Review - The Lady with the Books

The Lady with the Books
by Kathy Stinson
illustrated by Marie Lafrance
Date: 2020
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Inspired by true events, a fictionalized retelling of how one woman brought a world of books to children in Germany after World War II, and changed their lives forever.

Anneliese and Peter will never be the same after the war that took their father's life. One day, while wandering the ruined streets of Munich, the children follow a line of people entering a building, thinking there may be free food inside. Instead, they are delighted to discover a great hall filled with children's books --- more books than Anneliese can count. Here, they meet the lady with the books, who encourages the children to read as much as they want. And she invites them to come back the next day. Eventually, she will have a greater impact on the children's lives than they could ever have imagined.

This moving picture book, written by beloved and award-winning author Kathy Stinson, is based on the real-life work of Jella Lepman, founder of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) and the International Youth Library. Lepman's collection of children's books from around the world traveled throughout Germany after World War II in the hope of building "bridges of understanding" between countries. Brought to life by highly acclaimed illustrator Marie Lafrance, this book carries an important message about international cooperation that still resonates with world events today. It includes further information about Lepman and her work as well as historical photos. This story of the children who survived the war offers a unique and often unexplored perspective for history lessons. It also makes an excellent choice for character education lessons on resilience. A portion of the author's royalties will be donated to IBBY's Children in Crisis Fund.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

The Lady with the Books is a fictionalized account of how Jella Lepman brought books to the children of war-ravaged Germany. It follows Annaliese and Peter, two young children who are struggling after the loss of their father. One day, they stand in what they think is a line for food, only to stumble into an exhibition of children's books.

The story itself is well written and the subject matter is fascinating. Of course, books like this often have a section of notes at the back, and this one is no exception. They're just as interesting as the main narrative, and I learned some interesting facts (including that there's a "Book Castle" in Blutenburg Castle; it's also known as the International Youth Library, and has the largest collection of children's literature in the world).

I would definitely recommend this book to those who love to read. It underscores the importance of having books to read... and being able to read them freely.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 5/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 5/5

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Review - All of a Sudden and Forever

All of a Sudden and Forever
by Chris Barton
illustrated by Nicole Xu
Date: 2020
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

A profoundly moving nonfiction picture book about tragedy, hope, and healing from award-winning author Chris Barton.

Sometimes bad things happen, and you have to tell everyone. Sometimes terrible things happen, and everybody knows. On April 19, 1995, something terrible happened in Oklahoma City: a bomb exploded, and people were hurt and killed. But that was not the end of the story. Those who survived—and those who were forever changed—shared their stories and began to heal. Near the site of the bomb blast, an American elm tree began to heal as well. People took care of the tree just as they took care of each other. The tree and its seedlings now offer solace to people around the world grappling with tragedy and loss.

Released to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, this book commemorates what was lost and offers hope for the future.

(synopsis from NetGalley; see it on Goodreads)

As this is a picture book about the Oklahoma City bombing, it's not exactly something one reads for enjoyment. While I appreciate the intent behind the book, and think it could be a valuable teaching tool, I can't really say that I liked it, or that it's going to be appropriate for everyone.

The narrative is quite simple and focuses mostly on the aftermath and the healing process. (The bomber isn't even named, and the bombing itself takes up a very small part of the narrative.) Much is made of the Survivor Tree, an elm that withstood the blast and has since been propagated and shared as a way to keep life going in the face of tragedy. The pictures are kind of different; the style looks sort of like collage, and details are spare (the people have no facial features, for example). It was probably a good choice to go this route, as too much detail in this could've been overwhelming.

I think I would be really careful about who I chose to share this book with. It would have scared me pretty badly as a child, and I would've been in a panic every time I saw a white truck. If your child is a worrier like I was, and they're too young to understand the statistical unlikelihood of a similar bombing happening in their own neighbourhood, it might be best to hold off on a book like this until they're a bit older. I'd say at least eight years old, because of the inevitable questions about the bombing that are going to arise; kids need to be old enough to handle some of the other details that are going to come up when this event is explored.

But I can see this being a good classroom read. It's especially nice to see what people did to help each other in the aftermath of the bombing. Even though the details in this particular book are a little vague, it gets the ideas across and keeps the memory of the event alive for kids (and potentially their parents) who are too young to remember the bombing themselves.

Thank you to NetGalley and Carolrhoda Books for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.33 out of 5

Review - Wartime Ghetto (DNF)

Wartime Ghetto (Irena #1)
by Jean-David Morvan & Séverine Tréfouël
illustrated by David Evrard
Date: 2019
Publisher: Lion Forge
Reading level: YA
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 133
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

The true tale of Irena Sendlerowa, a social worker in the Warsaw ghetto in the early 1940s, during the early days of German occupation. She is credited for saving the lives of 2500 Jewish children by gradually and quietly smuggling them to safety in small groups. While she is eventually arrested by Gestapo, imprisoned, and tortured for her actions, she refuses to reveal her network and is condemned to death. She is ultimately saved from death by other members of her organization. After the war, she retrieved the names of all children she saved (kept in a glass jar buried under a tree behind her house) and attempted to locate each of their parents for reunion. And while most of the parents had been gassed in the Holocaust, she made it her mission to help those orphans find new homes.

Another true SCHINDLER'S LIST scenario, illustrated for a younger audience, but equally moving for adults.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

DNF @ 27%

I tried, but I just can't get into this one. The style of illustration is so incongruous with the subject matter that it's a distraction. The cutesy, cartoon-like characters have no place in a story about genocide. In once instance where a character is supposed to look desperate, she looks comical.

This just doesn't work, and since I can't force myself to keep reading, I'm just going to stop.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lion Forge for providing a digital ARC.

Review - Mr. Crum's Potato Predicament

Mr. Crum's Potato Predicament
by Anne Renaud
illustrated by Felicita Sala
Date: 2017
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 41
Format: e-book
Source: library

A mouthwatering tale of invention.

When a persnickety customer named Filbert P. Horsefeathers complains that George Crum’s fried potatoes are too thick, George makes them thinner. When Filbert insists they are still too thick, George makes them even thinner. But when the plate is sent back a third time, George mischievously decides to use his sharpest knife to cut paper-thin potato slices, which he fries until they are crackling and douses liberally with salt. At last, Filbert is satisfied, proclaiming, “Perfection!” Which they are. Because, quite by accident, George has invented potato chips!

Based on true events, this delicious tale will have kids clamoring for more, more, more!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This book is actually a bit of a historical biographical sketch. George Crum was a real cook who, in the 1850s, helped popularize potato chips as a snack after a persnickety customer kept sending back his potato wedges because they were too thick. So George made them as thin as possible... and the potato chip as we know it was born!

I actually found the story kind of refreshing. It's set in the USA in the 1850s, and George Crum is partly African American... but he's not a slave. In fact, he has his own restaurant! So many of the books I read that feature this time period and African Americans are about slavery, so this was a bit different. (It takes place in New York, not the South, which explains the difference.) There are a couple of pages at the back that explain the true story of George Crum and his potato chips, with photographs.

The story may have been embellished a little, but it looks like the basic facts are the same. (Filbert P. Horsefeathers stands in for the picky customer. He, apparently, is made up.) So this is a fairly strong biographical picture book about the man who may be responsible for the chip aisle in grocery stores that we all take for granted today.

Quotable moment:

So, with a swish of his apron and a tap to his chef's hat, George got to work. He cut the potatoes into wedges, boiled them, fried them in a dollop of lard and sprinkled them with salt.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Review - King of the Tightrope: When the Great Blondin Ruled Niagara

King of the Tightrope: When the Great Blondin Ruled Niagara
by Donna Janell Bowman
illustrated by Adam Gustavson
Date: 2019
Publisher: Peachtree Publishing Company
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

In 1859, Jean-Francois Gravelet, known as The Great Blondin, walked across Niagara Falls on a tightrope. What kind of man would do something like that? And more importantly, how do you become that man?

At the age of four, Jean-Francois Gravelet walked across his first balance beam. Later, he took to the tightrope like a spider to its web, and with his family troupe, he climbed toward stardom. As The Great Blondin, his feats became more and more marvelous, but he was bored. That is, until he visited Niagara Falls and imagined doing something that no one else had ever accomplished. It would take courage to cross the falls, but Blondin first had to figure out how to get a rope across the rushing water, what kind of rope and knots to use, and how to handle the huge sag in the middle of the walking rope. In 1859, with all of the work completed, Blondin would step out onto the most dangerous tightrope walk he'd ever faced.

Author Donna Janell Bowman's trademark in-depth research gives readers a clear and exciting look into the accomplishments of The Great Blondin, as well as the hard work, determination, and meticulous mathematic and scientific planning it took to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope. Adam Gustavson's detailed illustrations turn this book into an experience that will inspire readers of all ages.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is the sort of non-fiction picture book I really like. I don't even have to have heard of the person the book is about; in fact, if I haven't heard of them, it's even better because I've learned something I didn't know before.

The Great Blondin was a French tightrope walker who crossed Niagara Falls in 1859. This story talks about his life, his quest to always do more, and the eventual setup and execution of his international stunt. Included at the end are more biographical facts and a timeline. The illustrations are great and work really well to complement the text (which is interesting enough on its own).

When people said the stunt couldn't be done, Blondin ignored them and just went about his work. There's a lot of physics involved in setting up such a stunt. The public perhaps doesn't appreciate how much goes on behind the scenes when they just show up to watch the performer succeed (or fail).

I really enjoyed this one, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an interesting picture-book biography.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Publishing Company for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Review - The Brave Princess and Me

The Brave Princess and Me
by Kathy Kacer
illustrated by Juliana Kolesova
Date: 2019
Publisher: Second Story Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Princess Alice of Greece is known for her kindness. Born deaf, she knows what it is like to be discriminated against. In 1943 the Second World War is raging, and the Nazis have taken control of Greece. All Jews in the country are in danger, including young Tilde Cohen and her mother, Rachel. On the run, they are in search of a safe place to hide from the Nazis. When they arrive unannounced on Princess Alice's doorstep, begging her to shelter them, the princess's kindness is put to the test.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

While I like the idea behind this book, I'm not sure it entirely worked for me.

This is a brief look at how Princess Alice hid Jews in her home in Athens during the Second World War. It's narrated by Tilde Cohen, who was a real girl who hid there with her mother, Rachel. Princess Alice was deaf, and so when the Gestapo came calling, looking for hidden Jews, she used her disability to her advantage and feigned incomprehension... causing the Nazis to think she was simple-minded and leave her alone.

There's a nice little biographical sketch at the back (typos notwithstanding) that gives readers a basic idea of Princess Alice's life. But other parts of the book--especially the way it's written--don't quite work for me. At times, the text seems a little condescending or even sanitized. I realize this is a book for children, but the way the Nazis speak doesn't ring true at all; their words sound almost like they've been put into their mouths by a very young child.

I'm also not a huge fan of the illustrations. While they fit the mood of the book and are done passably well, the figures all look kind of wooden, almost like soulless mannequins. Because of this, I found it difficult to have an emotional connection to the illustrations.

I hadn't heard the story of what Princess Alice did for the Jews during the Second World War, and I definitely think it's a story worth telling. I'm just not sure if this book did a great job of doing that. It's passable, yes... but I was expecting to feel a little more engaged with such interesting subject matter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Second Story Press for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.17 out of 5

Review - Eat My Dust!: Henry Ford's First Race

Eat My Dust!: Henry Ford's First Race
by Monica Kulling
illustrated by Richard Walz
Date: 2004
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: library

It’s 1901 and Henry Ford wants to build a car that everyone can own. But first he needs the money to produce it. How will he get it? He enters a car race, of course! Readers will love this fast-paced, fact-based story!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a book about the (apparently) famous 1901 race in which Henry Ford unseated the reigning American car-racing champion, won some money, and used it to start the Ford Motor Company.

As a Step into Reading title, it has more of the format of a chapter book (without the chapters) than a picture book. But the illustrations are still pretty good and help to tell the story quite well. The main strength of the book, however, is the writing. It's clean, uncluttered, and offers the facts without too much embellishment.

I'd recommend this book to kids who are interested in history or cars (or the history of cars). It's an interesting look at a real event that helped shape the transportation industry.

Quotable moment:

Henry tied his car to a post--
just like a horse--
so it would not roll away.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.67 out of 5

Review - A Boy Called Dickens

A Boy Called Dickens
by Deborah Hopkinson
illustrated by John Hendrix
Date: 2012
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: hardcover
Source: library

For years Dickens kept the story of his own childhood a secret. Yet it is a story worth telling. For it helps us remember how much we all might lose when a child's dreams don't come true...

As a child, Dickens was forced to live on his own and work long hours in a rat-infested blacking factory. Readers will be drawn into the winding streets of London, where they will learn how Dickens got the inspiration for many of his characters. The 200th anniversary of Dickens's birth was February 7, 2012, and this tale of his little-known boyhood is the perfect way to introduce kids to the great author. This Booklist Best Children's Book of the Year is historical fiction at its ingenious best.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This somewhat fictionalized biography of a young Charles Dickens is interesting, although I'm not sure I was ever that fascinated with this author in the first place. I've never managed to get through one of his books (even though I was supposed to read Great Expectations in high school). While it's kind of neat to see the inspiration for some of his characters and storylines, there was nothing here that really engaged me and made me feel anything for poor Charles... and he had such a crappy early life that I feel like I should've felt something.

A lot of blame is put on his parents, which is fair... today. But sending your 12-year-old out to work back in those days wasn't unusual. It feels like the author is trying to project 21st-century ethics onto a 19th-century situation, and it comes off as really judgmental.

Also, at one point, Dickens is using his slate and pencil... together. To me, this just screams lack of research. (Slates were used with chalk. And a pencil would've required paper of some sort if you wanted to write with it.)

Overall, I wasn't that impressed with this. It might have more appeal to Dickens fans... although I'm not sure how many of those there are in the picture-book set.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5

Review - Sing Freedom!

Sing Freedom!
by Vanita Oelschlager
illustrated by Mike DeSantis
Date: 2015
Publisher: Vanita Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 36
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Sing Freedom! captures the essence of this successful nonviolent revolution in a format highly accessible to children. The conflict that eventually won the Estonians their freedom could have had a very violent outcome. This story tells the history of the oppression of the Estonian people and how they gained their freedom through non-violent means.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Interested in Estonian history? No? Well, you might be after you read this simple little picture book about the Singing Revolution.

When the Soviets came to power, they pretty much tried to obliterate any other cultures in the area. But Estonians held tight to their folk songs, and eventually used them as a form of civil disobedience. This book covers a period of history from roughly World War II until the present day. I hadn't heard about the Singing Revolution before; I'm glad I was able to read this book to find out a little bit about it.

The glossary at the back is helpful, but the terms aren't in alphabetical order (which is a bit odd). And did you know that Skype is an Estonian invention? I don't know why that little factoid was included, but it's kind of cool.

This could be a nice addition to a classroom library to help teach kids about an interesting little country that seems to fly under the radar (at least here in North America).

Thank you to NetGalley and Vanita Books for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.5 out of 5

Review - Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
by Vashti Harrison
Date: 2017
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 97
Format: e-book
Source: library

This beautifully illustrated New York Times bestseller introduces readers of all ages to 40 women who changed the world.

An important book for all ages, Little Leaders educates and inspires as it relates true stories of forty trailblazing black women in American history. Illuminating text paired with irresistible illustrations bring to life both iconic and lesser-known female figures of Black history such as abolitionist Sojourner Truth, pilot Bessie Coleman, chemist Alice Ball, politician Shirley Chisholm, mathematician Katherine Johnson, poet Maya Angelou, and filmmaker Julie Dash.

Among these biographies, readers will find heroes, role models, and everyday women who did extraordinary things - bold women whose actions and beliefs contributed to making the world better for generations of girls and women to come. Whether they were putting pen to paper, soaring through the air or speaking up for the rights of others, the women profiled in these pages were all taking a stand against a world that didn't always accept them.

The leaders in this book may be little, but they all did something big and amazing, inspiring generations to come.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

You know a picture book is heavy on the text when it takes almost a month to get through it.

However, Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History is definitely worth a look. It profiles 40 amazing women and girls who were trailblazers for the African American women who followed in their footsteps. I hadn't heard of many of the women who were featured early on in the book (e.g., Phillis Wheatley, Rebecca Lee Crumpler, Mary Bowser), even though their stories are amazing. As the book goes on, we start to see some more familiar names, and by the end, I would imagine that most people will have heard of these women (e.g., Oprah Winfrey, Florence Joyner, Dominique Dawes)... which is great, because it shows that the women making important contributions aren't always ignored or pushed into the shadows as they once were. Still, the fact that many of these names aren't household ones is kind of sad. We've got Civil War spies, scientists who developed cures for nasty diseases, psychologists who studied the impact of racial identification in children... There are just so many stories here, laid out in a series of two-page spreads; there's even a section at the back with mini biographies of a few more women that didn't get included in the book. And, like most good non-fiction titles, this book offers some suggestions for further reading, viewing, and watching.

The illustrations are cute, but will probably be viewed as a little "girly". That said, however, this is a book aimed at girls, so the pictures are likely to find wide appeal. Each spread features a picture of the woman or girl, and the text is embellished with little doodles relating to her life. (Below is Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman in the world to receive a pilot's licence... but she had to go to France to do it!)

Overall, this is a really strong non-fiction title that celebrates the contributions of black women and girls. Because of how much text there is, I'd probably recommend it to middle graders, but it could be a fun book for younger kids to read with a parent in smaller doses.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 5/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4.17 out of 5

Review - Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, and Murdered Through History

Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, and Murdered Through History
by Serah-Marie McMahon & Alison Matthews David
illustrated by Gillian Wilson
Date: 2019
Publisher: Owlkids
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

The clothes we wear every day keep us comfortable, protect us from the elements, and express our unique style--but could fashion also be fatal? As it turns out, history is full of fashions that have harmed or even killed people. From silhouette-cinching corsets and combustible combs to lethal hair dyes and flammable flannel, this nonfiction book looks back at the times people have suffered pain, injury, and worse, all in the name of style. Historical examples like the tragic "Radium Girl" watchmakers and mercury-poisoned "Mad Hatters," along with more recent factory accidents, raise discussion of unsafe workplaces--where those who make the clothes are often fashion's first victims.

Co-authored by a scholar in the history of textiles and dress with the founder of WORN Fashion Journal, this book is equal parts fab and frightening: a stylishly illustrated mash-up of STEAM content, historical anecdotes, and chilling stories. Nonfiction features including sidebars, sources, an index, and a list of further reading will support critical literacy skills and digging deeper with research on this topic.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is an interesting look at the dangers of being fashionable. It seems to be aimed at kids, although the subject matter (and gruesomeness of some of the subjects) will probably make it suitable for older children and teens (and curious adults). Various fashion issues are covered in this engaging volume, everything from the Triangle Shirtwaist fire to the Radium Girls to women falling off their platform shoes and cracking their heads open.

Fashion fatalities seem to disproportionately affect women. If they weren't slathering lead on their skin (rotting it in the process), they were being burned alive in their flannelette nightgowns or going up in smoke as flaming ballerinas. It's especially infuriating to see that, in the case of the Radium Girls, nothing was done until a male employee got sick and died; only then was an autopsy performed and the real dangers exposed. (One of the more recent examples shows that we're starting to get a little more equality with fashion fatalities... though that's not a good thing!)

The text is highlighted with plenty of pictures: there are historical photos, postcards, and advertisements that'll make many modern readers shake their heads. Radioactive underwear? Yes, that was actually a thing... and recommended for babies!

I only have a couple of issues with this book. One is that, in some places, I would've liked a little more information (such as in the case of the 1909 department store fire in England that was caused by a celluloid-heavy display; the name of the store wasn't even mentioned). I get that this is a children's book, and there are plenty of sources at the back for further study. Still, it would've been nice to have certain things like that made a little less vague for kids who might want to Google to find out more. My second issue is a statement made in the conclusion that implies we're so much smarter now:

When new cosmetics, medicines, and chemicals are invented, medical standards and government regulations demand that they be tested extensively before they can be brought to the market.

Unfortunately, that's simply not true. It's beyond the scope of this book to get into things like grandfathering approval (such as was done with thimerosal--a form of mercury--which is still in some flu vaccines), or the fact that we wouldn't have had things like the Vioxx scandal if such precautions were actually taken before products went to market. (For a really interesting and disturbing look at how what we put on our bodies may be affecting our health--without us knowing it--I'd recommend taking a look at the movie called Stink!, Jon Whelan's documentary about trying to find the source of the terrible chemical smell coming from his young daughters' brand-new pajamas. Whether we want to believe it or not, we're still being endangered by our fashion choices.)

Overall, this is a nice history book that tells the tales of some of humanity's worst fashion faux-pas. I just wish it didn't leave readers with the false impression that we've solved most of fashion's safety issues.

Thank you to NetGalley and Owlkids for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Review - The Cottingley Fairies

The Cottingley Fairies
by Ana Sender
Date: 2019
Publisher: NorthSouth Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Fairies exist and these girls have proof!

Elsie and Frances feel sad for adults who simply can’t see the magic in the forests around them. If only they could see what we see. Taking photos is like opening windows...

And that’s just what they did.

In 1918, Elsie Wright and her cousin Frances Griffith photographed fairies in their garden, in the small village of Cottingley (Yorkshire). Without expecting it, many people paid attention—including renowned writer and spiritualist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Although initially reluctant, the famous author convinced a large part of public opinion.

This is the story, narrated by Elsie herself, of the true events.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I just wasn't a fan of this one. With a book like this, I expected more magical illustrations. Instead, these looked like the scribbles that I used to do when I was a kid, down to the uneven coloured-pencil fills and that weird overlap darkening you often get with markers. Some of the pictures looked more amateurish than others, which led to the book feeling kind of uneven.

The story fell sort of flat for me, too. Arthur Conan Doyle comes off looking rather stupid for believing and pushing the narrative so hard. (If you've ever seen the original photos, you'll probably agree that it's pretty obvious they're fake.) The fact that two little girls were able to fool so many people could've made for an interesting story, but that's not the direction this story took. In this book, the fairies were real all along, and while the girls did take photos of fake paper fairies, they admitted to their deceit (unlike it real life, where they kept up the charade for decades).

The subject matter is interesting, but the execution just didn't work for me here.

Thank you to NetGalley and NorthSouth Books for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 1/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5

Review - The Borden Tragedy

The Borden Tragedy (A Treasury of Victorian Murder)
by Rick Geary
Date: 1997
Publisher: Nantier Beall Minoustchine Publishing
Reading level: A
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 82
Format: e-book
Source: library

"Lizzie Borden took an axe, gave her mother forty whacks, when she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one!" In this third volume of Geary's Treasury, the famous Lizzie Borden double murder is explored with as much attention to well -researched detail as in his Jack the Ripper. This is another celebrated murder of last century, the one that lead to the infamous school rhyme.

The parallel between this old case and OJ Simpson's is striking: both defendants had unblemished reputations; the double murders were gruesome; there were no witnesses and no weapons found; the cases took the media by storm. Both wealthy defendants hired expensive lawyers who convinced the jury of reasonable doubt. Both remain under a cloud of suspicion...

(synopsis from Goodreads)

As I'm working through some of our local library's collection of graphic novel e-books, I've picked up a few that I never thought I would read. Earlier this year, I read one about the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, and I actually found it fascinating. So I thought this book about the infamous 1892 murders might interest me as well. And it did.

After so much time has passed, we might never know what actually happened in that house. There are arguments both for and against Lizzie being the killer... and some arguments even overlap. Was she really trying to buy poison to kill her father and stepmother the day before the murders? Or was she simply wanting to clean a sealskin cape, as she said? How would she have managed to gruesomely kill both victims with an axe or hatchet--an act that surely would've resulted in a large amount of blood spatter--without getting a drop on her? (A witness who was at the scene within ten minutes saw no blood at all on Lizzie's clothes, skin, or hair... hair that was dry and styled, so couldn't possibly have been washed.) What of the carriage that was seen outside the house on the morning of the murders, or the mysterious man who was lurking around?

There were all sorts of interesting facts presented in the graphic novel format. (For example, I was surprised to learn that Lizzie was actually charged with three murders: one for her father, one for her stepmother, and one for both of them together!) The story of what happened--as far as anyone knows--is revealed at a nice pace, without too much in the way of excess information that might have bogged things down.

The included newspaper clippings at the end of the graphic novel part of the book were rather eye-opening. Journalism back in 1892 wasn't what it is today. There was so much conjecture, and so many worthless details, that the articles went on for pages (and they're in rather fine print, which made them a chore to read). But it was interesting to see how attitudes have changed. Even though Lizzie stood accused of murder, she was still treated as a delicate flower who needed to be protected from the rigours of the world... and the prison system. (She was given the matron's comfortable bedroom at one point, because she was deemed too ill for a regular cell.) It certainly didn't help matters that she was continually dosed with morphine for her anxiety after the murders; some of her contradictory statements could very well have been a result of being drugged!

All in all, this was a fascinating look at an incident that happened so long ago, yet still captures the imagination. The black-and-white illustrations may be simple, but they work well with the subject matter. This would be a strong addition to any true crime book collection.

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Pace: 3/5
Writing & Editing: 3/5
Illustration: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Rating: 3.63 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - Secret Path

Secret Path
by Gord Downie
illustrated by Jeff Lemire
Date: 2016
Publisher: Simon Schuster
Reading level: A
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 96
Format: e-book
Source: library

Secret Path is a ten song album by Gord Downie with a graphic novel by illustrator Jeff Lemire that tells the story of Chanie "Charlie" Wenjack, a twelve-year-old boy who died in flight from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School fifty years ago.

Chanie, misnamed Charlie by his teachers, was a young boy who died on October 22, 1966, walking the railroad tracks, trying to escape from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School to return home. Chanie's home was 400 miles away. He didn't know that. He didn't know where it was, nor how to find it, but, like so many kids—more than anyone will be able to imagine—he tried.

Chanie's story is Canada's story. We are not the country we thought we were. History will be re-written. We are all accountable. Secret Path acknowledges a dark part of Canada's history—the long suppressed mistreatment of Indigenous children and families by the residential school system—with the hope of starting our country on a road to reconciliation. Every year as we remember Chanie Wenjack, the hope for Secret Path is that it educates all Canadians young and old on this omitted part of our history, urging our entire nation to play an active role in the preservation of Indigenous lives and culture in Canada.

The next hundred years are going to be painful as we come to know Chanie Wenjack and thousands like him—as we find out about ourselves, about all of us—but only when we do can we truly call ourselves, "Canada."

Proceeds from Secret Path will be donated to The Gord Downie Secret Path Fund for Truth and Reconciliation via The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) at The University of Manitoba.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is kind of a hard book to categorize. It's a graphic novel, but it's also poetry. Most of the story is told without words (at least, in the traditional narrative sense), but the poems fill in the blanks. The sparse monochromatic scheme works here, especially given the subject matter. The illustrations are haunting, and add more emotion to what is already a heart-wrenching read.

It's a sad story, and it boggles the mind that it could happen so recently. This would be a good introduction to the topic of residential schools, and should be required reading for all Canadian adults.

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Pace: 4/5
Writing & Editing: 4/5
Illustration: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters

Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters
by Barack Obama
illustrated by Loren Long
Date: 2010
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

In this tender, beautiful letter to his daughters, President Barack Obama has written a moving tribute to thirteen groundbreaking Americans and the ideals that have shaped our nation. From the artistry of Georgia O'Keeffe, to the courage of Jackie Robinson, to the patriotism of George Washington, President Obama sees the traits of these heroes within his own children, and within all of America’s children.

Breathtaking, evocative illustrations by award-winning artist Loren Long at once capture the personalities and achievements of these great Americans and the innocence and promise of childhood.

This beautiful book celebrates the characteristics that unite all Americans, from our nation’s founders to generations to come. It is about the potential within each of us to pursue our dreams and forge our own paths. It is a treasure to cherish with your family forever.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I saw this book at the library, and I was curious.  President Obama as a children's book author?  It was only forty pages, so I decided to give it a shot.

This is a sweet little book that celebrates a father's love for his daughters while imparting a sense of history and national pride.  Since I'm not an American, I was a little nervous, wondering if it would have an overly patriotic vibe.  But it didn't.  It manages to proudly share the stories of some of the country's most notable historical figures while not going overboard with the patriotism.

I absolutely loved the illustrations in this book.  They're adorable, yet not cutesy, which makes the book suitable for boys as well as girls.  There are even a couple of illustrations of the first family's dog, Bo, which are super cute.

There is a section at the end that gives a little more information about each of the historical figures, so kids who are interested in one or more of these people could use this book as a starting point for learning more.  All in all, it's a nice little book that imparts some information and helps American kids learn about their history... with beautiful illustrations to highlight the experience.

Quotable moment:

Have I told you lately how wonderful you are?
How the sound of your feet
running from afar
brings dancing rhythms to my day?
How you laugh
and sunshine spills into the room?

Recommended to: kids who are interested in historical figures; anyone who appreciates well-illustrated children's books

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.83 out of 5

Booking Through Thursday (16)

Booking Through Thursday asks:

Given the choice, which do you prefer? Real history? Or historical fiction? (Assume, for the purposes of this discussion that they are equally well-written and engaging.)

If it's well-written and engaging, I prefer real history. There are so many interesting things that have happened on this planet in the last few million years that it seems almost unnecessary to have to make stuff up.