I don't know a single child who has read and not liked animal stories. I remember Animal Ark. I think of Gill Lewis's White Dolphin. There are hundreds of horse stories that I've read and loved - Stallion Club comes to mind immediately.Whale Boy is one of those beloved animal tales.Growing up in Rose Town, Dominica, Michael learns very early on to manage on his own. His mother was, according to his grandmother, 'not mother material', and abandoned him as a baby. His father went to London in search of her and never returned.Legend says that there is a place where the waters run deep enough to lose the highest mountain. That's where the whales come - so many that you can walk on their backs.Yet, sperm whales were the victims of generations of whalers. There are no whales left on the island ... or are there? Michael discovers that it may just be dangerous to find out. Befriending … [Read more...]
The Story-Catcher: A Review by Arushi Upadhyaya
Some time ago, I mentioned a book review of The Story-Catcher by 9-year-old Arushi Upadhyaya. Finally sharing the whole review here! It made me smile all over again. … [Read more...]
Flight to Dragon Isle
One of the reasons I love travelling is that I have so much time that I can spend reading without feeling guilty about everything else I could have been doing instead. Waiting, sitting around, marking time until my workshop begins ... What else can I do?I loved The Dragon Whisperer; I wanted to know what happened next. And there was the sequel, Flight to Dragon Isle, sitting on the shelf in the library, waiting for me to borrow it.The Grand Master is intent on treason, but even Quenelda's father the Earl is not convinced that his childhood friend Hugo could have gone so far astray. Yet, in the fight against the hobgoblins, the Earl comes face to dace with treachery. He knows that Hugo has betrayed the SDS, but before he can make any kind of report, he goes missing and is reported dead.Quenelda is sure her father is not dead, though. Yet, she and her esquire Root have just a handful … [Read more...]
The Witching Hour
Seventeenth century Scotland. The Presbyterians are convinced that the word of God is not equivalent to the word of King Charles, sitting far away in England. The Black Cuffs are everywhere, rounding up suspected Presbyterians because by the law enforced by Charles Stuart, it is illegal to pray outdoors; you can be fined for not going to the kirk for Sabbath; you can be penalised for denying the authority of the king's bishops and ministers. Each one suspected of Presbyterianism must go through the Test - or be hanged.Elizabeth Laird's The Witching Hour is a powerful novel told from the point of view of young Margaret Blair, more sure of her love for her family and friends than of the word of the Lord. She is not a Covenanter, and does not know what Jesus wants from her. Life is confusing, surrounded as she is by people who are so convinced of their … [Read more...]
A Face Like Glass
How would it be to have a face like glass, a face that is a window that can tell the truth and only the truth? And how would it be to have a face like that in a world where Facesmiths sculpt each expression on each individual's face?A Face Like Glass is a remarkable book, which took me on a journey through the twists and turns of Caverna, an underground land that is just about being held together by the Grand Steward. A Kleptomancer is on the loose, though, one who steals unpredictably, and seems to delight in taking Caverna by storm. Into all this comes Neverfell with her face like glass ...The story drew me into a world of surprises, each one of them vividly imagined. The plot was as complicated and surprising as Caverna herself, Caverna which is beautiful and unknowable, and so mysterious that Cartographers go mad … [Read more...]
The Raven Boys
Last week, the members of the Writers' Club wrote book reviews of books they've read recently and loved. Here is a review by Riva Verma of The Raven Boys, a book I have not read.Welsh kings. Ley lines. Hidden bodies of ancient monarchs.This novel is filled with adventure and mystery. That is what I like best about The Raven Boys. There were parts which intrigued me so much that I had to know what was going to happen, scenes where I was scared for the characters, times when I experienced each and every emotion alongside them.My favorite character is Blue Sargent. She is a poor but happy girl, the daughter of a physic. She lives in a house full of mothers, cousins, aunts and friends, and is told that she will kill her true love if she kisses whoever that person may be. She has lived with two mysteries her entire life: who is that person and who was her father?My other favorite is … [Read more...]
The Dragon Whisperer
Last week, I conducted a workshop at the British Library on inculcating the habit of reading in children. There were principals and representatives from several schools in and around Pune, and many asked me where they could find book reviews. I realised I haven't written about books for a while, so for the next few days, that's what I'm going to be writing about! I loved this one! When characters in books become friends you care about, you know that the book you are reading is exceptional. Riding dragons comes naturally to Quenelda. She does not like fussy court life, where ladies are concerned with nothing more than petticoats, dresses and attractiveness. Yet, aged eleven, she finds herself frightened and isolated by her choices. All she wants to do is fly in the Open Sky. How difficult is it for the world to accept that?Title The Dragon Whisperer (The … [Read more...]
The Story-Catcher – A Review by a 9-year-old
I've been waiting for something momentous before writing my blog - what could be more momentous than a review of The Story-Catcher by a nine-year-old?Arushi Upadhyaya had to design a book-jacket for a school competition. The entry she submitted is with the school, but she sent me the rough plan she made. At the back, she informs me, she put in the ISBN details and the name of the publisher. On the side, she wrote the name of the author. Within the book jacket, she wrote a synopsis of The Story-Catcher. And guess what? She won the first prize!She has also sent a review of The Story-Catcher to ParentEdge Magazine for a book review contest - I hope she wins! I will put up her review as soon as the ParentEdge results are announced. Meanwhile, here are the book cover and the synopsis. … [Read more...]
Books for Rainy Days
It's been a while since I wrote, mainly because I've been reading. Here's a look at some of what I've read recently.As a child, I enjoyed reading and collecting the entire Animal Ark series. As I grew older, I learned that Lucy Daniels, the author of the series, did not exist. Just like Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon. While I never enjoyed Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys, I loved Animal Ark. I loved the names of the books - Owl in the Office, Hamster in a Hamper, Roo on a Rock ... I wanted to have them all.I imagine the Silver Dolphins series somewhat like that. The stories, in themselves, may not be memorable, but Stolen Treasures is a sweet story that build loyalty in young readers for the series as a whole. Children are always animal-lovers. Some are more vicarious in this love than others, but most enjoy books that … [Read more...]
Empty Quarter (Girl on the Run Book 2)
I sat at Coimbatore train station, book in hand."What happened?" asked my sister, looking at my face.I grinned. "I'm inside this book." I added, quickly, "Will you keep a lookout for the train? I may not notice when it pulls in."That's how Empty Quarter was.As with Cat's Cradle, I jumped straight into the series without reading the first book. It was simply wonderful. What impressed me most of all is how rounded each character is. Christopher Lock is the perfect combination of grandfather and career-obsessed, calculating official. I love Darcie Lock, her stupidities and her beauty.Empty Quarter is the perfect combination of humour, anticipation and excitement. Reading it, I realised how effortlessly the story moves from up to down to up to down, pulling the reader through all the twists and turns in the plot. The confused mixture of child and adult in … [Read more...]