One Thousand and One Nights: A Retelling

  I have very fond memories of my parents telling me stories from the Arabian Nights during bedtime. Of course the stories were told in a G rated fashion and lead me to read various editions of the One Thousand and One Nights as I grew older. There is no official version of the One Thousand and One Nights as the stories were told orally for many generations. Acclaimed Lebanese writer Hanan al-Shaykh has selected nineteen of these stories, some of which I never read before, and translated them from Arabic into modern English, and knitted them together into an utterly captivating short story collection.

Description: Gathered and passed down over the centuries from India, Persia, and across the Arab world, the mesmerizing stories of One Thousand and One Nights tell of the real and the supernatural, love and marriage, power and punishment, wealth and poverty, and the endless trials and uncertainties of fate. They are related by the beautiful, wise, young Shahrazad, who gives herself up to murderous King Shahrayar. The king has vowed to deflower and then kill a virgin every night--but Shahrazad will not be defeated by the king's appetites. To save herself, she cunningly spins a web of tales, leaving the king in suspense each morning, and thus prolonging her life for another day.

Review: For those of you unfamiliar with the Arabian Nights, the over arching story is this: Ever since the king was outwitted by his lusty, philandering wife, he commands that he must marry a virgin woman a day and after their wedding night, the woman would be killed before she came to harm the king and his kingdom. Vizier’s daughter Shahrazad volunteers to marry this brutal king but in order to save her own life and the other young women of her kingdom she spun tales that lasted for one thousand and one nights. In this collection of nineteen short stories, al-Shaykh retells them to celebrate her ­rediscovery of the Arab classic’s stylistic artistry, portraying a complex society, and its stunning female characters in particular who are far from passive and fearful, quite aware of their social limits, yet full of will and intelligence and wit. For al-Shaykh, as for Shahrazad, stories are matryoshka dolls, nesting within one another and casting ghosts and shadows in all directions. Here, Shahrazad first tells the traditional tale of the fisherman and the jinni, and then brings together at the impressive home shared by three beautiful sisters, a porter, three dervishes, and three merchants. Over many hours, each character tells multiple stories for different goals in a context of ever-shifting personal and power relationships. These stories are like a jig saw puzzle, leaving the reader to wonder how do they connect. The stories themselves pulse with love, lust, magic, and moral ambiguities; while is a strong undercurrent of terrible violence that underscores moments of pure beauty. I thought it was very interesting to read these stories from the lens of both the Western and Eastern culture. The stories can be hilarious, horrifying, touching, enlightening, or revelatory, which reminds us of why we have been utterly fascinated and continue to be so by the One Thousand and One Nights.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are sexual situations and strong violence throughout as well as some language. Suitable for Adults only.

If you like this book try: Sharaz-de : tales from the Arabian nights written & illustrated by Sergio Toppi, Grimm's Fairy Tales, The Complete Fairytales of Hans Christen Andersen,

Picture Book Reviews: Art and Max, Redwoods, and Lousy Stinkin' Grapes

  All of the picture books that I have reviewed today are listed either on the Monarch Book Award list or the Bluestem Book Award list where books are selected by librarians, teachers, and readers themselves. I find these lists useful, particularly when I'm not sure where to start with such a huge selection of picture books. Today I've got a mixture of folktale retelling and a just plain.

Description: A young city boy, riding the subway, finds an abandoned book about redwoods. He finds himself in the very forest described in the book. After finishing the book, he leaves it for someone else to read.

Review: Out of the three picture books that I'm reviewing today, Redwoods surprised me the most. With a lackluster description, I was prepared for a snoozeworthy read and I was pleasantly wrong. Redwoods effortlessly captures a reader's absorbation in a book, where the rest of the world fades into the background. A young city boy riding the subway finds an abandoned book to read. The book happens to be about redwood trees. Soon, he transports himself into a fantastical forest surrounded by redwoods. As he wanders into the forest, he learns exciting details about the trees. The illustrations are wonderful and the little facts sprinkled, not just dumped into long, verbose paragraphs, within the book holds our attention. I actually learned a lot from this book. I would highly recommend it to kids who show an interest in nature or who just want to be awed about learning something new.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 1 and up.

If you like this book try: The Red Book by Barbara Lehman


Description: Retells the fable of a frustrated fox that, after many tries to reach a high bunch of grapes, decides they must be sour anyway.

Review: I guess you're never to young to develop a snarky attitude. Palatini and Moser have taken a dry Aesop fable and gave it a entertaining make-over that delights the eyes and ears of the reader while still retaining the purpose of the story. The proud and clever Fox eyes the grapes hanging from a vine high in a tree and thinks that he can get them easily. He repeatedly chants: "I am sly. Clever. Smart. After all, I am a fox." So, armed with paper and pencil, he draws his master plan filled with complex equations and recruits various animals around the tree to get the grapes. After repeated failed attempts and refusing to hear his recruits advice, the fox loses interests in the grapes and declares them "lousy, rotten, stinkin' grapes." Moser's wonderful watercolor illustrations of the doubting animals executing Fox's convoluted plans are rich in humor. My favorite illustrations involve Bear, especially with him napping in the background. The animals are silhouetted against plenty of white space, with the grapevines and tree dominating each large spread. Many reviewers have commented on the fox's plan being too complex and the story deviating from the story, but I would argue that this retelling of the story would invite active participation from the readers and storyteller. Kids are much more perceptive than we give them credit for and I'm sure they would immediately pick up on Fox's flaws.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades for K and up.

If you like this book try: Clever Beatrice by Margaret Willey, Cowboy and Octopus by Jon Scieszka


Description: Max wants to be an artist like Arthur, but his first attempt at using a paintbrush sends the two friends on a whirlwind trip through various media, with unexpected consequences.

Review: The story revolves around a rocky friendship between Art and Max.  When we first meet Arthur, he is creating a formal portrait of a stately reptile, one of several reacting to the unfolding drama in the desert. Frenetic Max dashes into the scene; he also wants to paint, but doesn't know where to start. Art suggests Max to start with painting a picture of his friend, "Well.you could paint me." Max's literal response yields a more colorful Art, but the master's outrage causes his acrylic armor to shatter. His texture falls in fragments, leaving an undercoating of dusty pastels vulnerable to passing breezes. Each of Max's attempts to solve Art's problems leads to unexpected outcomes, someof them humorous and others thought provoking about what one would define as art. 
  I have mixed feelings about Art and Max. I really enjoyed reading the thought provoking exploration of the meaning of art and the creative process, but without some substantial art background or knowledge, the book isn't as nearly entertaining. I know I missed out on a lot of references to several important artists while I did pick up on a few like Jackson Pollock, but that being said I think the book will resonate with some kids who are confused when some mistakes or marvels are judged differently by others. I would like to revisit Art and Max and give it another shot since there is so much to uncover in the book. I think in order to full appreciate this picture book is to closely read it and absorb all the little details.  

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 1 and up.

If you like this book try: Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson, The pencil by Allen Ahlberg, The dot by Peter Reynolds

Picture Book Reviews: Middle East Edition Part 2

  I'm having a great time reading and discoveirng new picture books for my picture book challenge, which is hosted by Jennifer over at An Abundance of Books. I wanted to read some children literature that take place in the Middle East. It was difficult to find some that were fiction and not slanted in a political opinion, but I did manage to find some. I will be reviewing: Tunjur! Tunjur! Tunjur! by Margaret Read Macdonald, Mystery Bottle by Kristin Balouch, Silent Music by James Rumford, and Joha Makes a Wish by Eric Kimmel.


Description: A childless woman's prayers are answered by the arrival of a talking pot, but the new mother knows that Little Pot must learn right from wrong just like any child.

Review: Based on a Palestinian tale, a woman wishes for a child to love, even if it is nothing more than a cooking pot. Her wish comes true, and red Little Pot appears. The two spend some quality time indoors, but the Little Pot grows restless and years to explore the outside world. Reluctantly, the mother lets her pot outdoors, and Little Pots adventures and troubles begin. For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. There's plenty of repetitive phrases and lots of action to keep an audience's attention. The vibrant illustrations with clear influence on Islamic art fill the pages; however, I found myself a bit lost on the cultural detail in the story. There are also some heavy messages of right and wrong behavior, but overall I enjoyed it. I think it would be interesting to pair this one with multicultuarl variations of the Gingerbread Man stories.
Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades Preschool to Grade 2.

If you like this book try: The Man With Bad Manners by Idries Shah,

Description: What happens when a boy and his grandfather are separated from each other by borders, politics, and distance? The mystery bottle unites the two through an extraordinary gift. The bond of their love.

Review: I loved the concept behind Balouch's Mystery Bottle. The first intriguing image is found on the book jacket, which features a picture of a bottle with a rolled map plugging the opening. We know we are going on a journey with the boy on the cover. The bottle arrives in a package; when the boy removes the map, wind blows out of the bottle, whisking him across the sea and through the city where his grandfather, Baba Bazorg, now resides. Together they spend time and the grandfather explains that can still have a relationship even though they are thousands of miles away. I would have liked a bit more clarification and exploration of the country which the boy travels to and from (according to the book's blurb it's Iran). have tea, and the grandfather explains how, whenever the boy wants a cup of tea, he can open the bottle and be carried back to him. I'm not entirely sure if kids would grasp the deeper meaning behind this book, but I think it would make a good discussion. The artwork, which can be a bit crowded, is striking and unique. It combines simple, cut-paper shapes, collage, and stamp art, set against maps charting the boy's adventures.
Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades K- Grades 3.

If you like this book try: Landed by Milly Lee


Description: As bombs and missiles fall on Baghdad in 2003, a young boy uses the art of calligraphy to distance himself from the horror of war.

Review: Silent Music is a beautiful book that brings hope and light behind the back drops of war torn Iraq. Ali is a simple boy who loves soccer, music, and above all calligraphy-forming the elegant Arabic letters, pen that move along to the silent music he hears in his head. Ali tells us that his secret hero is the famous artist Yakut, a renowned 13th-century calligrapher who is said to have fled to a high tower to shut out the violence by the Mongol invasion at Baghdad in 1258. Like his hero, Ali also escapes from war and seeks solace from the missles and bombs that falls on Baghdad in 2003. The effects of war on Ali is sublte yet profound. The Arabic word for war, Harb, comes easily to his pen, while he struggles to perfect Salam, the word for peace.
I absolutely loved the art work in this book. The jewel-toned illustrations are made with pencil, charcoal, and computer art programs. Ali and his family are depicted with warmth and personality, and their interactions add intimacy to the story, much like our own. Elaborately detailed designs appear throughout the book. It's clear that the illustrator is well aware of Islamic art from intricate tile arrangements, delicate floral motifs, and colorfully patterned clothing. Like the text, there are subtle images of war (army vehicles, helicopters, etc) that are striking with dark colors. I also loved how the the Arabic language adorns the pages as well as teaches the reader some new words. I highly recommend picking this up book.

Rating: 5 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 2 to 6.

If you like this book try: The Librarian of Basra by Jeanette Winters, The Color of Home by Mary Hoffman

Description: An original story, based on the Joha tales of the Arabic-speaking world, in which a hapless man finds a wishing stick that brings him nothing but bad luck. Includes an author's note about the history of Joha tales.

Review: Joha Makes a Wish is a laugh out funny folk tale from the Middle East. Kimmel recasts a Jewish tale from Yemen, and borrows story elements from widespread Middle Eastern folklore featuring the foolish wise man, aka Nasreddin Hodja. Kimmel's introductory note which gives us a little background to the story doesn't really explain his choice of using a lesser known name of Joha for his story, but that doesn't detract anything from the delightful story.
One day Joha finds a wishing stick. Everything he wishes for gets reversed. For example, he wishes for a new pair of shows, but instead his shoes disappear entirely. In spite of Joha's angry efforts to rid himself of the troublesome stick, it tightly adheres to his hand, causing much worse trouble when he encounters the sultan in the streets of Baghdad. Kimmel's well-paced text smoothly builds events and dialogue, leaving the character interpretation to the comic portrayals in Rayyan's energetic watercolor drawings. The character's physical features are exaggerated for comic effecct. Joha is a small man with large hands and feet and a long, thin expressive face beneath a generous turban. His frayed sandals and patched trousers contrast with the splendor of the robust sultan and his armored guards. I don't know for sure if Joha's misadventures in this book are true to the original folklore or cultural roots, but I do know that this book will promise a great read along as the underdog outsmarts those who are powerful.
Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Recommended for Grades 1 to 6.

If you like this book try: The King's Taster by Kenneth Oppel, The Queen's Feet by Sarah Ellis

Picture Book Reviews: Middle East Edition Part 1

I have fond memories of story-time as a kid, where my class would gather up close to listen and watch as the teacher and/or librarian would read picture books or other books aloud. While I student taught in elementary school, I always looked forward to reading to the kids. The best times were when you see how the kids are involved in the story and you could tease them about what would happen next. This year I'm taking a part in a picture book challenge hosted by Jennifer over at An Abundance of Books in hopes of finding some great reads and new favorite titles. I wanted to read some children literature that take place in the Middle East. It was difficult to find some that were fiction and not slanted in a political opinion, but I did manage to find some. I will be reviewing: The Golden Sandal by Rebecca Hickox, Mirror by Jeannine Baker, and The Secret Message by Mina Javaherbin.


Description: Maha's jealous stepmother makes her do all the housework while her selfish stepsister lazes about. There is no one to help or comfort her since Maha's father is away fishing. All that begins to change when Maha finds a magical red fish.

Review: There is something universal about fairy tales. The Golden Sandal is an Iraqi retelling of well known Cinderella story. The author does a great job in blending the familiar story with touches of the Iraqi culture that will be new for many Western readers. There are some big culture differences that may not make sense to kids who know the Disney's version of Cinderella, but they will be familiar with how unjustly Maha is treated and suprised as to how her evil step sister gets her dues in the end of the book. Hillenbrand's delicate, textured illustrations have the look of watered silk touched with glowing jewel-toned accents. The paintings integrate well with the text, which makes it an enchanting read. I'd definitely recommend this book for multicultural reads.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades K-3.

If you like this book try: Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China by Ai-ling Louie, The Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo, Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal by Paul Fleischman, Mufaro's Beautiful's Daughters by Joe Steptoe



Description: Somewhere in Sydney, Australia, a boy and his family wake up, eat breakfast, and head out for a busy day of shopping. Meanwhile, in a small village in Morocco, a boy and his family go through their own morning routines and set out to a bustling market. In this ingenious, wordless picture book, readers are invited to compare, page by page, the activities and surroundings of children in two different cultures. Their lives may at first seem quite unalike, but a closer look reveals that there are many things, some unexpected, that connect them as well. 

Review: I never read anything like Baker's Mirror before. I surely didn't expect to see a mostly wordless book that reveals two parallel wordless tales. I wasn't sure how to read it at first but I figured out that one is to be read left to right, the other right to left, I got over my confusion. The stories follow a day in the family life of two boys, who live in urban Australia and the Valley of Roses in southern Morocco. In layered, three-dimensional collages, Baker shows the differences between the families (traveling to an open-air market by donkey versus a trip to a hardware megastore in a car), but it is the underlying commonalities-helping parents, doing chores, caring for pets, sharing meals-that will resonate most with readers and reminding us all that we are actually in fact a lot similar than we think. My minor complaint about this book is that I would have liked a clear instruction on how to read the book before the story began instead of at the end.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Curriculum Connection: Country Studies/Cultural Studies

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 1-4

If you like this book try: Material World: A Global Family Portrait by Peter Menzel


Description: In this retelling of a Persian folktale attributed to Jalaledin Rūmī , a parrot tricks a wealthy merchant into setting him free.

Review: The Secret Message was a surprising find and read. Though I've read very little by the Sufi poet Rumi, I have heard of his poem called The Parrot and the Merchant which is the basis for this story. In this vibrantly pictured and narration, a Persian merchant keeps a talking parrot that attracts crowds to his market store and locks up the incredibly gifted bird behind bars in a golden cage. When the merchant prepares for a buying trip to India, he kindly asks his pet what gift he might like from the place that had once been the parrot's home. What the bird wants most is just to let his family and friends know that he misses them and remembers their life together. When the merchant talks with the wild Indian parrots and tells them about his pet, which now lives in a beautiful cage, the birds play a trick that eventually sets the merchant's parrot free. Both the richly detailed scenes and story reversals will draw a young audience. The drawings reminded me much of Disney's Aladin. After finishing the book, I really wanted to hunt down the original poem and read more by Rumi.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 1 and up.

If you like this book try: The Parrot by Laszlo and Raffaella Gal

Scarlet

  I was highly anticipating reading Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen because of its cool premise. I haven't read any books about Robin Hood, though I did enjoy some of the movies based on the legend. I was curious how the switch in gender any other changes would work in this new retelling of the famous legend. Thank you to Walkers Children and the Teen Book Scene for giving me an advanced reader's copy of the book to do an honest review. 

Description (from Goodreads): Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

Review: Full of swashbuckling adventure, romance, and humor, A. C. Gaughen debuts with a historical re-telling of the renowned legend of Robin Hood, the prince of thieves. Instead of focusing on the legend himself, Gaughen zeroes on Will Scarlet, a well known, prominent member of Robin Hood’s band of Merry Men. What sets Will Scarlet apart from the others is the mere fact that Scarlet is a girl. With this clever premise, Scarlet re-imagines a woman's role in this English folklore.
  When I first heard about this book through several bloggers, I was instantly intrigued by the concept of a fearless girl working alongside the famous men and who has cleverly kept her identity as a disguise for so long. Will Scarlet, mostly known as Scar to Robin and the boys (Little John and Much the Miller’s Son) was a terrific character that I loved and supported right away. She is impulsive, brave, and strong. She also didn't lose her feminine touch either. As a great strategist, Scar is the first to come up with a plan. Her disguise as a boy allows her to bend her society's expectations of a woman. As a man, she can make her own decisions and stand up for herself. Her voice is very distinct. Like all the characters in Scarlet, she is not perfect but flawed, which makes her accessible and approachable to the reader.
  The book is filled with chalk full of great characters. All of the secondary characters stand on their own and have distinct personalities and voices. Each of them have scars, some physically and/or emotionally, from their past which serve as a catalyst to aiding Robin in his adventures. By helping others, they are able to try and correct their own mistakes. All of Robin's men work as a family who take care and look after each other. There is a great friendship amongst them that feels natural which is demonstrated by their dialogue and body language. 
   Of course a retelling of Robin Hood is incomplete without a great Robin Hood. Gaughen's Robin is definitely swoonworthy in looks and in behavior. He treats Scar equally and respects her. His charisma and passion to  fight the injustice in his society leaps off the page. Despite of all this, I loved how he never saw himself as a hero who deserves all the accolades that his community bestows upon him. Though his reasons behind his actions can be seen as selfish, you can't help but admire him. It goes without saying that I loved watching him and Scar interact. Their romance and longing is slow burn which makes it exquisitely tantalizing. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for one of these characters to make a move.
  The plot of Scarlet focuses on unveiling Scar's real identity since she is the focus of the book. What is nice is that none of her friends knows Scarlet's secret and they are learning the truth right along with the reader. We are told snippets of her past and of the new threat, Guy of Gisbourne, who is keen on looking for her. The book does a good job in keeping the reader entertained with lots of action scenes, great romantic tension, and well placed clues to Scar's history. I thought the pacing of the book was relatively fast as I finished it in one sitting. By the end of the book, we get answers to many questions, but it does leave it wide open for future books, which I hope the author writes because it was so hard to say goodbye to these fantastic characters. All in all, if you're looking for a quick, fun, retelling of a popular folklore with a kick butt heroine be sure to check out Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen. I really recommend it. 


Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Some mild language and a scene of attempted rape. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley, Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer, Forestwife by Theresa Tomlinson

Chime

  Frannie Billingsley's Chime has received numerous starred reviews from a variety of review journals. In the blogosphere, however, bloggers have a mixed reactions to Chime. I was interested in finding out what divided the reviewers and decided to jump in and read it.

Description: Briony committed a crime. She killed her stepmother and made her twin sister, Rose, sick. Briony's guilt is a cloak that she wraps herself and now can't imagine not wearing it. To escape from her burden, she goes to the swamp where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. In addition to her overbearing guilt, Briony can also see the Old Ones, a clear indication that she is a witch and therefore should be sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment.
   Then a young lad named Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know.

Review: Chime is a gorgeously written novel, where each word, each character, and each setting were carefully chosen and used effectively. After reading the first page of the book, I knew this book would be different. The dialogue and society evoked an old fashioned fairy tale story. What sets Chime apart from the numerous other books that focus on folklore is its unique use of magic and settings of swamps. I've never thought of a swamp being a magical place before, but Billingsley makes it work.
   Along with the fabulous world building, the characters of Chime are really the best part of the book. Briony is the narrator of our story. We spend much time in her head. The use of stream of consciousness is expertly done in Chime. I was completely immersed in Briony's tortured and complex psyche. Her voice is so strong and so distinct. Her guilt is palpable and makes you feel like you are carrying her world on your shoulders. For much of the novel, Briony suffers from self hatred and shame. She believes she is the sole person responsible in bringing chaos to her family and should be sentenced to death because of this. Though she did get a bit whiny at times, I found her to be strong willed and she didn't always make the right choices, which reminded her and the reader that despite her claims of what she is, she retains her humanity. I have to confess that I didn't warm up to Briony right away and it's really not her fault either. Her name just echoed a character with the same name that I detested and who actually should feel guilty and ashamed for what she'd done- Briony from Atonement by Ian McEwan. I took me a few pages to get over that bump.
 Eldric, Briony's love interest, is wonderful. His charming, out going, adventurous and laid back attitude balances Briony's dark mood. He really lights up the pages. He and Briony worked so well together, and I'm pleased to say that their relationship seemed real. It was based on friendship and then advanced to young love rather than young lust. Their interactions, jokes and banter, felt very real and helped balance the dark, heavy themes of the book.
  Rose, Briony's sister, who is mentally compromised, is sweet and young at heart. Though people are quick to dismiss her as being ill, she is much keen and observant of her surroundings. Rose's participation in Briony's mysterious is crucial to unlocking what really happened to her and their stepmother.
  What deterred me the most from loving Chime is that the plot moved very slowly, particularly in the first half of the book. I found many of the plot twists to be predictable and knew them before they occurred in the story. The pace does pick up during the second half as we learn more about Eldric's father's plan to drain the swamp which has made the Old Ones unhappy, particularly the Boggy Mun, who has plagued the village's children with swamp cough in retaliation. When Rose's lingering illness turns into a cough, Briony knows that she must do whatever it takes, even revealing her secrets, to save her sister. After a while, I stopped reading the book for its plot but rather sat back and watched Briony come to an epiphany about what is true and false about a mystery that has consumed her life. Though the descriptions allude that Eldric is solely responsible for her awakening, he really isn't. He does indeed help Briony but it is Briony herself who slowly puts the pieces together and has the strength to accept the consequences. That being said, Chime is a brilliantly written book that does include a very dark, gritty, magical world along with just the right dose of romance to prevent being steeped into darkness, but it is ultimately a novel that explores the tortured psyche and the powerful forces of guilt, redemption, and self love. If you decide to pick this book up, just be patient and keep reading. It does get better once you get through the slow half.


Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are some disturbing images and the notion of witchcraft is discussed. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray or The Prophecy of Sisters by Michelle Zink

Once upon a time

   Like many children, I grew up reading, listening or watching adaptations of fairy tales or folktales on tv. Albeit, they were mostly from Disney and almost all of them had a "and they lived happily ever after" at the end where the good were awarded and the evil were punished. As I look back as an adult, I realize that all the famous fairy tales and folktales did not have a happy ending nor was their audience small children even though children sometimes played the lead roles. Why are these stories so important? Are they made to tell a lesson, which happen to be adapted several times and passed down from one generation to the next? Or are these stories a reflection of our own nightmares and dreams? The last question is asked in John Connolly's The Book of Lost Things.

Description: Twelve year old David mourns the loss of his mother. He refers to his books, once treasures to his beloved mother, as a way to cope with her death and to keep him company. As his anger at her death and his father's new life grows with each day, the books begin to speak to him, telling their wild tales of dragons, princes, and knights. Soon reality and fantasy collide. David suddenly himself in a land unlike his own, where monsters, evil sorceresses, and werewolves dwell. Will David ever find his way back home or will he remain in the fantasy world alone? 

Review: The Book of Lost Things is a well written novel that reads like a Tim Burton movie. Not only do the lines of fantasy and reality blur, but also the development from childhood to adulthood. While in the 'otherland', one can not help but get lost and forget what is happening in the real world. All the reader knows for a time setting is that World War II has begun. The author makes a good use of twisting the famous fairy tales such as "The Little Red Riding Hood" and "Snow White" among many others to his advantage. These tales are closer to their Brothers Grimm counterpart. It is obvious that particular tales were chosen to represent David's own fear of getting a new stepmother, being forgotten or replaced by a step-sibling. I thought the ending, which wasn't a total surprise for me, was well done and challenges the reader to look at the stories through the eyes of an adult instead of a child.  

Rating: 4 stars

Words of caution: Although David is 12 years old at the beginning of the novel and famous fairy tales are mentioned in the book, this is not a book for children. There is lots of gore and violence.

If you like this book, try: Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link or The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman