Putting the "fun" and "excitement" into reading .... oh yea!

Quote of the day:

"The greatest gift is the passion for reading."   - Elizabth Hardwick



 I am very pleased to have our international guest blogger here today.   Welcome to Storywraps, Natalie Finnigan ... the space is all yours.....

Reading In England

It has been many years since I was a child (I know it’s hard to believe) but nursery school for me was around 30 years ago. (Nursery in England is 4/5yrs old.) I can’t remember whether the teachers read to me when I was at school. They certainly did a lot of reading aloud when I was in High School but it was more Shakespeare and the pupil’s work, rather than anything very fun or interesting. However, I am lucky enough to have a child in nursery school and love the fact that his teachers read to him every day. Sometimes the same book, sometimes different books. My son comes home with a head full of the Gruffalo, Scaredy Squirrel and stories about Owls that cannot hoot. (He’s learning about English Wildlife at the moment.)

I’ve been lucky enough to go to class and watch the teachers read. And they don’t just read, they READ! Hands fly through the air, voices filled with excitement, children chiming in on their favourite bits or the bits that go BANG and WHIZZ and SPLAT. In the Gruffalo all the children yell that the mouse’s favourite food is GRUFFALO CRUMBLE!!! And it reminds me, that books are not just for reading, they are for living, enjoying, exciting young minds and for being together.

My son is just starting to read. “Go on, Dad. Get Biff” etc and I must admit to finding that just as enjoyable as reading to him. The concentration as he figures out what all of the strange marks and squiggles mean, the joy on his face as he figures it out and the pride when I tell him he’s read it right. An enjoyable story doesn’t have to be complicated, read perfectly or full of twisty, turning plot lines. It can be as simple as Top Cat and made beautiful by the enjoyment of those few or many in the room to hear it.

About Natalie:

Natalie Finnigan was born in Suffolk, England, and re-discovered her love for writing rhymes after the birth of her son, Alex, in 2010. Having already published two short, rhyming picture books based on three characters (Alex, Dragon and Spider), Natalie is enjoying branching out into other picture books and is currently writing a pre-teen novel to be used as a teaching text for English as a Foreign Language.

Read on and read always!   Have an amazing day today everyone. 

Happy book giving this year

Visual quotes for your day:

Here are more creative ways to give a book to a pre-school child this Christmas:

1. Give Jeremy Draws a Monster with a pack of fat crayons and a stack of copy paper from an office supply store.

2. Pair Curious Garden with gardening tools and seeds.

3. Pair Princess Hyacinth (The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated)  with a kite.

4. Give Mighty Casey with a bat and ball.  Perhaps you can throw in a coupon book for practice lessons.

5. Pair Bubble Trouble with touchable bubbles.

6. Pair Monsters on Machines or Building with Dad with toy construction vehicles.

7. Pair picture book stunner How I Learned Geography with an inflatable globe.

8. Nature lovers will enjoy Birdsongs along with a guidebook like Backyard Birds with binoculars.

9. Give your rough little boy Pirates Don't Change Diapers along with some pirate gear.

10.  Take sweet picture book Lissy's Friends and pair it with an origami kit.

11. Taking a Bath with the Dog and Other Things That Make Me Happy is a book that deserves its own bathrobe and bubble bath.

12. Give picture book The Moon with a flashlight and a promise for a nighttime walk or two.

13. Give the wonderful book The Day the Babies Crawled Away with a baby doll.

14. Every one needs the book Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, and maybe add a toy bus or a cargo truck.

15. Pair classic A Bargain for Francis with a tea set.

I hope this list inspired you and you will enjoy both reading the books and watching your child incorporate the bonus gifts.  Let your imagination run wild as you pick out some fabulous books for gift giving, and please do give books this holiday season.  

After all the hype of Christmas is over, all the unwrapped presents played out, all the batteries dead as a doornail, then open up the gift  book, knowing in your heart a cuddle will ensue, and both you and your child can share together happily, the one true gift that gives on giving.

- (Source:  mother reader.com)

Read on and read always!  Have a perfect day everyone.

Books = Gifts

A Bloom of Friendship - a book review

Poking a little fun at the country I love!

These are a few of our favourite things.......

Today's featured book:

 

Author:  Anne Renaud

Ages: 9-12

About the book:

If you love history then you will love this book.  If you live in Canada you will love it even more.  This is a true story of a real-life princess who was birthed during the Second World War and because of the horrific state of her country her family was invited to reside in Canada until the war was over.  

Dutch Crown Princess Juliana and her family were forced to flee their homeland, and Ottawa reached out a hand of friendship to provide for them a safe sanctuary while Canadian troops played a key role in liberating the Netherlands from Nazi occupation.  

After her safe return home, Juliana, who had given birth to her daughter Margriet (named so appropriately after a daisy flower that was identified by her grandmother as a symbol of hope for the Dutch people and of Dutch Resistance to the Nazis), presented Canada with 100,000 tulip bulbs to thank them for their love and hospitality.

However, one problem did arise around the birth of her daughter.  Since the new prince or princess could one day become the monarch of the Netherlands, many considered it necessary that the baby be Dutch-born.  But clearly Princess Juliana could not travel back to her war-torn country to give birth.  Fortunately, a solution was found.  Before the baby was born, the Canadian government prepared a document declaring the place of birth as "extraterritorial" (outside of Canadian territory), which meant that the baby would be a Dutch citizen, although born in a foreign country."  Oh Canada ... we are so smart.

Each year in May, Canada's capital city blooms with thousands of brilliant coloured tulips and people from all around the world come to join in the celebration. This 18-day festival features over 300,000 tulips with an astonishing 60 varieties. It is a visual bond between the two countries of their shared history that comes alive  each spring, each time that Ottawa blooms.

The book is full of interesting historical facts, poignant stories of individual experiences, and 90 archival photographs.  The author has included a Timeline, Glossary and Bibliography for more in-depth knowledge surrounding this bittersweet event in history. Being a Canadian myself, I found the book educational, informative, easy to read and to understand.  It would be a perfect addition to a classroom or school library or the little history professor you may be raising right in your very own home.  

About the author:

My readers often ask me why I write books. I tell them it is because I like to do creative things and I find writing to be a very creative exercise. It’s also because I can’t dance well and I can’t sing well, so I try my best at writing well. I hope my books educate, entertain and inspire children. 

My non-fiction books are about Canadian history. They are real-life stories that really happened. My fiction books are stories I make up with my imagination. 

You may have also read articles, poems or craft projects I have written for children’s magazines, such as Highlights, Faces, Cricket, YESMag and KNOW. 

Book Review Rating:  9 (Close to perfection!)

Read on and read always!  It's good for you eh? :)

O Canada!

The Glassblower's Children a book review

Quote of the day:

"Glassblowing is an animal unto itself, it requires skill, knowledge, physical strength and respect." 

Featured book of the day:

Title: The Glassblower's Children

Author:  Maria Gripe

A New York Review Children's Collection

It comes with illustrations:

About the book:

This splendid fairytale is of German origin.  An impoverished glassblower, named Albert, lives with his beloved wife Sophia and their two children, Klas and Klara.  He creates beautiful glass bowls and vases that are unique and extraordinary. Unfortunately they are so impractical that no one buys from him forcing his wife to work in the fields to supplement their living needs. 

He packs up his wears each year and takes his family to a local fair to hopefully sell his goods.  It is at the fair that Flutter Mildweather comes into their lives.  She is a weaver of tapestries, tells people's fortunes and is involved with witchcraft.  She owns a one-eyed raven named Wise Wit who can only see good in the world.  They live in isolation away from the rest of the villagers. Klas and Klara are spotted by a very wealthy Lord and Lady of All Wishes Town.  The couple have everything at their disposal but they do not have any children.  The Lord takes it upon himself to kidnap the children to give to his lovely, unhappy wife, hoping that the children will make her happy once again.  

Klaus and Klara find themselves prisoners in the Lord's mansion surrounded by the River of Forgotten Memories.  Their only playmates are reflections of themselves in the mirrors that line the grand hallways.  A controlling and evil Nanny is hired for the children and their quality of life diminishes even more.  What is to  be done?  Their parents don't know their whereabouts and they themselves cannot escape.  Is this to be their destiny?

Just as their very lives are at risk, Flutter Mildweather, and her raven companion, arrive to rescue them from their hopeless existence.  The book is full of vivid, strange characters and makes you think about the difference between what you want and what you really need.  

This book is reprinted in a beautiful edition with the original white-on-black etched illustrations. This mystical, allegorical story won the 1974 Hans Christian Anderson Award.  I highly recommend this book.



About the author:

Maria Gripe (1923–2007) was born Maja Stina Walter in Sweden’s Stockholm archipelago, the daughter of an army captain. She attended Stockholm University, where she studied philosophy and the history of religion, and in 1946 married the artist Harald Gripe. Though she wrote stories from the time she was a child, Gripe did not publish her first book until she was thirty-one. Her first notable success came in the 1960s with a trilogy of books about Hugo and Josephine, and in 1964 she published Glasblåsarns barn, translated into English as The Glassblower’s Children in 1973. In 1974 she received Hans Christian Andersen Award, the most prestigious prize given to a writer of children’s literature. She adapted many of her books for radio, television, and film; in 1998 a movie adaptation of The Glassblower’s Children, starring Stellan Skarsgård, was released. Among Gripe’s books translated into English are The Night Daddy, Elvis and His Secret, and Agnes Cecilia.

Book review rating:  9 (Close to perfection!)

Read on and read always!  Carpe diem.

Elderly Parents With All Their Marbles - a book review

Quotes to warm your heart:

Today's featured book:

Title:  Elderly Parents With All Their

           Marbles: A Survival Guide for

           the Kids

Author:  Pamela Carey

Photos from the book to share :

About the book:

The author sites 49 rules as a survival kit for "kids" while looking after their aging parents.  If you are presently a caregiver or are going to be one soon then this book is for you. And yes, someday YOU will be the one who needs the special attention and care from a loved one, as we all will, so it's for you too.  

Pamela tells of her own personal experiences with her beloved parents as life-changing decisions must be made. She is well aware that these moves will significantly alter the rest of their lives: from moving them out of their familiar, comfort zone to the constant monitoring of their health and general well-being.  

This book is written in a journalistic fashion and even though the subject matter is educational and serious she manages to tell it in a witty, practical and humorous way.  She draws back the curtain and with underlying raw honestly discusses not only the burden but the privilege of caring for her parents until they are no more.  She wisely includes a useful appendix of websites, definitions and other  sundries that are of great benefit to the reader for such a time as this.  I highly recommend this book.

About the author:

In June,2014, a division of New River Press published my nonfiction title, ELDERLY PARENTS WITH ALL THEIR MARBLES:A SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR THE KIDS. I wrote the book as a handbook for boomers (like my kids) who will soon be taking care of us. It's based on 49 humorous "rules" I devised as I tell the story of my parents' healthy, independent 80's and 90's, and it includes an appendix of useful websites, definitions, and phone numbers. In 2009 New River Press had published my first nonfiction book, MINOR LEAGUE MOM:A MOTHER'S JOURNEY THROUGH THE RED SOX FARM TEAMS. I am the mother of two former Red Sox minor leaguers (subject of first book). I hold a B.A.from Colby College and an M.A.from Columbia University Teachers College. I was the Information Director for the Delaware Dept. of Education and taught high school English in Connecticut, Georgia, and Maine. I hold an advanced degree from R.I. School Design and owned Interiors by Pamela in R.I. for fourteen years. There, I taught adult education and served in many civic capacities. My husband and I reside in Delray Beach, Fla., and Westport, Mass. 

                        Book Review Rating:  8 (Fantastic!)

Read on and read always!  Have a perfect day everyone.

Dragon Stew - a book review

Oh no, don't eat me....please!!

Quote of the day:

"I think being a dragon would be pretty awesome...you get to fly."
                                            -Josh Keaton


Featured book of the day:

Title:  Dragon Stew

Author:  Steve Smallman

Illustrator:  Lee Wildish

Ages:  4-7

Let's look inside shall we?

About the book:

This fun, creative book is the perfect choice for a read-aloud.  

"Five bored Vikings went out hiking, looking for adventure, something daring, bold and new.  So they thought they'd hunt a dragon, and tie it to their wagon, take it home and chop it up and make a dragon stew!"  But when the Vikings set off to find their dragon, they get a big surprise...

Young and old will laugh at the antics of this motley crew as they go to round up a dragon for their dinner.  None of them have a clue what a dragon even is, but does that stop them?  No way...they have made up their mind and that is exactly what they are going to do.  They pack some sardine sandwiches, board their Viking boat, and watch out dragon here they come.  

They remember to pack a poking stick, (a long pole with a floppy hand tied to it to actually poke). That is a good thing if you meet up with a dragon. They manage to scare off a giant squid by dangling smelly, old socks at him.  That was ingenious for sure.  They secure themselves tightly to a killer whale of all things to hitch a lift to Dragon Island.  All good so far but they are not prepared at all when they finally meet up with the dragon. 

The surprise ending will have kids, and adults, laughing out loud. Written in rhyme and including such captivating ingredients as : squelchy bogs, smelly socks, dragon poo and quirky, hilarious characters and beasts, this book will be a hit for sure.  I like the fact that the Vikings include a girl in their crew. Very wise and inclusive. 

The illustrations are humorous, quirky and very detailed pulling the reader into the delightful rhyming text. My favourite? I loved Grim and his hairy armpits.  I laughed right out loud. Perfectible. I enjoyed  the book immensely and highly recommend it.

About the author:

Steve Smallman lives in Staffordshire with his wife, two dogs and two cats. He has four children and a grandchild. Steve has been illustrating children’s books for almost 30 years and writing his own stories for slightly less. He also teaches illustration workshops in schools, including mural-painting. Steve is the author of Smelly Peter the Great Pea Eater (Winner of the Sheffield Children's Book Award 2009) and The Lamb Who Came for Dinner (Shortlisted for the Red House Children's Book Award and read by Meatloaf on CITV's Bookaboo). When he’s not working, Steve enjoys films, television, gardening and walking in the countryside.

Steve Smallman on Steve Smallman:

I started working as an illustrator when I was in my final year at Art College and now, over 28 years later I still haven't got a proper job! I've illustrated literally hundreds of books, predominantly in educational publishing. A few years ago I was main illustrator for Longman's 'Story Street' reading scheme, illustrating 79 titles and writing 5.

I've worked in children's television, specifically in character development and most notably in the 'Raggy Doll' series in the mid to late 1980's. I have also done a certain amount of licensed work, illustrating characters such as Postman Pat, Bill and Ben and Sesame Street.

I've been described as an 'Animal Artist', not I hasten to add because I'm wild and hairy but because I love to draw animals and especially like to give them human characteristics. 

I've  been writing children's books for about 6 years and have already had several picture books published with more in development.

I've got 4 great children and although they're all adults now, my memories of them growing up inspire and inform my writing.

About the illustrator:

 I find Nature and people the biggest influence in my work and try to get as much character and expression into each piece of work as possible. Characters are the main subject of my work as I believe these can make and break a project. 

I have been fortunate to win a few awards one being Red House Children's Book Award 2013 and have been shortlisted for a few as well. I will always try to refine my styles that hopefully appeal to a wide range of artistic and a commercial markets.

I have illustrated books for clients including: Random House UK and USA, Egmont, Hodder, Hachette, Usborne, Franklin Watts, Hodder, HarperCollins, Simon Schulster UK and USA, Usborne, Scholastic and many more with a wide range of styles and media.

Book Review Rating:  9 (Close to perfection!)

Read on and read always!  Have an amazing day everyone.