Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

I realise that I've let my blog slip into disuse in the last year or so, it was the typical story of too much vying for my attention and, sadly, the inessential being trimmed.

This weekend gone I read Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan and suddenly, even if only for this one book, blogging became essential. I don't even know if anyone reads this long dead blog, but that's not what's important here. I need to write about this book regardless of how many people happen to stumble upon this dark corner of the internet.

Each book is a story, obviously, but I'm also strong in the belief that the reading of each book is a story in itself. True, not always an interesting one, but there's always something that led us to chose that particular book at that particular time. If you want to skip to the review of the book itself, I understand. Jump down to where it starts... It's the most important part anyway. I think I've rambled a bit. But, my blog, my rules.

My 'Two Boys Kissing' story starts long before it was even published, not that I knew it. The last 3 years I've been working towards my Masters in Children's literature, and towards the beginning of last year I made an important decision: What to do for my thesis. I'd tossed around a couple of ideas, a research paper analysing Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking Series, or an exploration of gay teen YA, a few other ideas, but what I really wanted to do was write a novel. So I decided to do a creative work: write and submit a novel along with an exegesis about it. So, I stopped writing the steampunk fantasy bizzo that I was working on, and undertook the book I've always known I've had in me. I'll leave the details about that for another time, but I should say that it is a gay teen YA novel. 

I got to writing...

One thing I often hear authors say is that while they were writing any given novel, they read widely, but stayed well away from the same genre as what they were writing. I've had editor friends give me the same advice directly. So, for nearly 18 months, all books with a gay YA theme were hands off. This has been difficult, as, through my studies I've become aware of more books than I ever knew existed. Not only that, but then David Levithan (by all accounts among booksellers the go-to-guy of gay YA) releases a book proudly called Two Boys Kissing with a cover that reinforced its subject matter unapologetically. Further, people who's opinion I trust and are usually aligned with asked me regularly if I had read it yet, because it's so good.

But, alas, I was still only halfway through my own novel and was abstaining.

Then (let's skip forward 6 months) I finally finished my novel (enough for uni, at least). Yet, I still have my exegesis to write before I can hand it in. AND because an academic discussion of a novel isn't really complete without comparing it to others in the genre, I found that the long list of gay YA novels of which I'd been taking note, had to be read all of a sudden in order to be analysed.

Now I know my own book isn't completely polished, and I probably should have held off until I knew it was done and dusted, but uni called for it. Who was I to argue?

So, letting go, I succumbed to the inner urge I'd been denying for months and finally started reading the books I wanted to. The first cab off the rank was one called 'The Boy's Own Manual To Being A Proper Jew' by Eli Glasman. It's not out until July, but a friend scored me an advanced proof because she knew the subject matter of thesis. I won't go on about it, other to say I read it in one sitting and it's great! Definitely look it up.

Then, I reached for my copy of Two Boys Kissing. I'd bought it when it came out, knowing that I had to own it, regardless. (My only grief now is that I will have to buy it again in HB, as you'll find out why)

So then... My Review...

I have to admit that when I began reading I was really worried I'd find the whole thing a bit pretentious. It's not, but I want to say this upfront for those of you who start it and think the same thing and wonder if you should give up. Do not give up. Press on (if indeed you need to be pressed). The reason for my reaction is that the narrator is a collective 'we' made up of the generation of gay men who lived (and died) through the height of the AIDS epidemic. I quickly learned that this is a very effective narrative device. It powerfully brings to light what often remains unspoken or even unknown about their suffering, without the book being about their suffering.

Instead, we follow an assortment of gay teenage boys each trying to find their way through varied levels of acceptance from their families, their friends and their communities. The main story that ties most of them together is that of Craig and Harry who are attempting to break the world record for the longest kiss. They see this as a form of advocacy in light of the recent homophobic assault that put one of their classmates in hospital. This, essentially, is the two boys kissing of the title. Yet, as we also follow Peter and Neil who have been dating for a year, and Avery and Ryan who have only just met and feel those first stirrings of something special, we realise that there are many types of kisses, many types of relationships. There is more, but I'm sure other reviews and blurbs will fill you in. Really, it's even better going into it knowing as little as possible.

I was so utterly moved by this book. Those who know me well will know that I rarely cry (I mean actually cry) in books and films. Sure, I can get teary, sure I get emotionally invested, but actual tears come so infrequently that I can be quite astounded by the books that do manage to get me weeping.

I was crying all the way through this book.

Tears of joy; tears from hard personal memories; tears from sweet personal memories; tears of shared pain in what others have gone through; but, most frequently, pure tears of hope that things are changing, and things can change; get better. That we are moving in the right direction. One particular character brought on these tears of hope more than any other, and he only exists in only 3 paragraphs. I just re-read those paragraphs as I write this, and cried again. He is Max, and I'll let you find him for yourself. (Thank you, David Levithan, for Max).

I finished this book (in fact, it was well before I finished) and knew that it was perhaps one of the most special and important books I had read. I found myself sad that it had not been written 15 years ago so that I could have read it as a teenager and maybe had a much happier time of it. I found myself happy that such a book existed and was now available for anyone to read. Which they should. Anyone. While it is truly a spectacular work of fiction that practically any gay teen in the western world will most likely connect with, it is also one that offers so much insight into what has gone before, and how much further we have to go, and we will never get there if it is only gay teens reading this book. This is a book for everyone. I will try not to get carried away and say that to disregard this book because of its themes is to wantonly perpetuate closed-minded bigotry, but that is how I feel.

If someone had told me that they were attempting to write a novel that encapsulates so much of the joint experiences of multiple generations of gay men, I would have told them that it could not be done. David Levithan has proved me wrong, and I am so happy for it.

So go out and share it. Share it with your partners, your boyfriends and girlfriends. Share it with your teenage children or nieces and nephews. Share it with your parents, with your friends. Because if this book has even a fraction of the power that I feel it has, it will only be realised by people sharing it.

 

5 Gold Stars 

(Can I give it more?)

Find it on Goodreads

 

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

 

Many of us were introduced to Jon Klassen’s illustrations with his debut picture book, I Want My Hat Back (picture book gold, by the way). This was followed with This Is Not My Hat, which I’ve yet to review, but as it was recently awarded the Caldecott Medal, it goes to show that it wasn’t just me that thought it was brilliant. 

So, you can imagine that I was pleased to see that there was yet another picture book illustrated by Jon Klassen in the market. (I know it’s been out a while now, ‘Life’ has been keeping me from writing reviews).

The fact that it’s illustrated by Jon is enough for me to love it already, but it shouldn’t overshadow Mac Barnett’s writing. This is a smart and snappy book that delights in play between words and pictures. 

Top 10 for 2012

As I said in the last blog post, I wanted to do my highlights of 2012. Now I’m going to start off by saying that these are not necessarily books published this year, but I read them this year and so they have helped make up my Year of Reading.

I understand that the year isn’t over, but If I read anything stand out between now and New Year I’ll be sure to let you know.

I figured I’d give you my Top 10. Now, these are only in a loose order, it can be very hard to rank several different kinds of genius, and so I’ll do my best.

# 10

The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas by David Almond and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

This is a tame book for a David Almond Title, but for me, that will give it more general appeal. It’s quirky, fun, and tender at its core. There is one passage that won me over. He basically describes techniques writers use to tell stories, to jump from place to place and back and forth in time, while actually telling you the story! It was brilliant! I’d quote it, but it goes on for a few pages, so I’ll let you read it for yourself.

Find it on Goodreads

Wolves by Emily Gravett

Emily Gravett is wonderful! I love the way she uses book conventions to make her stories truly irreverent.

In this book, for example, We follow Rabbit, who goes to the library and borrows a book about wolves. Oh what's this? The reader in now holding a book called wolves which contains a rabbit holding a book about wolves... we read together...

Gray wolves live in packs of between two and ten animals. 

We find out more and more about them, as the rabbit walks home, too engrosed in the book to notice that a wolf has come out of the pages. He even walks right up the tail and along its back.

Then we learn, at the same time as the rabbit, that it eats lots of kinds of animals, both large and small... like beavers, voles and ...

We turn the page to see a viciously ripped and clawed back over and the torn remnants of a page saying "rabbits."

We turn the page again to read:

The author would like to point out that no rabbits were eaten during the making of this book.

It is a work of fiction.
And so, for more sensitive readers, here is an alternative ending. 

I'll leave it to you to read the alternative ending for yourself, but it's much happier and unrealistic. but it clearly illustrated by torn scraps from earlier in the book. 

She's just too good! I wrote a review a little while ago on one of her other books and I just love everything she does.

 

4.5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

The Heart And The Bottle by Oliver Jeffers

Once there was a girl, much like any other

She delighted in everything, in discovering new things, and questioning and thinking and exploring 

... until the day she found an empty chair.

So, to avoid the unpleasant and painful thoughts and feelings, she put her heart in a safe place: A bottle that she hung around her neck. 

She didn't notice, question or dream any more, but at least her heart was safe. 

Then one day, she couldn't answer a question a child asked her and she discovered with out her heart, she couldn't answer it, nor could she remember how to get her heart back out of the bottle. 

Luckily she meets a girl who knew what to do and she put her heart back where it belonged.

Awww. This is one of those books that just feels good. You might have noticed that my picture book reviews tend to keep coming back to this sort of theme. I love stories about being in touch with your emotions/creativity/imagination. It's a better way of being, in my opinion. And this is such a lovely book for that collection.

Find it, read it, enjoy it.

 

4.5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Ish by Peter H. Reynolds

 

Peter H. Reynolds captures particular ideas in such a beautifully simple way, his straight forward books can be life changing. In the way that the slightest of redirections can lead you to a very different destination. As in: If you always look at things the same way, you'll never see them differently, turn your head just a bit, and the view is delightfully varied and diverse. 

I feel I'm not making any sense, let's just say this is a review-ish...

Ramon loved to draw.

Any time.

Anything.

Anywhere.

One day, Ramon was drawing a vase of flowers.

His brother, Leon, leaned over his shoulder.

Leon burst out laughing.

"WHAT is THAT?" he asked.

I think we've all been there at some point in our lives, even if it's not with drawing, or anything particularly creative. Sometimes people laugh at, or don't understand things that we have worked very hard on. And that can really throw us off. 

Ramon has trouble finishing drawings, he just can't make them look "right" until he finally gives up. 

Then he sees his sister has taken a scrunched up piece of paper and he chases her back to her room where he is met by a veritable gallery of smoothed out discarded drawings. Including the vase that started it all.

This is one of my favourites,"

Marisol said, pointing.

"That was SUPPOSED to be a vase of flowers,"

Ramon said,

"But it doesn't look like one."

"Well it looks vase-ISH!" 

she exclaimed. 

Enter the slight change in seeing things. With the freedom of 'ish' Ramon launches back into his drawing knowing that things don't have to be "right" or "perfect" but can be an expression and still be considered valid and good. 

It's this type of book that alleviates the weight of the world from your shoulders.

 

4.5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Milli, Jack and the Dancing Cat by Stephen Michael King

Milli dreams of making wonderful and out of the ordinary things, but she has to spend her time making plain brown and black shoes and boots for the people in the town who don't like anything unusual.

That is until two wandering vagabond minstrels wander into town and offer to give her dancing lessons in exchange for some new shoes.

The dancing makes Milli brave, and she discovers she has the courage to follow her dreams and make extraordinary things.

This is such a sweet book which encourages following your dreams and unleashing your creativity. Stephen Michael King just has a brilliance about him that shines out from his deceptively simple stories.

 

4 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Pure by Julianna Baggott

I kept getting told how fantastic this book was, but how off-putting and gross it was because of all the malformed bodies etc that it contains (post nuclear holocaust). Some even said it was hard going because of this. So, I thought to myself, let's see what all the fuss is about.

I found that because I knew that it would have deformities left, right and center, I wasn't grossed out at all. In fact, putting aside the fact that I really think that most of these afflicted people would be dead (which is explained briefly with chemical and nanotechnology which was designed to create this grotesque fusing), I wouldn't have expected any less for the world which was being created.

So, did it all work?

Yes, absoultely! Julianna Baggott has given us a world so vivid and alive and filled with the horror and hope of survival it's almost palpable. You nearly feel gritty, yourself, as you read about the soot and ash and dust that permanently grays they sky and every thing else. All of which is perfectly contrasted with the pure 'Dome' that is so clean and spotless, it's ripe for conspiracy.

I really enjoyed the journey this book took me on. My only criticism is that it felt a little long and perhaps could have been pared back in places to create a slightly more fast pace story. But, even as it stands, it was a great read!

 

4 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

The Mercy Watson Series by Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen

     

      

 Kate DiCamillo is a crazy genius. Her beautiful lyrical junior fiction novels are nothing short of Amazing. The Tale of Desperaux, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and The Magician's Elephant are all by far some of the best junior fiction out there.

But how could such a wordsmith create an early reader that stands along side such beautiful junior fiction?

Easy, she says, I'll just invent a porcine wonder: Mercy Watson!

Mr And Mrs Watson, own a pet pig, whom they love dearly. Her name is Mercy.

What does Mercy love? Toast with butter on it. A Good deal of butter. It is her diving force. It is what drives her to get help when the Watson's floor is falling in, it is what leads her to capture a thief in the middle of the night, it is what causes her to bring a whole community together.

She really is a porcine wonder, a dear, a darling.

And boy, does Mrs Watson love dealing out the toast with butter on it!

These books are great fun! They made me chuckle constantly and laugh out loud on many occasions. They work well as early chapter books because there is quite a lot of repetition, but that very repetition is half of the humour.

The fact that she is so clearly driven by her stomach, and her love of buttered toast, yet all her actions are misinterpreted as heroically motivated that it is very amusing to see the mismatch between her thoughts and how she is interpreted.

Yes, Kate DiCamillo is truly fantastic. I can't recommend any of her books highly enough!

Chris Van Dusen's illustrations are PERFECT for this series too. Bright, bubbly, slightly retro, fun, and capture the characters brilliantly! They are too good!

Mercy Watson is a porcine wonder. You should get to know her.

 

4.5 Gold Stars

Find them on Goodreads:

Mercy Watson to the Rescue

Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride

Mercy Watson Fights Crime

Mercy Watson: Princess In Disguise

Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig

Mercy Watson: Something Wonky This Way Comes

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems

Mo Willems is fantastic! You only need pick up any of his books to discover this for yourself. He started his career as a writer and animator for Sesame Street for which he has won 6 Emmy Awards for his writing.

His books are so funny, not just for children but adults too!

Which brings me to 'Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed'

"There is so much to learn about the fascinating little creatures know as naked mole rats.

But, for this story, you only need to know three things:

1. They are a little bit rat.

2. They are a little bit mole.

3. They are all naked.

Well, they were, with one exception...

Wilbur liked to get dressed. Clothes were fun and warm.

One of the things I love about this book is the use of naked mole rats to flip our expectations. If this were a story about a man who liked to get undressed, I think the storyline would have taken a remarkably different turn. And when he asks "Why not?" (the ultimate question that sways wise old Grand-pah to try on a jaunty suit himself), could have been answered rather firmly and succinctly had it been people in the story...

As it stands, we giggle as the naturally naked mole rats are repulsed by Wilbur's clothing. We see the fun of dressing "fancy or funny or cool" or, as Wilbur says, "or I can just be an astronaut."

The other thing I love about this book is by then end, when clothing has been accepted, not all the mole rats get dressed. In fact there are more naked mole rats than there are ones with clothes. This speaks volumes about acceptance and diversity and being true to yourself than if they had all gotten dressed. To me this says 'each can be who they want to be, and each is accepted for who they are'. Which in this day and age is the type of message that needs to be reinstated more often.

 

4.5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Skellig by David Almond

Having worked with Children's books for nearly 8 years now, I had heard of Skellig around about, and always thought I might read it one day. I mean, it won the Carnegie and the Whitbread book of the year and was turned into a movie. In recent years, I've read a few of David Almond's other books and each time I'm surprised by something else. He is a brilliant writer.

Earlier this year, my lecturer at uni and I were talking about good books etc. and she asked if I had read Skellig. I hadn't, at the time, and she said I must. She told me that when she first started as an assistant to a lecturer when she had just left uni, her boss asked her the same question and when she said no, her boss handed her the book and said 'go home, and do nothing today other than read this book'.

Last year I watched the movie that had been made from the book, which was good, but now that I have read it, I can see why there has been so much fuss over this book.

Michael's new born sister is having health issues. She's in the hospital and his parents are worried sick, but are trying to keep a brave face and not neglect Michael in their concern. they have just moved into a new home. A Fix-er-up-er is putting it mildly. Michael is also worried about his sister, he feels that if he stops thinking about her then she might die.

Then he discovers a strange man who is sitting in the old, junk-filled shed. He looks like he has been there for years, unmoving, he eats spiders and bugs and has some strange humps on his back under his coat.

Michael then meets Mina, a precocious home-schooled girl who becomes his friend. And together they do what they can to help this strange man they can scarcely believe exists.

This book is amazing. It is such a well synthesised family-drama/fantasy/identity-themed/discussion of evolution and the afterlife it is really something!

Not a word is wasted. It's not a very long novel (170 well-spaced pages) but for all that, it holds so much.

What should I say now? I feel like echoing the question that was passed to me: 'Have you read Skellig? If not, you must!'

 

5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Tales From The Tower Vol 1: The Wilful Eye Edited by Isobelle Carmody and Nan McNab

Is this my type of thing? Yes, absolutely! I love me some fairy tales and their adaptations So I've been hanging out to read this since its beautiful cover started gracing bookstores with its presence.

I wasn't really sure what to expect. I'm not terribly versed in the world of short stories, and the cover leads us to believe that the stories inside are all magical, mystical - fantasy in every sense. Were they quite that? I'm not sure. They certainly had a fantasy vein running through them, I mean they're all re-workings of fairy tales, how could they not have? But I found myself having very mixed reactions.

The contributors were:

Margo Lanagan - Catastrophic Disruption of the Head (Retelling of The Tinderbox)
Isobelle Carmody - Moth's Tale (Retelling of Rumpelstiltskin)
Rosie Borella - Eternity (Retelling of The Snow Queen)
Richard Harland - Heart of the Beast (Retelling of Beauty and the Beast)
Margaret Mahy - Wolf Night (Retelling of Babes in the Woods)
Martine Murry - One Window (Retelling of The Steadfast Tin Soldier)


Of these authors, I have read the most of Margo Lanangan. In fact, other than some of Margaret Mahy's picture books, I haven't read anything by any of the other authors. So perhaps I was a little more used to Margo's style, but talk about opening with a bang!

Catastophic Disruption of the Head deals with the corruption of the soul that can come with sudden wealth and power. I won't explain everything about it, that is done in an eloquent way in the Afterward, but I will say that it is a thoughtful and powerful retelling. It sets the story in any of the recent contemporary wars and also deals with how western culture can corrupt as well as the violence of war. As far as 'saying something' with the short story, this one takes the cake from this collection. It is confronting at the capabilities of humans in extraordinary situations.

Moth's Tale was pretty and nice, but didn't engage me as I hoped a Rumpelstiltskin retelling would. It had the feel of a fantasy / fairy tale story but never came alive for me. The constant list of alternate endings also was a little too Meta for my liking. But it was a nice read.

Eternity was the biggest disappointment for me, which was a shame, but I'll tell you why. The Snow Queen is my all time favourite fairy tale. Some days I can articulate why and others all I know is I love it with all my heart and it makes me feel wonderful. Therefore, I had high expectations. (perhaps too high - too unfair). But the one thing about The Snow Queen that stands out from so many other fairy tales is that it is Gerda, the girl, who goes on the adventure and saves the day, it is her steadfast love and care for her friend that gets her through every obstacle she comes across. The Gerda in this story does go on the adventure, and manages to save Kai, but I felt that she was such a weak character! Not weak as in written poorly, but weak as in was constantly controlled and persuaded by everyone she met, she was whiny inside her own head and really irked me. Now, that might just me my reaction, but I'm entitled to it. I should say that I really like the alternate 'Sydney' universe setting and the inclusion of the 'Eternity Man', they were really nice touches.

Heart of the Beast was, I think, my favourite of the six. It was a sensuous and vivid retelling that captured the essence of the original story, kept the setting and feel delightfully 'fairy tale', but introduced some contemporary sensibilities. The ending was changed, but still managed to stay true, but was beautifully done. I loved it! Then how they chose to stay in the humble house rather than the giant chateau really finished on a great note for me. Another thing about fairy tales which sometimes gets to me is that people are happy when they are rich and have everything they would ever want. Now, I have no experience in being rich or having everything I could want, so maybe I can't really say, but I do love a story where people are happy with less. It both reinforces that my happiness despite my lack of wealth is justified and that there is hope for its longevity.

Wolf Night was great. It was the only story where I hadn't read the original. And I really liked it - except that the characters discussed how their adventure was just like 'Babes in the Woods'. Again, this 'Meta' element detracted, rather than added to the story. It was a fantastic realisation of an urban landscape as a setting for a fairy tale story.

And Finally, One Window really brought The Steadfast Tin Soldier to life. The characters were colourful and engaging and I could see them all before me. And I loved how it all tied up in the end, with the dancing princess and Soldier meeting and why and how etc.

Over all, this was a great read! As with every collection of short stories by different authors there were ups and downs, but they all fit together really well!

I cannot wait till I get a chance to read Vol 2!

 

4 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

The Sleeping Beauty by Berlie Doherty and Jane Ray

What is it?

The Sleeping Beauty In The Forest

Who wrote it?

Berlie Doherty

Illustrated by Jane Ray

Where can it be found?

 Walker Illustrated Classics: Classic Fairy Tales

Adaptation?

No, just a re-telling.

My thoughts in exactly 10 words:

ALWAYS remember to invite the most evil and powerful fairy.

So Few Of Me by Peter H. Reynolds

When I found this picture book, I felt it had been written for me. Surely Peter H. Reynolds had somehow found out what I was like and wrote a book about me, changing names to protect the innocent and the guilty...

But, apparently, I'm not the only one.

I list things. I am a little crazy about it too. I write lists for work, as most people do, but then I develop further lists and half the time an item on the main one will be "do other list" until I've pretty much got a list of lists.

During Uni semester I write a weekly list of what needs to be done that week. 

When I've got any length of time off approaching, I always make a list of things I'd like to achieve by the end. Heaven forbid I be unproductive! I've made lists of things that I could do that are pure procrastination. I've made lists of things I want (books, dvds, cds etc.) regardless whether they get referred to again or not.

And it's not just unfinished or to-do things that get listed. I have a excel spreadsheet of books I've read. I keep a list of every movie that I watch, so I know if, when, and how often I've watched any particular title.

Anyway, what is this? a review? or confessions of a list-a-holic?

So Few Of Me is brilliant!

Leo's List of things to do

grew longer and longer.

"So few of me and so much to do. 

If only there were TWO of me."

Just then, there was a

knock at the door.

I wonder how many times I've had that thought.

Then Leo begins to multiply which achieves and creates more and more work. I think my favorite page is:

Five Leos were still not enough.

A sixth came in to help organize them all. 

After a long meeting, they decided

they needed a seventh.

Then the original Leo becomes exhausted and decides that he wants to take some time to dream.

Leo wondered,

"What if I did less -

but did my BEST?

Which is sometimes what I have to tell myself.

This is a picture book for children of all ages. Even grown up ones, like myself, that feel they must be working ALL the time.

 

5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

A Study In Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

 

This semester just gone, I had the first chapter of the book I'm working on work-shopped in class at uni. One of the questions I asked for feedback on was "what type of society do you feel this story is set in from this introduction?" One classmate came back with "Hasidism meets Armish meets 'Victorian' Vienna meets Conan Doyle's London meets weird-science mechanisation". Now that was pretty close! the Hasidism/Armish side of it isn't so much what I was going for, but I could see how that was read into the first chapter. But what struck me was "Conan Doyle's London". It occurred to me that I had never read any Sherlock Holmes and how much doing so might help put me in the right mindset to understand what I was trying to achieve with my own writing.

I quickly procured a lovely old fashioned bind up of the four novels from a second hand shop and started by reading the first story.

It was fantastic! Even if you're not writing a novel set in a Victorian inspired fantasy world, they make fascinating reading. 

I must admit, I found Sherlock himself to be a bit more conceited than I expected him to be. And this didn't seem designed to be mysteries that the reader is expected to solve before the answer is revealed, as much of the small details that Sherlock uses to figure it all out aren't reviled to us until he is explaining how he came to his conclusion. 

But, all that said it's a great ride to go along with Watson on!

I can't wait to read the rest! Good thing I've got some time off coming up.

 

4 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Waiting For Mummy be Tae-Jun Lee and Dong-Sung Kim

This is a beautiful, simple and strange picture book.

It is about a child who is waiting for their mother at a tram stop. That's about the extent of it. It is beautifully illustrated, and paints a charming picture of Korea. But it leaves questions which I struggle with.

First and foremost, What is such a young child doing waiting by themselves for such a long period of time? Where is his mother or father? Do they have no concern for a child who looks like he could be no more than four. Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that a child couldn't wait that long, or should be able to without something bad happening. But it begs to question the roll of the parents.

Secondly, I understand that we are supposed to realise that 'Mummy' has arrived by the final illustration. But we don't know that it is her. We are so far removed from the situation that for all we know, it is some stranger, convinced the boy (who has really been standing in the snow, alone, for hours) to come with her.

I mean, this is only one way of reading this book, which really is beautifully put together. And I must concede that I am a little removed from the culture in which it was produced. Not only is it a Korean book, the text was originally written in 1938, when I can only assume that it was more likely that children might be out in the streets on their own.

I'm not entirely sure what I hoped to achieve by this review, because I can see that this book has its place, and by all accounts, it is highly commended. And I do like to read it; the pictures are stunning. Yet I always reach the end and find myself thinking "but..."

 

2.5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Ghost At The Point by Charlotte Calder

This book took me by surprise. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it looked interesting and when I started it, there was no turning back.

I guess the most straightforward way to describe it would be Historical, Junior, Australian Fiction. But really, what does that tell you?

What can I tell you about it? That it was really compelling, creepy (the ghost story and set-up works brilliantly), and good fun. It’s set on an island inspired by Kangaroo Island in the 1930s and captures the rural Australian community feeling perfectly. The main character, Dorrie, is a believable, likeable, independently minded girl and is a great protagonist. Her relationship with her grandfather is succinct, yet genuine, what you might expect of people who live in a semi isolated part of an island with a small population. And when her grandfather has an accident and has to spend some time in hospital, she manages to get back to their house unattended because she wanted to stay at home, rather than having to stay with cousins.  But that’s when everything comes to a head.

The persistent and sinister treasure hunters from the mainland turn up in the middle of the night, and the presence of the ghost is felt more than ever. Isn’t that the way? Scary things tend to happen when you’re alone, miles from the next house, and it’s the middle of the night, right?

The no-good treasure hunters, the truth about the ghost, the mystery of it all comes together so well at the end I was reminded of the well constructed mysteries like The Famous Five.

I can strongly recommend this book. Particularly if you (or your child) have a leaning towards stories set in times gone past. But more than that, this book is a well constructed, mysterious ghost story. I really liked it!

 

4 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads