The Unhappy Stonecutter: A Japanse Folk Tale by Charlotte Guillain

September 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Unhappy Stonecutter: A Japanse Folk Tale by Charlotte Guillain
Folk Tales From Around the World
Publisher: Raintree
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Historical
Length: Short Story (24 pages)
Age Recommendation: 3+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

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No one has a perfect life.

This story had a wonderful sense of humor. Haru found something to complain about no matter what the Mountain Spirit did to improve his life. The interesting thing is, all of his complaints were framed in a funny way. That was an excellent way to keep the plot light no matter what the main character disliked about what was currently happening to him. It also kept me guessing how he might respond to the newest changes in his fortunes.

While I understand this was heavily based on a traditional folk tale, I would have liked to see more attention paid to the development of the ending. Haru was such a restless person that I was surprised by how his adventures were wrapped up. It would have been helpful to have a little more of an explanation of how he ended up with the resolution that he did since he was so unhappy with the things that happened to him earlier on.

With that being said, I still liked Haru as an individual. Honestly, there have been times when I’ve wanted to walk in someone else’s shoes. I appreciated the fact that the narrator spent so much time exploring what this character disliked about his daily routine as a poor stonecutter and how he wished things would change. He was so open about his complaints that I couldn’t help but to hope he’d find a solution for them.

I’d recommend The Unhappy Stonecutter: A Japanse Folk Tale to anyone who has ever hoped for something they didn’t have.

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Corky Tails: Tales of a Tailless Dog Named Sagebrush: Sagebrush and the Butterfly Creek Flood by Joni Franks

September 27, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Corky Tails: Tales of a Tailless Dog Named Sagebrush: Sagebrush and the Butterfly Creek Flood by Joni Franks
Publisher: Xlibris
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (54 pages)
Age Recommendation: 8+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Fat black thunderclouds billowed high in the Rocky Mountain sky, foreshadowing that a stormy weather day was already brewing on the cattle ranch where Sagebrush, the tailless puppy, and her parents, Maverick and Ginger, slept in their warm, cozy doggy beds. Follow Sagebrush and the young miss in this search-and-rescue adventure as they endeavor to save a lost hiker and the tiny people known as Shuns from the rising waters of Butterfly Creek. This charming tale teaches the life lesson of having faith in yourself and faith in others and is paired with the message that all lives matter equally. The fourth book in the multiple award-winning collection, Sagebrush and the Butterfly Creek Flood is a delightful tale, one that is not to be forgotten.

Everyone is valuable.
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The world building was well done. No sooner did I finish the first paragraph then I felt like I’d been magically transported to another time and place. I had exactly the right amount of detail about the setting and the characters’ cultures to help me imagine what everything was like. This isn’t an easy thing to accomplish in a short story, so I will be on the lookout for more stories from Ms. Franks in the future.

My only criticism has to do with the number of characters. I liked all of them, but there simply wasn’t quite enough room in a fifty-four page story to give everyone a chance to shine. It would have been nice to get to know two or three of the characters better instead of jumping around between multiple perspectives. With that being said, this is still something I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to kids and people who enjoy reading children’s fiction in general.

I was delighted by the compassion and kindness in this book. The main characters were all genuinely good individuals who didn’t expect any sort of praise or reward for the nice things they did for others. There was no sermonizing to be found on this topic. They simply helped others for the sheer joy of it. That’s the sort of character I always enjoy reading about.

This is part of a series, but it can easily be read as a standalone work.

Corky Tails Tales of a Tailless Dog Named Sagebrush, Sagebrush and the Butterfly Creek Flood was heartwarming. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves animals or nature.

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Cat’s Egg by Aparna Karthikeyan

September 10, 2019 By 2 Comments


Cat’s Egg by Aparna Karthikeyan
Publisher: Karadi Tales Picturebooks
Genre: Childrens, Holiday, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (36 pages)
Age Recommendation: 3+
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

How long does it take to hatch a kitten? Cat isn’t sure, but she would rather be snacking or napping. Join her as she looks around for a babysitter for her mysterious golden egg. She seeks help from her baffled friend Dog, a crow, a koel, and a turtle, for as we all know, it takes a village to raise an egg. Aparna Karthikeyan’s delightfully humorous prose is complemented by Christine Kastl’s art that has an almost three-dimensional quality to it. Together, they take you on a feline adventure quite unlike any other.

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As soon as I read the blurb, I had to find out what happened next. Somehow the storyline itself was even funnier and more amusing than my already-high expectations. The plot twists only grew better over time, especially once Cat realized that her attempts to hatch a kitten weren’t going as well as she’d hoped they would. While it was written for preschoolers, there were several humorous moments that appealed to me as an adult reader, and it all started with the thought of a kitten growing in an egg.

There was an important part of the plot that was never wrapped up. This came as a surprise to me because of how often Cat talked about it in the first few scenes. I really expected her to find a resolution for this problem, and I would have chosen a much higher rating if one of the later scenes had wrapped it up in some way.

This is the sort of book that works best if the audience knows as little about the plot as possible when they begin reading the first sentence. I appreciated the fact that the blurb kept the most important surprises safely hidden away. While there are plenty of other things I’d love to say about what happened in the later scenes, I think new readers will enjoy it more if I also avoid giving out even the slightest hint about what happened to Cat and her friends.

Cat’s Egg was a creative, heartwarming tale that I’d recommend to readers of all ages.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Ladybug and the Ant by Carole St-Laurent

September 6, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Ladybug and the Ant by Carole St-Laurent
Publisher: Fat Cat Publishing
Genre: Childrens, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (30 pages)
Age Recommendation: 3+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A kindred fairy-tale.

This is a story of two impossible dreams and an unsuspected friendship.

Grow wings on the back of your young ones with The Ladybug And The Ant.
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As one dreams of flying freely like a butterfly, the other, who is orphaned and lonely, wishes she could be a part of a family. Seeing that the friendship grows between the two young strangers, they’ll discover that with the help of one another, their virtually impossible dreams will come true.

It is a lesson in sharing, acceptance of one another, and complicity.

There’s more than one way to accomplish your wildest dreams.

The friendship between Coco and Peechooka was marvelous. They shared many common interests and seemed to deeply enjoy spending time together. I enjoyed reading about the various things they did to pass the time. They were good friends to each other from the very first day they met even though they both had something that the other one wanted very badly. I thought it was nice they could be friends even though they were both a little envious of what their buddy had.

It would have been helpful to have more details included in this tale. The narrator talked about what the two main characters did after they met each other in general terms, but I found it hard to imagine their adventures because none of the descriptions were specific. For example, the narrator mentioned the characters telling stories but didn’t say what they were about or how anyone reacted to them. If more attention had been paid to things like this, I would have selected a much higher rating.

The ending was well done. While this was written with a preschool audience in mind, I thought that the final scene would be just as meaningful for much older people because of what it had to say about how we should treat each other and what we should to do to chase dreams that sure seem like they’d be impossible to reach. While I can’t say much else about the end without giving away spoilers, I was pleased with how the author wrapped everything up and will be keeping an eye out for more of her works in the future.

The Ladybug and the Ant was a charming picture book I’d recommend to readers of all ages.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Good Night Wind by Linda Elovitz Marshall and Maëlle Doliveux

July 25, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Good Night Wind by Linda Elovitz Marshall and Maëlle Doliveux (Illustrator)
Publisher: Holiday House
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Childrens
Length: Short Story (32 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 4+
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

When the exhausted winter wind throws a snowy tantrum, it finds comfort in the friendship of two young children in this lyrical retelling of a Yiddish folktale illustrated with stunning collage.

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Do you want to know where Winter Wind goes in the Spring?

Winter is over. The villagers are ready for Spring, and they want Winter Wind to move on. Wind is tired and ready to rest, but doesn’t know where to go. I was immediately drawn into the story, and I sympathized with Wind as he desperately searched for a place to rest. I could feel Wind’s exhaustion and frustration as he grew wearier by the minute. No one seems to be willing to help until Wind meets two children. Will they find a way to calm Winter Wind or will their village be blanketed by snow and ice indefinitely?

Ms. Marshall certainly created an intense character in Winter Wind! I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him as I read. He’s lonely, misunderstood, and feeling unwelcome. I think most children and adults alike can relate to Wind’s predicament at some point in their lives. Understandably, Wind lashes out, like a child throwing a temper tantrum, and causes problems for the village until two children care enough to talk to Wind rather than push him away. Sure enough, their compassion, and willingness to listen are exactly what Wind needed.

Ms. Marshall really made this story come alive through excellent use of descriptive language. Here are a couple of my favorite quotes that capture Wind’s increasingly volatile mood. “With long, cold fingers, Wind tapped windows of cozy homes.” Then later as things escalate, “Angry, Winter Wind blasted out across the fields, crying like a child, howling like a dog, wailing like a cat.” I must also add that Ms. Doliveux’s paper collage illustrations are exceptional! The illustrations perfectly complement the text, and are so beautiful and striking that I almost expected them to move as I read!

I’m so glad I took the time to read Good Night Wind. It is a sweet tale of kindness, empathy, and friendship. I highly recommend this folktale to readers young and old!

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Magical Meniscus by GranRan

July 8, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Magical Meniscus by GranRan
Publisher: NuSaga Press
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (150 pages)
Age Recommendation: 8+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

In Fairytale Land, there lives a gentle-hearted cyclops known as Cleo who wears bells on his large toes. Headaches plague the one-eyed giant, causing Cleo problems at work, at home, and with his girlfriend, Nellie. The migraines force Cleo to seek help from a powerful wizard. He must battle witches, ogres, and a bog creature. Will perseverance and determination be enough for Cleo to fix his headaches and win true love from Nellie? This tale includes sixteen illustrations.

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As someone who dealt with many stubborn headaches when I was growing up, it was so cool to read a story about a character who had the same problem. This isn’t something that’s talked about much in children’s fiction, but I would have loved to read about it when I was a kid. It was nice to see some representation for this health issue, especially since Cleo’s headaches kept coming back and resisted so many of the different cures he tried for them.

This is a minor criticism, but it would have been helpful to have more descriptions in this story. The plot itself was a great deal of fun to read. What it was missing were more detailed descriptions of the characters and setting. I knew what the personalities of the characters were like and what it might feel like to visit the places they saw, but I wasn’t so clear on what they all physically looked like. If not for this, I would have easily gone for a five-star rating as everything else about it was quite well done.

One of my favorite things about this tale was how self-aware it was. There were a few times when certain characters made comments that let the reader know that these individuals knew they were in a fantasy setting and had some idea of what generally happens in those worlds. This is something I always enjoy reading about, so it was a real treat to realize that I’d stumbled across yet another book that managed to both remain true to its genre and poke gentle fun at itself at the same time.

I’d recommend The Magical Meniscus to anyone who enjoys fantasy that includes a slightly modern twist to it.

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NUTSI Wants to Catch the Moon by Emma Paidge

May 24, 2019 By Leave a Comment


NUTSI Wants to Catch the Moon by Emma Paidge
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 3+
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

NUTSI has a terrible secret. He asks his friend Lili for help. Meet our two little squirrels in a beautiful story with the funny stuffed hazelnut.

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There was so much empathy in this tale. Nutsi’s secret had to do with something that kids can often be embarrassed about. I won’t give away what it was in this review, but I will say that I was impressed with how kind Lili was after he shared his problem with her. Her reaction was exactly how I’d hope any child, or in this case a squirrel, would be treated after admitting something that was such a sensitive topic to them. She was a wonderful role model.

Only one thing held me back from giving this a perfect rating, and it had to do with what Nutsi and Lili did in order to help him fight his fear. Their plan involved the two of them leaving the house late at night without telling anyone where they went. If this had been written for an older audience, I wouldn’t have thought twice about it. With that being said, the importance of not going out alone, especially at night, would be something I’d want to talk about with a child this age after reading this story to them. While it’s a great way to get a plot moving, it’s also something I’d want to make sure the preschoolers in my life weren’t going to try to imitate.

Ms. Paidge has a vivid imagination that shone through every scene. I appreciated all of the plot twists she included. They were obviously tailored to young children, but they were so unique when compared to most of the other picture books I’ve read over the years that I’ll be keeping this author in mind for the next time someone asks for a recommendation for this age group. She knows how to keep her audience on their toes in a good way, and it shows.

NUTSI Wants to Catch the Moon was an adorable adventure that I’d recommend to kids of all ages.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Rubies by Rêve Fox

April 15, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Rubies by Rêve Fox
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (86 pages)
Age Recommendation: 8+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Have you ever wondered if all fairies live in peace? ‘The Rubies’ beautifully leads the reader down an enchanted pathway of war, betrayal, friendship, love, and loyalty. Follow Princess Amira’s journey as she tries to bind together a nation divided by hate and fear, and build a new, stronger society from the scattered ashes of her family’s Kingdom. Friendships will be put to the test, and our heroes and heroines will have to learn to deal with grief, loss and sorrow, while putting the needs of others first.

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Not every conflict is going to be one that’s easy to solve.

Just like any other creature, magical or otherwise, there are certain things that fairies find harmful to their health or well being. While I can’t go into detail about what those things might be, I did enjoy getting to know the weaknesses of fairies in this universe. Knowing that they weren’t all-powerful being made them feel more relatable and likable to me. It also helped to make certain scenes feel more meaningful once I realized the very real danger they were in.

I had trouble keeping track of the many characters in this story. There wasn’t enough time to get to know all of them well, so it was tricky to remember how they all knew each other and which one of the four fairy tribes everyone was from. It would have been nice to have a smaller cast of characters to focus on so that I could get to know all of them in greater depth.

The world building was nicely written. Princess Amira and her friends lived in a complex society where everyone knew their place. The descriptions of the many different types of fairies in this world made me smile. I liked the fact that the author spent so much time not only describing them but explaining why certain factions did or did not get along well with others. It made for quite the interesting read.

The Rubies should be read by anyone who loves fairies or the fantasy genre.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

TV Review of: Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia – a Netflix Original Series

January 3, 2019 By 5 Comments

Review of: Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia – a Netflix Original Series
Created by Guillermo del Toro in conjunction with DreamWorks Animation and Double Dare You Productions.

Review by Xeranthemum

My youngest is the one responsible for this Netflix obsession. He was watching it while we were busy making plans for New Year’s Eve and, instead of focusing on what needed to be done, my husband and I were both sucked into the story. Three hours went by without notice. We finished this particular story loop about Merlin and Morgana, and good versus evil trolls, the next day.

What made this series so compelling? The characters, the plot and its intelligence. Yes, it’s a cartoon but computer generated or not, the presentation is filled with action, battles, lessons, growth in maturity and fantastical creatures, and the most compelling aspect, friendship. There are so many elements to take in that I more than likely will re-watch it from the beginning. It’s that detailed and good.

There are so many characters that flavor this series; good and bad trolls, regular humans and humans on a quest with a destiny, namely Jim. He’s not comfortable with the burden he will bear but with his friends at his side, he is forced to stand tall and accept his role. The troll hunter’s mom does not come across as dumb or disrespected. She has strength, she loves her son and she acts like a grownup should. Her unconditional love is a joy to behold. Jim’s respect for his mom and his clear love for her garners my respect.

Morgana was presented as convincingly evil but Merlin isn’t exactly a benign character. He’s more acerbic, canny, and Machiavellian. Actually, there were tried and true fantasy tropes sprinkled throughout the episodes and yet, they were made fresh and riveting within Jim’s role in the series. All 52 installments are amazing. Each show ends with a cliffhanger or a shocking revelation, or a threat from which there seems to be no chance of escape. That is how easy it is to keep watching show after show after show. The hours effortlessly fly by. It must be magic, LOL.

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For fantasy lovers this series is like candy, or potato chips – you can’t watch only one episode. I certainly couldn’t.

If you’re not sure yet, watch the trailer and be amazed.

If you are curious about 3 Below, the sci-fi fantasy sequel, then this trailer is for you:

Jim reminds me of Johnny Quest, but instead of his best friend being Hadji, it’s a troll with 6 eyes named Blinky, short for Blinkous Galadrigal, and humans Claire and Toby. Their friendship is a huge asset to the story. I heartily recommend watching the Troll Hunter series. It’s like a great epic YA fantasy book come to ‘life’.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Television Show, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , ,

The Bagel King by Andrew Larsen

December 19, 2018 By Leave a Comment


The Bagel King by Andrew Larsen
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Genre: Childrens, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Every Sunday morning, no matter the weather, Eli could count on Zaida to bring bagels from Merv’s Bakery. Eli loved the time they spent together enjoying their favorite treats. Warm. Chewy. Salty, Eli thought. Bagels were the best thing about Sunday. But one Sunday, Zaida didn’t come. He had fallen at Merv’s and hurt his tuches, and the doctor said Zaida had to rest at home for two whole weeks. This meant Eli had no Sunday morning bagels. And neither did Zaida’s friends, who had been receiving their own weekly deliveries from Zaida. Will they all go hungry for bagels on Sunday? Or is there something Eli can do? Award-winning author Andrew Larsen’s picture book story offers a gently humorous take on the special bond between a boy and his grandfather and the simple ritual that looms so large in their lives. It also highlights a terrific character education lesson about how a young child can take responsibility and, with a little initiative, help a family member in need. With a blend of retro and contemporary styles, Sandy Nichols’s softly colored illustrations cleverly convey the story’s timelessness and capture Eli’s diverse neighborhood. This book will spark wonderful discussions about family traditions and community. A mini glossary and pronunciation guide for the Yiddish words that are sprinkled throughout the story (like mensch and oy) provides an opportunity to learn about the many words we use in English that come from other languages, and to explore the connections between culture and language.

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The relationship between Eli and Zaida, his grandfather, was such a sweet one. Not only did they love each other quite a bit, they also enjoyed spending time together as buddies. It made me smile to see them try to figure out how to change their routines after Zaida was injured and couldn’t do the things he normally did with his grandson.

There was a pretty big plot hole in this story that none of the characters seemed to notice. As much as I liked watching Eli gradually come up with a plan to help his grandfather after the accident, I was distracted by the fact that no one was talking about the easier and more obvious solution to their problem. I would have chosen a much higher rating if this hadn’t happened.

One of the things I liked the most about this tale were the warm and friendly relationships Eli had obviously developed with everyone in his community. While he wasn’t biologically related to everyone who lived nearby, they did treat him like he was a member of their families. He was watched over and encouraged by all of the adults in his life no matter where he went or what he did. That strong sense of community and protectiveness over the youngest members of a society was such a lovely thing to read about.

I’d recommend The Bagel King to anyone who has developed a close bond with someone much older or younger than them or who wonders what this sort of relationship could be like.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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