Storyteller's Journey

Learning from a Legend

Earlier this week my husband and I attended a fundraiser for FVRL - our local library. The special guest speaker was the award-winning author, Amy Tan. Learning from talented writers is always inspirational for me, and hearing Ms. Tan was no exception. She shared about how in 2016 the racism targeted at Asian women had hit her hard. She'd found solace in taking an art class to learn how to draw the birds in her own backyard. And draw them she did! She filled journals with her amazing renditions. 

Those journals became the #1 New York Times Best Seller: The Backyard Bird Chronicles. Over the last ten years, Ms. Tan has observed and documented over 60 bird species near her home in Marin County, California. In the process, she transformed her backyard into a protected avian habitat. I actually purchased this little tome a couple of months ago, so I took my copy to the dinner to have her sign it. If you're a lover of nature, this beautiful book should not be missed!

The old quote says: Never meet your heroes. However, when I met Amy Tan, she was delightful, humble, and funny. While we briefly talked, my husband chatted with her husband Lou DeMattei just to Amy's right - he was hilarious! All in all, we had a fantastic night at the FVRL Authors & Illustrators dinner.

Storyteller's Journey

Plot Twist - A Memoir on Writing

by Harlan Coben

Flap Copy Description:

With 100 million books in print worldwide and over twenty blockbuster television and film adaptations of his work, Harlan Coben has much to teach us about the creative process. Part deep personal memoir, part storytelling seminar, Plot Twist is a refreshingly honest look at the life of a writer whose stories have thrilled us for decades...

My Thoughts:

While Mr. Coben is a super successful author, I must confess that this is the first Harlan Coben book I've read. However (like so many others) I discovered the uber-talented writer through his made-for-TV mystery thrillers. When I listened to him on a podcast, I was fascinated by his life, and by his approach to his craft. I just had to read his new book!

From his pragmatic approach to writing, to his quirky Jewish family (which includes the Kosher Nostra!), this is one of the few books I've read on writing that was not only insightful, but entertaining. He also reveals a few of his secrets to those incredible finales for which he's so famous. He included numerous inspirational quotes, which was cool for me since I love quotes. Here is one that he mentioned over and over: "If it helps me produce pages, good. If it doesn't, bad."  My personal favorite: "Amateurs wait for the muse to arrive; the rest of us just go to work." (Attributed to many authors.)

I highly recommend Plot Twist to anyone who aspires to be an author, and to established authors as well!

Storyteller's Journey

A Bookworm from Way Back!

Over the winter holiday, I took a trip down memory lane. I finally went through all the photographs I obtained from my mother's estate after her death a year ago. This one pictures me at my maternal grandmother's home when I was five years old. It's the only childhood photo taken of me reading. (At least as far as I know.) Since my grandmother was the one who taught me to read at the age of four, this photo is precious to me.

Over the holiday I also caught up on my TBR list. This middle grade novel, The Winter Room by Gary Paulsen, is well worth your time. It was a Newbery Honor Book in 2014 and was written with a beautiful lyrical language that made it feel like listening to an older person telling a story fireside. A lovely, heartfelt tale.

I highly recommend The Winter Room to readers aged eight to eighty!

I also read The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, like so many other adults this winter! Many times, I'm disappointed when I read a popular novel, not this time. This fantastic book is written in epistolary style, which makes it even more intriguing to read. Learning about the characters, their history, and ultimately the plot of the novel through letters - by Sybil Van Antwerp - is a wonderful way to take in the story. It felt a bit like finding a bunch of my mother's old letters in her attic and piecing together her history. I highly recommend The Correspondent to readers 18 & up!

Wishing you a Happy New Year... of reading!

Bibliophile's Corner

I am Jane Goodall
by Brad Meltzer

Synopsis:

After receiving a stuffed animal chimpanzee for her first birthday, Jane Goodall's love of animals only grew. She saw what humans and animals had in common, not what makes us different, and used that to advocate for animal rights everywhere, becoming famous for her work with chimpanzees.

My Thoughts:

With the passing of Jane Goodall earlier this week, I felt I could honor her in one small way by featuring this book review. I love how one little incident - Jane receiving a stuffed animal chimpanzee on her first birthday - reverberated through her entire life. The book includes Dr. Goodall's thirst for knowledge, her passion for curiosity, and her love of our planet and its creatures. My own granddaughter celebrated her first birthday yesterday; this book will definitely be read to her very soon! This title is the tenth book in the series: Ordinary People Change the World by Brad Meltzer & illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. I highly recommend I am Jane Goodall to children up to seven years of age.

Bibliophile's Corner

Evergreen

by Matthew Cordell

Flap Copy Description:

Evergreen the squirrel is afraid of many things: thunder, hawks, and the dark paths of Buckthorn Forest. But when her mother tasks Evergreen with delivering soup to her sick Granny Oak, the little squirrel must face her fears and make the journey.

Along the way, Evergreen meets other forest dwellers - some want to help her, but some want her mother's delicious soup! 

My Thoughts:

Evergreen is Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell's most recent picture book - I love it! The whimsical illustrations perfectly bring the heartwarming story to life, and the little protagonist is entertaining as she overcomes her fears! I highly recommend Evergreen for children aged three to seven.

Click here to learn about the author-illustrator Matthew Cordell.

Bibliophile's Corner

Wildoak 
by C.C.Harrington

Flap Copy Description:

A Snow Leopard.

A Child.

An Ancient Forest

When fates collide, the unimaginable can happen...

Maggie Stephens's stutter makes school especially hard. She will do almost anything to avoid speaking in class or calling attention to herself. So when her unsympathetic father threatens to send her away for so-called "treatment," she reluctantly agrees to her mother's intervention plan: a few weeks in the fresh air of Wildoak Forest, visiting a grandfather she hardly knows. It is there, in an extraordinary twist of fate, that she encounters a abandoned snow leopard cub, an exotic gift to a wealthy Londoner that proved too wild to domesticate. But once the cub's presence is discovered by others, danger follows, and Maggie soon realizes that time is running out, not only for the leopard, but for herself and the forest as well.

My Thoughts:

Wildoak is a wonderful new middle grade novel with a protagonist you'll want to embrace. While Maggie's stutter has made it difficult to make friends, she has a gift for befriending animals. As her adventure unfolds, she not only learns to speak up for herself, but she also has an impact on the whole community around her. I highly recommend Wildoak to readers aged eight to twelve!

Click here to learn about the author C.C. Harrington.

Bibliophile's Corner

My Friend Anne Frank

by Hannah Pick-Goslar

Flap Copy Description:

In 1933, Hannah Pick-Goslar and her family fled Nazi Germany to live in Amsterdam, where she struck up a close friendship with her next-door neighbor, an outspoken and fun-loving young girl named Anne Frank. For several years, the inseparable pair enjoyed a carefree childhood of games, sleepovers, and treats with other children in their neighborhood of Rivierenbuurt. But in 1942, Hannah's and Anne's lives abruptly changed forever. As the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam progressed, Anne and the Frank family seemingly vanished, leaving behind unmade beds and dishes in the sink - but no trace of Anne's precious diary. Torn from her dear friend without warning, Hannah spent the next two years tormented by questions about Anne's fate, wondering if she had, by some miracle, managed to escape danger.

My Thoughts:

This recently released memoir by Hannah Pick-Goslar is another intimate look into a Jewish family during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam during World War II. The fact that the author was one of Anne Frank's friends when they were young children gives us another perspective into the life of Frank. The serendipitous thread that weaves its way through the lives of the two girls, to the very end of Anne's life, is extraordinary. I highly recommend My Friend Anne Frank to readers aged twelve and up.

Note: Today would have been the 94th birthday of Anne Frank.

Whimsical Word of the Week

Munificence - (n.)

the quality of being extremely generous.

Example: The charity organization was grateful for the philanthropist's munificence.

Bibliophile's Corner

The Book of Charlie

by David Von Drehle

Flap Copy Description:

When a veteran Washington journalist moved to the Midwest, he met a new neighbor who was more than a century old. Little did he know that he was beginning a long friendship - and a profound lesson in the meaning of life. Charlie White was no ordinary neighbor. Born before radio, Charlie lived long enough to use a smartphone. When a shocking tragedy interrupted his idyllic boyhood, Charlie mastered survival strategies that reflect thousands of years of human wisdom. Thus armored, Charlie's sense of adventure carried him on an epic journey across the continent, and later found him swinging across bandstands of the Jazz Age, racing aboard ambulances through Depression-era gangster wars, improvising techniques for early open-heart surgery, and cruising the Amazon as a guest of Peru's president.

David Von Drehle came to understand that Charlie's resilience and willingness to grow made this remarkable neighbor a master in the art of thriving through times of dramatic change...

My Thoughts:

I discovered The Book of Charlie via the Instagram account of Tom Hanks; thanks so much Mr. Hanks! It's always a pleasure to read an authentically inspirational book; when it's full of humor, wisdom, and history, well, I'm all in. Mr. Von Drehle's book would make a great graduation or Father's Day gift. I'll be purchasing more copies for gifts myself. Bravo, David Von Drehle!

Bibliophile's Corner

Palace of Books

by Patricia Polacco

Flap Copy Description:

"You mean they have a whole big building that is only for books?"

When young Patricia Polacco's family moves from Union to Battle Creek, Michigan, it is hard for Patricia to believe this new place will ever feel like home. But soon she meets the kind librarian, Mrs. Creavy, and discovers the library's doors are always open. Now Patricia has a place to explore and study books about the birds that she loves. Mrs. Creavy even shows her the books of John James Audobon and helps Patricia introduce her classmates to the joy of birds and become the first member of the Audobon bird club of Fremont Elementary.

My Thoughts:

Just one more children's book review of the season - for lovers of libraries! If ever there was a book for children about the joys of a library, it would be Palace of Books! While the book is an autobiographical account of one chapter of the author's childhood, what I found so endearing was how the kindness of one librarian - and the books that she shares - can change the life of a child forever. I highly recommend Palace of Books by Patricia Polacco to readers aged four to seven!

Click here to learn about the author/illustrator, Patricia Polacco.

Storyteller's Journey

My Annual Summer Reading List!

Once again, it's time to feature the list of children's books that are my favorites since last fall. Merely select a title, click on it, and read my review. Enjoy!

YA = Young adult, MG = Middle Grade, PB = Picture book

Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson (MG)

Fairy Tale by Stephen King (YA)

Beneath the Keep by Erika Johansen (YA)

Northwind by Gary Paulsen (MG)

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (YA)

Elf Dog & Owl Head by M.T. Anderson (MG)

Frigg's Journey to Anasgar by Deb Cushman (MG)

Hot Dog by Doug Salati (PB)

The First Notes by Julie Andrews & Emma Walton Hamilton (PB)

Forgotten Fairy Tales of Kindness and Courage 

by Mary Seabag-Montefiore (Anthology)

*     *     *

There's something here for everyone! Happy reading this summer!

Bibliophile's Corner

Elf Dog & Owl Head

by M.T. Anderson

Flap Copy Description:

A summer spent sharing the family computer with his annoying sisters, trying to tune out his parents' financial worries, and video-calling with his friends. That's what Clay has to look forward to during that first summer of the sickness all over the world. But one day, in the woods, everything changes.

From the moment he sees the peculiar young dog with the fancy collar, Clay knows there's something special about her. There are other things in the woods, too - beautiful, ancient things, tucked in the invisible folds of the forest, where reality ripples and other worlds are glimpsed. But as Clay and his mysterious dog explore day after day, Clay comes to realize that the woods also hold secrets and traps and things to be scared of. If he's not careful, Clay might just step off the path and never find his way back.

My Thoughts:

This recently released middle grade novel is fanciful, imaginative, and a wonderful example of magical realism. Elf Dog & Owl Head is an extraordinary novel for children. The charcoal etchings really add to M.T. Anderson's enchanting story. I highly recommend this book to readers aged seven to twelve. 

I was lucky enough to hear the author speak at a SCBWI Writer's Conference in Los Angeles, CA, years ago. That's where I first heard of him!  He shared several illuminating tips for writers. (His excellent nonfiction book, Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad, is one of my all-time favorite books.) 

Click here to learn about the award-winning author, M.T. Anderson.

Bibliophile's Corner

Make Way

by Angela Burke Kunkel

illustrated by Claire Keene

Flap Copy Description:

In the beginning, in Hamilton, Ohio, there was a boy named Robert. His hands were always moving, always creating. Many years later, after attending art school in Boston, Robert McCloskey would think about his days wandering through Boston Public Garden and write the classic story Make Way for Ducklings.

In the beginning, there was also a girl named Nancy. She grew up in Newton, Massachusetts, working in her father's green-house, twisting wire and boughs into wreaths. Many years later Nancy Schön would look at Bob's drawings in Make Way for Ducklings and get the seed of an idea. That seed became the bronze sculptures of Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings that stand in Boston Public Garden today.

The stunning and innovative picture book biography intertwines the lives of two phenomenal artists - who were contemporaries and friends - and reveals the extraordinary impact they've had on generations of children.

My Thoughts:

Like most fans of children's books, I have always loved the picture book, Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey. Make Way - The Story of Robert McCloskey and Nancy Schön, and Some Very Famous Ducks is the perfect biography to honor Mr. McCloskey and Ms. Schön! The combination of the enchanting illustrations and the biographical details works together to create a truly beautiful picture book. There are additional details about Mr. McCloskey and Ms. Schön at the back of the book. I highly recommend Make Way for readers of all ages!

Bibliophile's Corner

The First Notes

The Story of Do, Re, Mi

by Julie Andrews and 

Emma Walton Hamilton

Flap Copy Description:

"When you know the notes to sing, you can sing most anything!"

Imagine a time very long ago, when music couldn't be written or read and could only be learned by live performance. A monk named Guido d'Arezzo dreamed of finding a way to write music as words are written in books, so that people far and wide could read and learn melodies. With creativity, passion, and perseverance, one humble man invented a way to share music across the world.

My Thoughts:

There's so much I love about this picture book! Not only does it share the history of musical notes, at the back of the book it includes a glossary, more information about the monk, Guido d'Arezzo, and a page about the song "Do-Re-Mi" which was written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Julie Andrews and the award-winning author, Emma Walton Hamilton (daughter of Ms. Andrews), have created a book every child should read - especially if they're a budding musician of any kind!

Click here to learn about author Emma Walton Hamilton. 

Bibliophile's Corner

King Charles

by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

Back Cover Description:

Little Charles became heir to the throne aged just three. He grew up loving nature and dedicated himself to helping people and the planet through environmental activism and charity work. When he became king, Charles promised to serve his people with loyalty and respect. This amazing story of the king's life features a facts and photos section at the back.

My Thoughts:

Since the coronation of King Charles is coming up at the end of the week, I thought this book would be the perfect title to review. The story is a lovely overview about the monarch's life, and deals with his first wife, Princess Diana, in a tactful way. If you're looking to introduce your youngster to the new king, this book definitely fits the bill!

Bibliophile's Corner

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

by Charlie Mackesy

Description:

A journey, in search of home...

"I made a film with some friends about a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse - their journey together and the boy's search for home. I hope this book gives you courage and makes you feel loved." Love Charlie x

My Thoughts:

Charlie Mackesy, a British author, artist, and illustrator, wrote a lovely book by the same name that was adapted into an Academy Award winning animated short film. This extraordinarily beautiful book offers hope and inspiration amidst these troubled times. I highly recommend it, and its film, to readers of all ages!

Click here to learn about the author/illustrator, Charlie Mackesy.

Bibliophile's Corner

It's Up to Us

Building a Brighter Future for Nature, People, & Planet

by Christopher Lloyd

Description:

It's Up to Us and the story it tells come at a very important moment for Nature, People, and Planet. Our climate is changing, our forests and animal habitat are under threat, and our oceans are being polluted. Time is quickly running out to protect our planet's precious well-being - but, as this wonderful book shows us, it's not too late!

My Thoughts:

This beautiful picture book was inspired by the Terra Carta, issued by HRH The Prince of Wales - now, King Charles III. It's an inspirational narrative for children, illuminating some of the challenges our planet faces and how they can be a part of the solution. Illustrated by thirty-three talented artists from around the world, it's one of the loveliest picture books I've read in some time. With the arrival of Earth Day on Saturday, this new release would be the perfect book for you and your child to read together. I highly recommend It's Up to Us for young readers aged four and up!

Click here to learn about the Terra Carta.

Bibliophile's Corner

Maybe

by Kobi Yamada and

illustrated by Gabriella Barouch

Flap Copy Description:

You are the only you there ever has been or ever will be. You are unique. Just the odds of you being here at this exact place and this exact time are so great and so rare that they will never happen again.

This is a story for everything you will do and everything you could be. It's for who you are right now, and it's for the magical, unbounded potential you hold inside.

My Thoughts:

I discovered this extraordinary book in one of my favorite ways: strolling the aisles of a bookshop! The enchanting artwork, by debut illustrator, Gabriella Barouch, caught my eye right away. To be more accurate, Ms. Barouch is a fine artist and has been recognized as such for over twenty years. The award-winning author, Kobi Yamada, has written this picture book for children, but like all great children's literature, its powerful message is just as much for adults as kids. I highly recommend the award-winning picture book Maybe for readers of all ages!

Click here to learn about the author, Kobi Yamada.

Click here to learn about the artist, Gabriella Barouch.

Bibliophile's Corner

The Easter Egg

by Jan Brett

Flap Copy Description:

Time for the rabbits to decorate eggs for the Easter Rabbit.

This year Hoppi is old enough to join in, and if he can just make the winning egg, he will be the one to help the Easter Rabbit on Easter morning.

But Hoppi hasn't decided what kind of egg to make. And as he hops along and sees one fantastic egg after another, he begins to wonder how he can compete.

Hoppi goes into the woods to think about his egg, and just when he figures out that he only has to make the best egg he can, his plans take a most unexpected turn.

My Thoughts:

The beautiful artwork of Jan Brett never disappoints! This lovely picture book is the perfect gift for a child that celebrates Easter. Hoppi's unexpected entry from the heart reveals how being yourself is always the best way to go. I highly recommend The Easter Egg to children aged three to seven!

Click here to learn more about author/illustrator Jan Brett.

Bibliophile's Corner

Freewater

by Amina Luqman-Dawson

Flap Copy Description:

Under the cover of night, twelve-year-old Homer flees Southerland Plantation with his younger sister, unwillingly leaving their mother behind. Through tangles vines, hidden doorways, and over a sky bridge, the two find a secret community called Freewater, deep in the swamp.

In this secret society created by formerly enslaved people and some freeborn children, Homer finds new friends, almost forgetting where he came from. But when he learns of a threat that could destroy Freewater, he crafts a plan to return to Southerland Plantation, free his mother from enslavement, and help his new home.

My Thoughts:

When I recently read Freewater, I was aware I was reading a children's classic in the making. Based on a little-known chapter in American history, this middle grade novel shines a light on the men, women, and children who dared have a life of freedom in the wilderness, rather than to remain enslaved. Ms. Luqman-Dawson is a master storyteller; her thrilling novel is brilliantly told. Freewater recently won both the Newbery Medal Award, as well as the Coretta Scott King award. Brava, Amina Luqmon-Dawson!

Click here to learn about the author, Amina Luqmon-Dawson.