Sure to meet the approval of mermaid lovers everywhere.
A disappointing deluge dampens Emily’s spirits, but imagination and resourcefulness save the day.
Emily awakens to discover that the picnic for her friends’ last day at the beach will have to be canceled because heavy rain “streamed down the windowpane and plopped into puddles on the deck.” Using a familiar theme, Leech’s (The Dollies Put On a Play, 2009, etc.) text effectively echoes the voices of children. For example, when Mother says that friends can still come over and play inside despite the rain, Emily grumbles to herself that an indoor picnic is “nothing but plain old lunch.” Emily is soon inspired by her little sister’s mermaid doll and decides to have a mermaid picnic outside on the deck—complete with starfish-shaped sandwiches made from “Seanut butter and Jellyfish”—because mermaids “don’t care if it’s raining or not.” Mother suggests they bake “Sand Tarts,” which are cookies covered in crunchy sugar and cinnamon, so the girls walk to the local general store with “a splish, a splash, and a sploosh” to buy baking ingredients from a friendly grocer. Leech’s lovely watercolor art has a classic feel and lends a light, dreamy touch to the story. Of course, the mermaid picnic is a success, as the rosy-cheeked children use creativity to overcome disappointment. The girls dress up as mermaids in outfits fashioned from bathing suits and Mother’s beach skirts. A deck table is decorated, and the girls sing, dance and tell stories amid the raindrops. The author includes a mermaid song at the end of the book, as well as a recipe for sand tarts, which would make a fun activity for kids and their parents or caregivers. This cheerful book would also make a nice addition to a library’s rainy day–themed reading display. Adults searching for children’s books shouldn’t expect the new or exotic here, as the storyline is predictable. However, Leech presents the subject in a pleasant way, and the lesson is not overly preachy or condescending. While there are numerous books with a similar theme, the simplistic beauty of this one makes it appealing.
Sure to meet the approval of mermaid lovers everywhere.Pub Date: March 14, 2012
ISBN: 978-0984913305
Page Count: 38
Publisher: The Home Press
Review Posted Online: June 18, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A short, simple, and sweet tale about two friends and a horse.
A novel tells the story of two spirited girls who set out to save a lame foal in 1952.
Mary, age 12, lacks muscle control of her legs and must use a wheelchair. Her life is constantly interrupted by trips with her widower father to assorted doctors, all of whom have failed to help her. Mary tolerates the treatments, hoping to one day walk unassisted, but her true passion involves horses. Possessing a library filled with horse books, she loves watching and drawing the animals at a neighboring farm. She longs to own one herself. But her father, overprotective due to her disability and his own lingering grief over Mary’s dead mother, makes her keep her distance. Mary befriends Laura, the emotionally neglected daughter of the wealthy neighboring farm owners, and the two share secret buggy rides. Both girls are attracted to Illusion, a beautiful red bay filly on the farm. Mary learns that Illusion is to be put down by a veterinarian because of a lame leg. Horrified, she decides to talk to the barn manager about the horse (“Isn’t it okay for her to live even if she’s not perfect? I think she deserves a chance”). Soon, Mary and Laura attempt to raise money to save Illusion. At the same time, Mary begins to gain control of her legs thanks to water therapy and secret therapeutic riding with Laura. There is indeed a great deal of poignancy in a story of a girl with a disability fighting to defend the intrinsic value of a lame animal. But this book, the first installment of the Dream Horse Adventure Series, would be twice as touching if Mary interacted with Illusion more. In the tale’s opening, she watches the foal from afar, but she actually spends very little time with the filly she tries so hard to protect. This turns out to be a strange development given the degree to which the narrative relies on her devotion. Count (Selah’s Sweet Dream, 2015) draws Mary and Laura in broad but believable strokes, defined mainly by their unrelenting pluckiness in the face of adversity. While the work tackles disability, death, and grief, Mary’s and Laura’s environments are so idyllic and their optimism and perseverance so remarkable that the story retains an aura of uncomplicated gentleness throughout.
A short, simple, and sweet tale about two friends and a horse.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Hastings Creations Group
Review Posted Online: Oct. 15, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A nonpreaching testament to the power that comes from knowing and accepting yourself.
A lyrical tale that demonstrates how a voyage of self-discovery can be more important than an outer journey.
The legend of far-off Opal Cavern has long tantalized the humanlike races that inhabit the agrarian land of Tarth: Stallis, who live above ground as we do, and the taller, curly haired, semiaquatic Wassandras, who move between the surface and the golden Wasso Lake that is their home. The villagers and lake dwellers share a belief in a divine intelligence called the Plete and a peaceful, mutually supportive way of life that has them moving in and out of each other’s lives and homes. They come together to send out an expedition in search of the cavern and to take care of those who stay behind. The energetic center of both groups belongs to Curl, a young, headstrong Wassandra, whose heart is set on joining the quest, exploring the world and marrying a Stalli. The ultimate destination, Curl discovers, is within the self, where she confronts physical limitations and her true nature. Every step is slow, methodical and resonant with enormous forethought and care. This third book in the Tarth series has the gentle pace and simplicity of a YA novel, and its sufficient exposition can stand on its own. Despite the journeying framework, Byrd (The Brueggen Stones, 2007) presents not so much an action-packed story as a heart-centered exploration of the complex affections and relationships that link individuals, families, communities and species. Even Tarth’s horses contribute their own knowledge and wisdom to the quest. Compassion, kindness and trust in divine guidance are as organic and matter-of-fact as the physical laws that govern the golden waters of Wasso Lake.
A nonpreaching testament to the power that comes from knowing and accepting yourself.Pub Date: May 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-1602903241
Page Count: 216
Publisher: OakTara
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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