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Sami the Magic Bear: A Trip to the Hospital!
by Murielle Bourdon
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Book Length: 30 pages
Genre: Children, Picture Book, Cancer
The graphics in Sami the Magic Bear are gorgeous. They are bright and engaging. While they are not highly detailed that is on purpose and for their style, they are well shaded. The pictures even transfer over well onto the e-ink screen of a Kindle.
The overall book length is fairly good. It is a bit wordy for a book intended for a child as young as five. The writing is average. It is a little choppy in places. There are times where I had to stop and reread sentences because they were not written very well. This was confusing as an adult, this is not acceptable for a children's audience. It could use one more good edit.
The audience of the book is questionable. It states that it is for children between the ages of five to eleven.The title would suggest that the book is geared towards explaining what would happen when they go to a hospital. I expected it to be more of a social story type of book. It is nothing close. Instead, the plot is about a girl who gets diagnosed with leukemia and has an extended stay in the hospital. When she wants to die she ends up getting a magic bear as a gift. The magic bear gives her the strength to live. The topic is a bit too much for a children's book. Yet I also wouldn't say it is appropriate for a child who is actually dealing with cancer. It would not help a child with cancer to identify with another child going through the same situation, there is nothing that would help a child with cancer learn what will happen to them at the hospital. What you have is a book written in an extremely light and whimsical tone that happens to feature a child who wants to give up on life. I was a bit mystified about why this book was written this way. It doesn't really seem appropriate for anyone.
Why the graphics and general premise of the stories are amazing, the writing and execution are not as much. I think Bourdon would really benefit from co-producing with her designing and someone else writing.
As published on The Book Recluse Review
**I received this book in exchange for an honest review.**
by Murielle Bourdon
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Book Length: 30 pages
Genre: Children, Picture Book, Cancer
The graphics in Sami the Magic Bear are gorgeous. They are bright and engaging. While they are not highly detailed that is on purpose and for their style, they are well shaded. The pictures even transfer over well onto the e-ink screen of a Kindle.
The overall book length is fairly good. It is a bit wordy for a book intended for a child as young as five. The writing is average. It is a little choppy in places. There are times where I had to stop and reread sentences because they were not written very well. This was confusing as an adult, this is not acceptable for a children's audience. It could use one more good edit.
The audience of the book is questionable. It states that it is for children between the ages of five to eleven.The title would suggest that the book is geared towards explaining what would happen when they go to a hospital. I expected it to be more of a social story type of book. It is nothing close. Instead, the plot is about a girl who gets diagnosed with leukemia and has an extended stay in the hospital. When she wants to die she ends up getting a magic bear as a gift. The magic bear gives her the strength to live. The topic is a bit too much for a children's book. Yet I also wouldn't say it is appropriate for a child who is actually dealing with cancer. It would not help a child with cancer to identify with another child going through the same situation, there is nothing that would help a child with cancer learn what will happen to them at the hospital. What you have is a book written in an extremely light and whimsical tone that happens to feature a child who wants to give up on life. I was a bit mystified about why this book was written this way. It doesn't really seem appropriate for anyone.
Why the graphics and general premise of the stories are amazing, the writing and execution are not as much. I think Bourdon would really benefit from co-producing with her designing and someone else writing.
As published on The Book Recluse Review
**I received this book in exchange for an honest review.**
(Note: I was asked to honestly review two books for this author. Since publishing an honest review on the first book the author has claimed that I did not read her books and that I am unable to read. I would highly suggest that if you are approached by this author to review her books that you politely decline. If she does not agree with your reviews then she will be vindictive. She has posted poorly written and insulting comments to multiple places. However, since I agreed to honestly review her books I am still posting this review. I do find it ironic that I am reviewing a book on bullying knowing that by doing so I will soon be bullied by the author.)
Sami the Magic Bear: No to Bullying!
by. Murielle Bourton
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Book Length: 30 pages
Genre: Children, Picture Book, Bullying
Bullying is a topic that is extremely important to me. I had a child that was bullied to the point that she tried to commit suicide. It is an extremely important topic and one that needs to be addressed. However, I do not think that this book does a good job of discussing the topic. My concern is that while the book starts to show the extreme impact of bullying, such as being physically hurt as well as the mental anguish, it then teaches children that they should not discuss it with their parents and that it will magically right itself.
The graphics of the novel are the obvious strength. I really enjoy the bright and visual pictures. The concept of the book is also great. They have such promise to be great children's books capable of helping children through extreme and difficult problems. However, they fall short of this goal. Before writing these reviews I discussed the book with several other adults. The general consensus was that the topics were extremely sensitive and were not handled with enough care. It was concluded that she probably did not have the experience with the effects of such situations on children. I honestly, do not know if this is the case. However, since having further interactions with the author I am convinced she is not someone I would want teaching my children about bullying.
The books have promise. The graphics are great and the topics are very important. However, the execution fell short. Since my interaction with the author, I would not recommend them based solely that they were written by a person who engages in cyber bullying.
As reviewed by The Book Recluse Review
**Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.**
Sami the Magic Bear: No to Bullying!
by. Murielle Bourton
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Book Length: 30 pages
Genre: Children, Picture Book, Bullying
Bullying is a topic that is extremely important to me. I had a child that was bullied to the point that she tried to commit suicide. It is an extremely important topic and one that needs to be addressed. However, I do not think that this book does a good job of discussing the topic. My concern is that while the book starts to show the extreme impact of bullying, such as being physically hurt as well as the mental anguish, it then teaches children that they should not discuss it with their parents and that it will magically right itself.
The graphics of the novel are the obvious strength. I really enjoy the bright and visual pictures. The concept of the book is also great. They have such promise to be great children's books capable of helping children through extreme and difficult problems. However, they fall short of this goal. Before writing these reviews I discussed the book with several other adults. The general consensus was that the topics were extremely sensitive and were not handled with enough care. It was concluded that she probably did not have the experience with the effects of such situations on children. I honestly, do not know if this is the case. However, since having further interactions with the author I am convinced she is not someone I would want teaching my children about bullying.
The books have promise. The graphics are great and the topics are very important. However, the execution fell short. Since my interaction with the author, I would not recommend them based solely that they were written by a person who engages in cyber bullying.
As reviewed by The Book Recluse Review
**Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.**
A Series of Unfortunate Events
The Bad Beginning
by. Lemony Snicket
Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Book Length: 188 pages
Genre: Children, Children's Chapter, Middle School
It has been a while since I last read this book and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed returning to its pages. The most unique, intriguing, and frustrating aspect of the book is that the main character of the story could be argued to be the narrator. Everything is told through the voice of Lemony Snicket, which is actually the narrator and not the author's actual name. The style is not a typical style for most children's books and it is pulled off with success.
The writing style is amazing. You are pulled into the story, engage with all the characters, and before you know you have finished the tale. I almost went and immediately bought the next book. The only thing that stopped me was the huge pile of books I currently have to finish. It truly is no wonder that this series has obtained such success.
There is one aspect of the writing style that I found quite annoying. The narrator continually defined the words that he and the other characters were using. As the story progressed the other characters also begin defining the words that they were using. It was annoying because I am an adult reader who was well aware of what all these words meant. Yet, while I was quite engaged by the story the book was not written for me. It was written for middle school readers who are still increasing their vocabulary. The first time I encountered Snicket's unique way of defining words in a story I knew what he was doing. While I, as an adult reader, was slightly annoyed I was also kind of awed by his genius. He has this book that he doesn't want to dumb down for his readers, yet he also doesn't want to loose their interest as they encounter words they may not be familiar with. To decrease the frustration of reading by including the definitions into the quirky flow that already existed in the novel is nothing short of genius.
As reviewed on The Book Recluse Review
The Bad Beginning
by. Lemony Snicket
Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Book Length: 188 pages
Genre: Children, Children's Chapter, Middle School
It has been a while since I last read this book and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed returning to its pages. The most unique, intriguing, and frustrating aspect of the book is that the main character of the story could be argued to be the narrator. Everything is told through the voice of Lemony Snicket, which is actually the narrator and not the author's actual name. The style is not a typical style for most children's books and it is pulled off with success.
The writing style is amazing. You are pulled into the story, engage with all the characters, and before you know you have finished the tale. I almost went and immediately bought the next book. The only thing that stopped me was the huge pile of books I currently have to finish. It truly is no wonder that this series has obtained such success.
There is one aspect of the writing style that I found quite annoying. The narrator continually defined the words that he and the other characters were using. As the story progressed the other characters also begin defining the words that they were using. It was annoying because I am an adult reader who was well aware of what all these words meant. Yet, while I was quite engaged by the story the book was not written for me. It was written for middle school readers who are still increasing their vocabulary. The first time I encountered Snicket's unique way of defining words in a story I knew what he was doing. While I, as an adult reader, was slightly annoyed I was also kind of awed by his genius. He has this book that he doesn't want to dumb down for his readers, yet he also doesn't want to loose their interest as they encounter words they may not be familiar with. To decrease the frustration of reading by including the definitions into the quirky flow that already existed in the novel is nothing short of genius.
As reviewed on The Book Recluse Review
Interpreter of Maladies
by Jhumpa Lahiri
Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Book Length: 209 pages
Genre: Indian Fiction, Fiction, Litterature, Short Stories
Interpreter of Maladies is a collection of short stories written by Jhumpa Lahiri. All the stories feature Indian characters. Most stories also include the complex dynamics between Indian culture and American culture. Although some stories are placed directly in India and focus more on the complexity within the Indian culture.
Lahiri's novel was a fascinating read. Each story was unique and beautifully written. I was captured from the beginning to the end. The characters were so well defined that I was able to not only picture them but to live behind their eyes. I felt the longing for a country that I have never even seen. I felt appreciation for community and togetherness that, as the author also illustrated, just doesn't exist in America. I also witnessed how two people who never met fell in love while another couple walked away from everything.
My favorite aspect of the book is the diversity of the stories and characters. Each story is unique and every character has their own story and personality. Everytime a story ended I was reluctant to leave their lives. I highly recommend that you pick this book up!
As reviewed on The Book Recluse Review
by Jhumpa Lahiri
Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Book Length: 209 pages
Genre: Indian Fiction, Fiction, Litterature, Short Stories
Interpreter of Maladies is a collection of short stories written by Jhumpa Lahiri. All the stories feature Indian characters. Most stories also include the complex dynamics between Indian culture and American culture. Although some stories are placed directly in India and focus more on the complexity within the Indian culture.
Lahiri's novel was a fascinating read. Each story was unique and beautifully written. I was captured from the beginning to the end. The characters were so well defined that I was able to not only picture them but to live behind their eyes. I felt the longing for a country that I have never even seen. I felt appreciation for community and togetherness that, as the author also illustrated, just doesn't exist in America. I also witnessed how two people who never met fell in love while another couple walked away from everything.
My favorite aspect of the book is the diversity of the stories and characters. Each story is unique and every character has their own story and personality. Everytime a story ended I was reluctant to leave their lives. I highly recommend that you pick this book up!
As reviewed on The Book Recluse Review
The Glass Magician
by Charlie N Holberg
Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Page Length: 222 pages
Genre: steampunk, magic, fantasy
The Glass Magician is the second book in the Paper Magician Trilogy. The series combines steampunk and magic with magical disciplines based upon various "technologically" based elements such as paper, glass, and metal. Once you have bonded to one magic you can no longer practice another discipline. Or at least that is how it is supposed to work.
The second book in the series does not disappoint. It is just as well written, faced paced, and engaging as the first novel. The story continues the apprenticeship of Ceony Twill as a paper magician and her attempts to attract her mentor Magician Emery Thane. Yet her penchant for getting into situations continues providing plenty of engaging plot twists.
The world is unique and will be much loved by both avid steampunk fans as well as those who have never discovered the genre. I could easily see Charlie N Holberg becoming a favorite author of mine. I continue to look forward to what she will create next.
As reviewed on The Book Recluse Review
by Charlie N Holberg
Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Page Length: 222 pages
Genre: steampunk, magic, fantasy
The Glass Magician is the second book in the Paper Magician Trilogy. The series combines steampunk and magic with magical disciplines based upon various "technologically" based elements such as paper, glass, and metal. Once you have bonded to one magic you can no longer practice another discipline. Or at least that is how it is supposed to work.
The second book in the series does not disappoint. It is just as well written, faced paced, and engaging as the first novel. The story continues the apprenticeship of Ceony Twill as a paper magician and her attempts to attract her mentor Magician Emery Thane. Yet her penchant for getting into situations continues providing plenty of engaging plot twists.
The world is unique and will be much loved by both avid steampunk fans as well as those who have never discovered the genre. I could easily see Charlie N Holberg becoming a favorite author of mine. I continue to look forward to what she will create next.
As reviewed on The Book Recluse Review
The Things They Carried
by Tim O'Brien
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Book Length: 236 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction, War, Vietnam, Short Story, Military
The Things They Carried is written as a collection of short stories that combine to make a mostly unified novel. It is a look on the Vietnam war from the perspective of a soldier and his unit.
From a literary perspective, this book is amazing. The writing is well played out. The chapters could mostly read exclusively on their own, yet they combine together to create a picture of a unit in the Vietnam war. Yet it is a fuzzy picture purposely left to make the reader wonder how much of this novel is fiction and how much was based on "facts." It is impossible to understand a war unless you were there, yet O'Brien utilizes this writing style to help the reader to understand. Even then I know it only helps to a small degree. Even with his vivid writing, the various perspective of the members of the unit, and showing Vietnam from multiple perspectives I am left knowing that I will never understand what it was like to be in Vietnam.
This novel is a work of art. I understand why it is taught in schools as both an amazing novel as well as a way to help students understand Vietnam.
As reviewed on The Book Recluse Review
by Tim O'Brien
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Book Length: 236 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction, War, Vietnam, Short Story, Military
The Things They Carried is written as a collection of short stories that combine to make a mostly unified novel. It is a look on the Vietnam war from the perspective of a soldier and his unit.
From a literary perspective, this book is amazing. The writing is well played out. The chapters could mostly read exclusively on their own, yet they combine together to create a picture of a unit in the Vietnam war. Yet it is a fuzzy picture purposely left to make the reader wonder how much of this novel is fiction and how much was based on "facts." It is impossible to understand a war unless you were there, yet O'Brien utilizes this writing style to help the reader to understand. Even then I know it only helps to a small degree. Even with his vivid writing, the various perspective of the members of the unit, and showing Vietnam from multiple perspectives I am left knowing that I will never understand what it was like to be in Vietnam.
This novel is a work of art. I understand why it is taught in schools as both an amazing novel as well as a way to help students understand Vietnam.
As reviewed on The Book Recluse Review
Where the Wild Things Are
by Maurice Sendak
Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Book Length: 37 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Children, Picture Book
Where the Wild Things Are is a picture book about a boy who got a bit too worked up in the evening. When he threatened to eat up his mother he was sent to bed without supper. There he dreamed up a world full of Wild Things just like himself. He was the wildest of them all and was crowned King of all Wild Things. Until he missed his family and his stomach rumbled and he gave up being a Wild Thing to return home to his loving home.
This classic picture book has been around for over forty years and has won numerous awards because of the amazing writing, brilliant pictures, and classic tale. The book has two stories. The first is about a boy who travels to a amagical land to become Kind of the Wild Things. The second story is about a boy who gets in trouble for being too active, goes to his room upset, and uses his imagination to calm himself down.
As reviewed on The Book Recluse Review
by Maurice Sendak
Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Book Length: 37 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Children, Picture Book
Where the Wild Things Are is a picture book about a boy who got a bit too worked up in the evening. When he threatened to eat up his mother he was sent to bed without supper. There he dreamed up a world full of Wild Things just like himself. He was the wildest of them all and was crowned King of all Wild Things. Until he missed his family and his stomach rumbled and he gave up being a Wild Thing to return home to his loving home.
This classic picture book has been around for over forty years and has won numerous awards because of the amazing writing, brilliant pictures, and classic tale. The book has two stories. The first is about a boy who travels to a amagical land to become Kind of the Wild Things. The second story is about a boy who gets in trouble for being too active, goes to his room upset, and uses his imagination to calm himself down.
As reviewed on The Book Recluse Review
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
by Laura Hillenbrand
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Book Length: 473 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction, War, WWII, Biography
One of the reasons I really love reading through lists of books is to reach outside of my normal reading patterns and pick up a book that I would have completely overlooked. This year I have been fortunate to discover a lot of amazing books and read from a variety of perspectives. There is nothing about Unbroken that would have compelled me to read it. I am not a huge fan of war stories or even history stories. I would have completely passed by this book, but I am so glad that I didn't.
Unbroken is a complete biography of Louis Zamperini starting at his youth, his brief Olympic career, his time in World War II, and his transition back from the War. While the majority of the book focuses on WWII the part that I enjoyed most about the book is that it was more than a war story. It was a story about people, mostly Louis Zamperini, but also his family, his war buddies, the Japanese soldiers and civilians, and his wife. Reading this book I felt like I was transported to a whole different world. Most of the time the world was extremely unpleasant, yet despite that you persevered right along with Louis and the other prisoners of war.
Louis Zamperini was the trouble maker kid, the town juvenile delinquent. With the help of his older brother, he tamed that spirit to become an Olympic runner. If his life had led down a different path he would probably be known as an Olympic gold medalist. Instead, he is known as the man who's Olympic story ended in war. Yet he used his spirit to survive what was unsurvivable to so many. Then, after the war when he could have been broken again, he started to thrive and to make a better world for all the other juvenile delinquent boys who have the capacity to accomplish so much.
Laura Hillenbrand wrote in such a way that you were brought into the world. The story would continually branch off of Louis and the reader would learn about his brother, his war buddies, his captors, the friendly guard. If it was done with less skill this could have been a distraction while reading, yet the story continued to flow and the reader is left feeling more complete for having known about not just Louis, but the wide assortment of people that came into his time.
As reviewed on The Book Recluse Review
by Laura Hillenbrand
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Book Length: 473 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction, War, WWII, Biography
One of the reasons I really love reading through lists of books is to reach outside of my normal reading patterns and pick up a book that I would have completely overlooked. This year I have been fortunate to discover a lot of amazing books and read from a variety of perspectives. There is nothing about Unbroken that would have compelled me to read it. I am not a huge fan of war stories or even history stories. I would have completely passed by this book, but I am so glad that I didn't.
Unbroken is a complete biography of Louis Zamperini starting at his youth, his brief Olympic career, his time in World War II, and his transition back from the War. While the majority of the book focuses on WWII the part that I enjoyed most about the book is that it was more than a war story. It was a story about people, mostly Louis Zamperini, but also his family, his war buddies, the Japanese soldiers and civilians, and his wife. Reading this book I felt like I was transported to a whole different world. Most of the time the world was extremely unpleasant, yet despite that you persevered right along with Louis and the other prisoners of war.
Louis Zamperini was the trouble maker kid, the town juvenile delinquent. With the help of his older brother, he tamed that spirit to become an Olympic runner. If his life had led down a different path he would probably be known as an Olympic gold medalist. Instead, he is known as the man who's Olympic story ended in war. Yet he used his spirit to survive what was unsurvivable to so many. Then, after the war when he could have been broken again, he started to thrive and to make a better world for all the other juvenile delinquent boys who have the capacity to accomplish so much.
Laura Hillenbrand wrote in such a way that you were brought into the world. The story would continually branch off of Louis and the reader would learn about his brother, his war buddies, his captors, the friendly guard. If it was done with less skill this could have been a distraction while reading, yet the story continued to flow and the reader is left feeling more complete for having known about not just Louis, but the wide assortment of people that came into his time.
As reviewed on The Book Recluse Review
