recommended for all ages.

Children's Illustrated Books- For Them or Us?

I don't know about you, but when I look at some of the books geared towards young kids, especially those between the ages of three and five, one of the factors I judge them by are the illustrations. The more elaborate the illustrations are, the more likely I am to recommend the book.

But, are these illustrations for the kids, or are they more for the parents who are reading the books to the kids? I wonder about that sometimes, given the way that most of the books are illustrated, in cartoon styles.

Some of the books are more elaborately done - such as Barbara Reid's book The Subway Mouse, which is illustrated with scenes created in Plasticine. Every page of them, from the mice to the tiles on the walls. There's so much to see and notice, I am always amazed at the level of detail.

Then, there's the book series about a kitten, written and illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes, including the title shown, Kitten's Summer, done in mixed media images. While the story is extremely simple, the illustrations, done in mixed media really stand out. I can't even imagine the amount of time it must have taken to create each of the pages in this book, but I find them to be amazing!

These two titles are so very different in illustration style that they stand out from the rest, which are generally more traditional. And, of course, there are the traditional titles, such as the books by Beatrix Potter, all of which are lovingly illustrated with some truly spectacular watercolours. Those are truly books for anyone of any age.

My favourites though are the books by Alexandria Day, about the rottweiler, Carl. The best known of these is, of course, Good Dog Carl, which is simply overflowing with charm. On the other hand, these are books which are equally well designed for the youngest "readers", as there are very few words, especially in this one, which is also available as a board book for little hands to have an easier time turning the pages. I'm not certain, but I think the illustrations for this whole series are watercolours.

These books and authors/illustrators stand out in my mind, but are they books which are designed for the parents' appreciation, or for the kids? I know I tend to recommend them, but I also know that it's the art that I'm drawn to (which I admit when I recommend the books) and not the story. What's your opinion?