shapeshifting little boy and his morbid, chain-smoking grandmother mount a vicious and deadly campaign against a group of feminist wiccans who only washapeshifting little boy and his morbid, chain-smoking grandmother mount a vicious and deadly campaign against a group of feminist wiccans who only want to rid the world of toxic pests. this was a tough read, emotional and grueling. Dahl clearly empathizes with the spiritualists - who function more like a kind of pagan PTA than anything remotely threatening - and the many disabilities that plague these brave and independent ladies. hair loss and baldness, challenges with the digits of both hands and feet, not to mention the existential trauma of being empowered women in a misogynist, ableist world that constantly favors and rewards young, able-bodied, privileged males and the females who enable them. I really appreciated Dahl's focus on the head wiccan - an admirable leader, a superior organizer, and even a talented singer/songwriter. reading what happens to her, and to the rest of her peers, at the hands of the story's two villains was exceedingly painful. but that's life, right? life is cruel to outsiders and I admire the author for taking such a realistic view of their terrible sufferings. people, let's do the work and learn to do better!...more
One can blow their glass and love their work, their cozy snug little life, and still live that life with a certain unawareness.
One can love their husbOne can blow their glass and love their work, their cozy snug little life, and still live that life with a certain unawareness.
One can love their husband and children, and still feel there could be more, as they stare out the window, wondering.
One can have all the money in the world, and still have nothing that loves them. One can marry into that wealth, and have all their wishes granted, and still feel hollow. One can seek to find children to fill that hollow. One can find that the hollow remains: these children are not their own, the granted wish has not made them whole. Two may forget that sometimes wishes should not be granted.
Two may find themselves in a new world, a grand manor, their memories wiped, their world cold and lonesome and unloving. One can lash out under such circumstances.
Two may battle over children. One can aim to control and torment. One can aim to right wrongs and set free. One can win the battle, but the war remains.
One eye can make the world a rosy place, if that eye sees no shadow. Two eyes may make the world a harder place, but it is the real world, at least.
One can write a book that is like a dream and a fable, strange and forbidding, sorrowful and sweet, kind and loving. One can write a fairy tale. One can have a husband illustrate it!...more
Review: a perfect children's adventure. This is apparently a sourcebook for Tolkien's Hobbit. I can see that. I also was reminded of certain books by Review: a perfect children's adventure. This is apparently a sourcebook for Tolkien's Hobbit. I can see that. I also was reminded of certain books by L. Frank Baum, and many other children's fantasies that resonate, that never take a misstep. Although it features two pretty incorrigible kid protagonists (my favorite kind), the real hero of the tale is a friendly Snerg who slowly changes from moronic to heroic over the course of the story. The book is sometimes quite dark, often quite sweet, and completely adorable.
The rest of this is pretty much me going on and on about 5 star books, so unless you're in the mood for some elaborate navel-gazing and some highly caffeinated ramblings from someone you barely know, my recommendation is that you just go ahead and skip what follows.
✪ ★ ✯ ✰ ☻
I angst way too much over my precious 5th star. Get a life, me. But I'm a dedicated list creator and compartmentalizer and so this is my Total Virgo lifestyle. Lucky are the friends and family who have to deal with such an extreme tier-maker! And so it is with Goodreads and the 5 star rating, which I only award to "favorites". Perfectly worthy books that are beautifully written, challenging, and original will get 4 stars if they don't strike that chord that feels like Favorite. What does that chord sound like though? As always with me, it can be within several categories, several chords.
Tanith Lee's second book is a sweet and featherlight collection of children's fairy tales. A dozen princes and princesses each get their own little stTanith Lee's second book is a sweet and featherlight collection of children's fairy tales. A dozen princes and princesses each get their own little story. Magic and talking animals abound, as well as odd, short quests and a gallery of amusing enchanted creatures (some of which include the princes & princesses themselves). Silliness reigns supreme; right at the start of her career, the author makes her love for the absurd clear. There is a princess who accidentally turns herself into a furry snake with whiskers (a prince finds her to be just the cutest thing), a witch who yearns to win the annual Wickedest Witch prize, a cross younger sister named Princess Pineapple, an annoyingly perfect older brother named Prince Lion, a villainous enchanter appropriately named Nasty, a pair of condescending eagles, a bunch of sheep turned into a bunch of princes, and a host of other similarly nonsensical characters and scenarios. Not a whiff of the darkness that later made Tanith Lee famous is to be found in these slight and sunny charmers. My favorite is the tale of a prince, looking for love, who assumes that the swan he's found must be showered with kisses in order to turn her back into a human princess. Turns out, she's actually a princess of swans, and finds the whole ordeal quite revolting. The book includes a lovely drawing by Vilma Ilsley for each story. I quite liked the one with a haughty Prince Charming dancing with a cat named Clever....more
click clack, he has a knack his talent's in his words glips and glops, his story pops eerie and absurd
frip frap, a pretty death cap fairy tales must be daclick clack, he has a knack his talent's in his words glips and glops, his story pops eerie and absurd
frip frap, a pretty death cap fairy tales must be dark snip and snart, and as for the art it's vivid yet quite stark
tick tack, the prince comes back but will it all end well? mips and mopes, just as I'd hoped The 13 Clocks was swell!...more
Mio, my son... such a kind and unassuming phrase, for such a kind and unassuming boy, in such a sweet story. Such a sweet story, full of longing and sMio, my son... such a kind and unassuming phrase, for such a kind and unassuming boy, in such a sweet story. Such a sweet story, full of longing and sadness - but only at first. At first there is sadness, a lack of love - but then comes happiness, an abundance of love. An abundance of love - but one tinged with a strange fear, a terror of the unknown. A terror of the unknown transformed: turned into a quest, a rescue mission. A rescue mission with a boy and his friend, both still afraid and prone to tears; brave boys and then not-so-brave boys, terrified in the face of a great evil. A great evil, surely - but one with a core of self-loathing: sometimes even evil cannot abide itself, so the author makes clear. The author makes clear that it is love, love most of all, that little boys and little girls and all things need. All things need love: the love between friends; the love of a neighbor; love expressed through gestures and deeds, on the face and in the eyes; simple, friendly, kindly love - the love of all things, every thing, every person, each a possible new friend; the love of a parent, saying a simple, loving phrase: Mio, my son......more
Banana Books are something new and exciting in children's fiction - a series of brilliantly imaginative stories written
according to the back cover,
Banana Books are something new and exciting in children's fiction - a series of brilliantly imaginative stories written by some of today's top writers especially for 7-9 year-old readers. Colourfully illustrated, Banana Books are fun to look at and fun to read. They include ghost stories, family stories, school stories, space fantasies - and more!
The Ghost Child is all of those, minus the space fantasy. it is a charming book that features a sporty young lady meeting a ghost who first appears as a little boy in his childhood home and then as a young man in London - the city where he died. the sportiness was my favorite part of this story: our friendly young ghost was quite a sporty lad himself and the two bond over various acrobatics like cartwheels and later he helps her practice her high-dives. reappearing to her in the big city, he also brings with him what should be scary visions of World War II-era London under siege - fire and noise everywhere, like a Guy Fawkes night gone mad - but our heroine finds it all quite exciting. formidable young lady!
overall, a pleasant experience, with some nicely wispy drawings by Charlotte Voake. plus it ends with a delightfully passive-aggressive "compliment" from our heroine to her rather obnoxious best friend. a child after my own heart....more
a quick tour of Lovecraft's various monsters and gods - for the little ones. the story: an endearing but eventually sinister lad loses his pet shoggota quick tour of Lovecraft's various monsters and gods - for the little ones. the story: an endearing but eventually sinister lad loses his pet shoggoth and, with his cat, goes off to find it. he comes across many Lovecraftian horrors during his search. as adorable as it is horrible; suitable for children who enjoy creepy entertainments along the lines of Nightmare Before Christmas (although a wee bit darker). lots of squirmy, squishy, tentacly stuff. I know at least a couple kids who would love this, bless their black lil' hearts. also suitable for adults who enjoy these sorts of weird curiosities, like myself. the rhymes are amusing and the art is splendid.
and that's really all I have to say about this delightful trifle, so maybe some images from the book are in order:
picture if you will a dollhouse, exquisitely detailed and true to life, true to the actual house that contains it. a dollhouse that replicates that hopicture if you will a dollhouse, exquisitely detailed and true to life, true to the actual house that contains it. a dollhouse that replicates that house - and the people in it! you can watch your family as they move about the house, in and out of rooms, living their brief lives and none the wiser that your beady little eyes are fixed upon them. stick your hand through a window and watch as your family members cope with these giant fingers that have come from nowhere. now imagine a spider has made its way into this dollhouse... and so into your own house, transformed into a giant menace, now stalking your own house's hallways - now stalking you!
although the wondrous Locke & Key series and its standalones have all featured children, this is perhaps the sole entry so far that is actually suitable for children. it is full of amusing banter and offhand sweetness, shivery adventure and goofy physical humor, brave children and eerie shadow servants, a cat that saves the day (finally!) and, I'm afraid to say, boogers. gotta give the kids what they want, I suppose. the writing by Joe Hill is pleasant and breezy; the art by Gabriel Rodríguez is excellent as usual. overall a slim but delightful affair....more
in his wonderful Oz series, Baum usually does a good job at keeping his more precious & cutesy-poo tendencies in check. his bracingly no-nonsense littin his wonderful Oz series, Baum usually does a good job at keeping his more precious & cutesy-poo tendencies in check. his bracingly no-nonsense little heroines and often delightfully bizarre imagination help to keep things treacle-free. unfortunately no such barriers have been put in place for this story of the early life of Santa Claus; the result is much strained mawkishness and, egads, baby talk. sugar overload! however I did enjoy the entirely pagan origins of Jolly Saint Nick - a foundling taken under the protection of assorted sprites, nymphs, and fairies of an ancient forest. Baum is at his best here when naming and describing all of the varied immortal princes and princesses, and the inhumans they rule over. plus there is a (very brief) Battle Between the Forces of Good and Evil, and that's always fun....more
Howard Pyle was a renowned author who made his mark in the 19th century with a number of books for young adults on such figures as Robin Hood and KingHoward Pyle was a renowned author who made his mark in the 19th century with a number of books for young adults on such figures as Robin Hood and King Arthur. In 1889 his son Sellers died unexpectedly. In 1895 he wrote a children's fantasy called The Garden Behind the Moon. The book is about what awaits children beyond this mortal coil.
Young simpleton David lives in a fishing village and spends his days caring for his infant sister and listening to the stories of a fellow simpleton, a cobbler named Hans. Hans tells David tales of the path to the moon, the gardens behind the moon, and the Master Cobbler - also known as the Moon-Angel, also known as the Angel of Death. David finds his way there, spends some time polishing stars for the Man in the Moon, meets the frightening but kindly Moon-Angel, and takes vacations from his work by visiting those gardens behind the moon - a place where children romp and play, forever young.
The book is a light fantasy with a melancholy tone and some dark themes. It is a sweet book as well.There have been few things so moving in literature for me to contemplate than thinking about Pyle writing this book for his lost son, imagining a place beyond where his child could live and play, have adventures and learn a purpose, find a girl and eventually be united with her. So wistful and yet so hopeful. I find that I'm tearing up even as I write this, thinking about Pyle. Well I can be a sentimental chap at times.
The darkness is ever present as well. The opening chapter describes a good queen finally getting her heart's desire - a daughter. The Moon-Angel is happy to give her this gift, but he takes something in return - the queen's life.
Later, while living in the house of the Man in the Moon, David comes across some windows where he can look at the world below. He sees many things, including a slave ship where a dead mother and her still living infant are tossed into the ocean as so much dead weight. It is a horrible scene for the boy to witness, and the reader as well. But there is yet a place for the mother and her child, behind the moon.
"Ah! yes, little child. For there is as much joy and gladness over one poor black woman who enters into that place as there is over the whitest empress who ever walked the earth..."
David on the moon and in the gardens is only the first half of the book. The second half involves a quest, and this is where the book gets even stranger. David learns that the Moon-Angel is not just the Angel of Death - he is also Lucifer the light bringer, day-star, son of the morning. To find a child he met in the garden - the daughter of the first chapter's queen - David must go to a place few have been: behind the wings of the Angel of Death. And there he will find a black-winged horse and two kindly old women and a fearsome Iron Man, and from there he must bring back the Wonder Box and the Know-All Book. Adam and Eve once opened the Wonder Box and fled from what emerged, fled before they could even open the Know-All Book.
One of the many things that fascinated me within this novel is how Pyle transforms Adam and Eve's apple into the Box and the Book, and how he changes their fall from grace into something else entirely, something more complex. It was a good deed when Lucifer brought them them both Box and Book. Opening the Wonder Box, eating that apple, Pandora and her box as well... such things are necessary. Such things are not bad things.
And what knowledge lies within the Know-All Book?
"when we grow up we shall be married; when we are married we shall grow up; when we are married there shall be joy; hence there shall be joy when we are married." Thus it was from the beginning to the end of all there was in the book.
The prose and imagery are sublime. The book manages to be almost heartbreakingly sentimental while also being - in the words of another reviewer - deliciously creepy. It was an enchanting experience for me.
Howard Pyle was also an innovative illustrator lauded by many, including Vincent van Gogh. Van Gogh wrote that Pyle's work "struck me dumb with admiration".
Why, it is Peter – the Forever-A-Boy, the Only Child, Nature’s heir – the son of Pan! ‘Tis Peter Pan! He shall fly and swim, hitherWhat Child Is This?
Why, it is Peter – the Forever-A-Boy, the Only Child, Nature’s heir – the son of Pan! ‘Tis Peter Pan! He shall fly and swim, hither and thither, capturing other Only Children, children like himself. He has learned his lesson well, it shall only be Only Children this time. Under the sea they shall be brought, to romp and to play and to have adventures – to do the opposite of what they should! Peter will make them like himself. Peter the leader! O cunning and heartless Peter Pan!
What Adventure Is This?
This adventure is a sequel! Or perhaps a prequel? It matters not. The adventures go round and round – and round again! And who is that lurking? ‘Tis Captain Hook! The timeless villain returns! Peter “hates” him – he loves to hate him! He loves him! It is said that the apple does not fall far from the tree. Peter collects his own apples, luring them from the luxury liners above, to their fate down below. These Only Children shall live in a sunken schooner, a brotherhood with two sisters, all of them perched atop a volcano, busy with play until the end of the day, until bedtime – until two hours after bedtime! And then to snuggle together in their hammocks, the next day a new adventure, the world of parents and schoolyard bullies and lonely sibling-less lives left far behind. Children forever!
What Author Is This?
Who is this tricky man, this Gilbert Adair? Who dares to write a sequel – or a prequel – to a timeless children’s classic? Why, he is a Literary Author! But never fear, children – he does not come to condescend! He comes to romp and to play and to invent new adventures. His tongue may be planted firmly in cheek, but his heart is not a cynical one. He creates an adventure and he amuses himself in his own way as well, he amuses himself while playing right beside the children. He gives a weak-chinned character a strong chin – and refuses to take it back! He gives a goldfish a home at the bottom of the sea! He makes a suit of a crocodile skin! He makes Peter Pan a terrible being, a child who laughingly toys with lives and carelessly throws a friend aside – but he keeps Peter Pan delightful as well. A delightful little hero-villain! A delightful little book!...more
oh, Edward Eager, you really seem like a swell guy. a family man but not one of those mawkish mewling types who always seem to be about to burst into oh, Edward Eager, you really seem like a swell guy. a family man but not one of those mawkish mewling types who always seem to be about to burst into tears when they talk about their fam. you get kids and you don't bring a lot of sentimentality to the table either; you capture the cheerfulness & the mood swings & the sweetness & a little bit of the sour as well. you root your adventures in prosaic reality but you manage to make prosaic reality not bad, not bad at all, its own sort of adventure.
written in 1957 but set several decades earlier, this fun little trifle is Eager all over. 4 siblings spend a summer at a lake, A MAGIC LAKE, the magic courtesy of a grouchy magic turtle. they get various wishes and go on various adventures including seeing pirates, cannibals, Antarctica, and what it's like to be a few years older and going on a date with a couple pretentious twits. the bloodthirsty youngest girl was my predictable favorite of the four, but I also wouldn't mind having fearless and slightly condescending oldest-sister Jane as a child either. well, all four of them are actually pretty peachy. they spend the last adventure trying to figure out how to help their stepdad's ailing business, and that's just adorable.
favorite part was when they stumble across another group of kids on their own magical adventure with their own magical rules that must be followed. surreal and surprising and kinda awesome.
loved one of the last lines, it really spoke to me:
"You mean it's really over?" said Katherine. "I don't believe it. It wouldn't all end like this. What would be the point? Why, we didn't learn a moral lesson, or anything!"
well isn't that just the truth, kids. welcome to the world!...more
1. Always be humble, kind, respectful, clever, and a little sly! Being both nice and cheeky is al
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TEN FUN & GOOD RULES FOR TEH CHILDREN!
1. Always be humble, kind, respectful, clever, and a little sly! Being both nice and cheeky is allowable. And remember: no one thinks a suck-up or a tattle-tale is charming.
2. Respect and love all animals! They are God's creatures just like you and deserve to be cherished. Never torment them. Be aware that they are born vulnerable and their lives are filled with enough terror and death already. And what comes around goes around, children.
3. Avoid all hunters and especially avoid becoming one! They are monsters given human form. Except fisherman, who are possibly okay. Maybe.
4. The Paradise of Birds, the Garden of Eden, and all such heavenly places are truly wonderful and beautiful and you will probably never get to enter them unless you retain your innocence! And who can do that anyway? So don't get your hopes up. Also, those places are usually full of snooty types who enjoy a lot of preening, and that's not too fun to hang around forever anyway. Maybe good for a day trip though.
5. Respect authority and if you find yourself in a position of authority, be respectful! Even a lovely, helpful bluejay in a position of authority may find himself at the mercy of an unkindness of ravens, if he's a little too strenuous while fulfilling duties. Don't get too casual with that police baton.
6. Positive Self-Regard and Strong Opinions are both okay! Love yourself and say what's on your mind... but please don't be obnoxious about it. No one likes obnoxious.
7. If you encounter a "tuxix" - a creature that looks like a spiny turtle, but is in reality "a magician, a sorcerer, a wizard, and a witch all rolled into one" - quickly run away! If not, you may find yourself transformed into a little bird except with a tiny human head on top. Yuck.
8. If such a transformation happens, be generous with the picnic basket that you brought with you! The other birds will appreciate it. Plus it's now so heavy you can't carry it anymore, so why not be generous.
9. When visiting an eagle's nest, avoid the eaglets! They will try to eat you, the repulsive things.
10. "Laura Bancroft" is actually the famous children's author of The Wizard of Oz series, L. Frank Baum! Everyone should always feel free to disguise themselves as a lady.
was Baum senile when he wrote this one? this is the worst Baum that i've ever read, the absolute worst. thank our merciful Lord On High that this is awas Baum senile when he wrote this one? this is the worst Baum that i've ever read, the absolute worst. thank our merciful Lord On High that this is as short as it is uninteresting. if you want to read some obscure Baum, try the surprisingly acidic morality tale Policeman Bluejay. now that is a real bit of buried treasure there. on the other hand, Woggle-Bug Book just needs to be buried, period....more
this is a pleasant and enjoyable little fantasy for kids, involving adventures in dreamland. apparently the first in a series, this episode takes our this is a pleasant and enjoyable little fantasy for kids, involving adventures in dreamland. apparently the first in a series, this episode takes our boy hero on an adventure in Rocket Space as he fights off enemies trying to get in the way of a Very Important Political Meeting. strangely enough, Mom turns up as a Commander - but our hero does not seem to mind Mom being a part of his adventures. an unusual lad! i plan on reading this to my younger nephew during the holidays to see what he thinks. i think Andre will like it, particularly as he is also an unusual lad.
the illustrations are simple and rather wonderful.
two things:
- the main flaw is that Patrick, the 12-year old hero, does not really talk like a 12-year old. at times he sounds distinctly younger than his age (which is why i think Andre may specifically appreciate this one) and many other times he talks like he is several years older, using phrases i've never heard from a kid that age. this flaw is not a deal-breaker and will hopefully be corrected in future volumes. and i should probably consult with my older nephew Damon to see if i am actually right about this. who knows. he will probably correct me simply for the joy of correcting me, a family trait.
- the main attraction is (as another reviewer mentions) the basic premise of Lucid Dreaming. that is a marvelously rich and fertile place to start a series. there are so many possibilities when looking at dreams on their own, so many adventures that can happen. and when lucid dreaming is integral to these adventures, they become so much more interesting, the possibilities multiply. i thought the best parts of Fright Flight involved Patrick taking control of his adventures. will future adventures have Patrick changing his dreams, moving into other dreams, integrating even more features from his reality? only time will tell. anyway, great concept, Lisa Ard!
oh and since i mentioned him, here is a picture of Andre after a bad spill - one that i am sure he will be positively un-thrilled to see when i show it to him again in a couple days... enjoy the cuteness now, before he forces me to take it down:
used to dream of being James. had my special favorites amongst all the talking insects, but really they were all my favorites. also used to look at anused to dream of being James. had my special favorites amongst all the talking insects, but really they were all my favorites. also used to look at animal encyclopedias and write lists of my favorite animals. then I'd imagine going on an Incredible Journey with them. animals are so much better than people!...more
Hickory is a mouse, born in a grandfather clock, living with his parents & brother Dickory & sister Dock. they have a happy life in the house that is Hickory is a mouse, born in a grandfather clock, living with his parents & brother Dickory & sister Dock. they have a happy life in the house that is their world, but Hickory wants to see more. so he leaves the house to make his own home in the fields beyond. and there he makes a friend, the grasshopper Hop. Hickory made me love mice! ah, adorable little mice.
i read this as a child and loved it. the writing is simple and straightforward and sometimes quite subtle. the illustrations were lovely. i remember particularly liking the picture of Hickory and Hop snuggling at night. Hickory finds a place to live and makes a comfy home, complete with a half-buried jar to use as a sun-room when it is cold. i loved this book, but i did not reread it over and again, just a few parts here and there (Hickory on a crutch, Hop distracting a prowling cat away from him, a visit from the family to his new home)... there was a bit too much that made my heart hurt a little, a wistfulness in the tone, a sadness in the narrative. there is a brief part where Hickory covers his ears to blot out the sound of a fearsome owl's hooting that made me feel strange, uncomfortable. and there is death. it is at times ambiguous, but it is also a certainty.
at one point, Hop tells Hickory why she doesn't like staying in his comfy little home under a rock: "I come from the ground," she said "and someday I will go back to it, but not before I have to." later, as autumn and winter approach, Hickory learns that Hop expects to die soon because of the cold. so brave and faithful little Hickory proposes that they go together to where the birds fly, where it is warm and where Hop can, well, not die. and so they go.
we don't get to see the end of the expedition... but we know that it will end much sooner than Hickory would like. they will never get to that summer land. as a kid, whenever i would think about the two of them, i would get so sad. this was not a book that i shared with my friends. if i thought too much about Hickory & Hop, their hopes and friendship and the beginning of that journey... i'd end up having to go to my room, to curl up in my bed, and tear up a little. oh such a sensitive boy!
here are the last couple pages of Hickory:
"Hickory," Hop asked, "honestly, do you think we'll get there?"
With his crutch Hickory shooed away a yellow-jacket. "I think so," he said, not sure, never sure, but not afraid to hope.
"Let's sing something as we go," Hickory said, and he began, "How many miles to Babylon?"
Hop, who did not know that song, answered with the only song she knew. So they sang, each a line in turn:
How many miles to Babylon? My life is but a summer song, Three score miles and ten. A little carol in the sun. Can I get there by candle-light? Now, when the nights grow cold and long, Yes, and back again. The song I sing will soon be done.
It made a sort of sense. Before them lay a hundred hills they might never climb and a hundred streams they might never cross, but they would try. Nearly out of sound, a clock in a church steeple began to strike the hour. The chime was the same as the chime in the grandfather clock, and Hickory could almost hear his father repeating:
Time is going, Never staying, Always flowing, Ever saying: Gone!
He shivered. He would like to jam the clockworks with his crutch, but it would not have helped at all. He knew it, and without looking back he left his crutch in the tall grass.
As the sound of the chimes faded, Hop called back to Hickory, "What was that noise?"
"Nothing," Hickory answered, catching up. "Nothing but a clock striking one."
The sun was bright, and there was not a cloud in the sky, but the air was cool and dry and very still. That night on these owl-haunted upper ridges there would be hard frost.
THE END
good grief, that's making me sad again, just rereading it!...more
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