Tag: NetGalley

Quark’s Academy – Catherine Pelosi

Augustine, Celeste and Oscar have all been accepted to spend a week at the prestigious Quark Academy during the summer holidays. During this week they will be taught by Inventors and work on their own invention. On the final day the children will present their completed invention during a nationally televised Best Invention Competition.

Augustine, whose parents are both scientists, is interested in the weather. Celeste’s interest is in black holes and she has unfinished business with another competitor. Oscar loves science, in particular chemistry, and wants nothing more than for his parents to notice him like they do with his ‘golden child’ big brother, Toby.

The students soon learn that there’s more to Quark Academy than meets the eye and they’re going to have to use their combined skills to solve the mystery and return home at the end of the week.

I loved the ideas during the first half, in particular the extracting DNA from two animals, people or plants with the view to cross-modifying them. The different responses by the various students to the task was really interesting as it gave insight into their personalities. I also appreciated the ethical issues raised surrounding science and inventions – just because you can do something doesn’t mean that you should.

Unfortunately I found the second half of the book, when all of the action was happening and the unravelling of the mystery, somewhat disappointing. I found myself wanting more quirky science ideas and I wanted to see more of the students working on their inventions. I didn’t have any emotional connection to the characters, the final third felt a little disjointed and the end wrapped up too quickly and neatly for my liking.

Overall this book had potential and I expect the target audience (8 to 12 year olds) will enjoy the fun and the mystery, but as an adult reader that reads a lot of novels aimed at children I wanted more focus on relationship between the students, in particular the other twelve students who for the most part have no role in the book.

I had trouble stopping myself from comparing this book to Jackie Yeager’s Spin the Golden Light Bulb, which I read a few weeks ago and adored. Perhaps if I had read Quark’s Academy first I would have enjoyed it more.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Hachette Childrens Books, Australia for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

SCIENCE IN PROGRESS – ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Junior science geniuses Augustine, Celeste and Oscar can’t believe their luck when they’re accepted into an elite and mysterious science academy summer camp run by the elusive Inventor Quark.

From the moment they step inside the gates of Quark’s Academy at the end of Molecule Drive, they know they’re in for a week they’ll never forget. But things at the academy are not quite what they seem, and the three quickly realise that they’ll need to put their squabbles aside and their heads together if they’re ever to get out of there alive …

by Categories: ReviewTags: , ,

Little People, Big Dreams #10: Ada Lovelace – Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara

Illustrations – Zafouko Yamamoto

Whatever device you’re reading this review on, you have Ada Lovelace to thank for it. The child of poet Lord Byron and Lady Byron, Ada had big dreams. Although her mother tried to dissuade Ada from her passion of inventing and replace it with her own love of mathematics and logic, Ada was able to combine her mathematical talent with her dream.

She was introduced to Charles Babbage who was working on a machine that could solve maths equations quicker than people could. Ada thought she could make the machine do even more impressive things and so she worked on a code that would tell machines what to do, a code we still use today.

To say Ada was a visionary is an understatement. She became the world’s first computer programmer a century before computers were even invented!

Despite obstacles including illness and simply being a woman in the 1800’s, Ada proved that with determination and hard work, she could achieve greatness in her field. She was so ahead of her time that her work went largely unnoticed and unappreciated during her life, yet her contributions are vital to our everyday lives over 150 years after her death.

If Ada has something to teach us besides girl power, it’s that you should follow your dreams and not allow anyone to squish them.

This is only the second book I’ve read in the Little People, Big Dreams series. There’s enough information in them for kids to learn about the basics of the person they’re reading about’s life and their contributions to our society but not so much that they’re bogged down with dates and boring bits.

The illustrations are interesting and have a childlike quality to them but I would have preferred there to be more bright colours and for the peoples’ faces to be more expressive.

While I would have used books like this one for school projects, it wouldn’t have been the type of book I would have chosen at the library to read for fun. I was all about Roald Dahl with his wacky and whimsy worlds and cared little for non fiction, but that’s just me. I definitely appreciate this type of book now and can see how it would have inspired me to want to follow my dreams had I read it as a child.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Meet Ada Lovelace, the British mathematician and daughter of poet Lord Byron. Part of the beloved Little People, Big Dreams series, this inspiring and informative little biography follows the colorful life of Lord Byron’s daughter, from her early love of logic, to her plans for the world’s first computer program. 

As a child, Ada had a big imagination and a talent for mathematics. She grew up in a noble household in England, where she dedicated herself to studying. Her work with the famous inventor, Charles Babbage, on a very early kind of computer made her the world’s first computer programmer. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical images and a detailed profile of the mathematician’s life.

Little People, Big Dreams is a best-selling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , ,

Dead Serious: Breaking the Cycle of Teen Suicide – Jane Mersky Leder

Dead Serious: Breaking the Cycle of Teen Suicide doesn’t talk down to its audience; instead speaking to teens in a down to earth way. You would imagine that a book with a focus on teen suicide would be all doom and gloom, but that’s not what this book is at all. Letting teens know that it’s brave to seek help when they need it and providing tools for people at risk of suicide along with their friends, Dead Serious provides understanding and hope.

It dispels the myths surrounding suicide, provides information about some of the issues teens face that may lead them to become suicidal, offers plenty of tools to use and hotlines to contact, and empowers teens. Information is also provided so you can recognise warning signs in other people that may indicate they are considering or planning suicide.

Sections focus on some of the experiences people have that increase the risk of suicide, including anxiety and depression, loss through death or divorce, bullying, being LGBTQIA, abuse and homelessness. There’s also strategies outlined that teens can use to help their friends talk about what’s bothering them, including using mirroring in conversations.

Usually it’s friends that first find out that a teen is suicidal, not adults, so it’s vital that teens know what they can do if they learn a friend is feeling like that. Thankfully this book emphasises that it is not the responsibility of a friend to keep their friend alive or to keep this information a secret, but to inform a trusted adult who can seek help for the friend who needs it.

While reading about people who have considered, attempted or died as a result of suicide is always going to be heart wrenching and confronting, the stories are not gratuitous. They’re provided as examples and I expect they would be powerful to read for someone who is considering suicide as there’s often nothing more comforting than learning you’re not the only one who feels a certain way or has experienced specific problems.

I loved that there were song lyrics between chapters. Songs have had such a huge impact in my own life. There are some songs that make you feel like someone understands you and you can hold onto them when life gets rough. I thought they were a great addition to the book.

Stories are also shared by people who are left behind after a friend or family member has died from suicide. These are vital as when you’re suicidal it is very easy to believe that by you dying it will make everyone else’s life easier or that no one will care that you’re gone anyway. The experiences shared by those left behind make it clear that nothing could be further from the truth.

What I Didn’t Like

The Cover Design – Sorry, but I didn’t like it. I know this is only cosmetic and I know suicide is an extremely serious topic but the cover looks bleak, depressing and uninviting. By looking exclusively at the cover design I wouldn’t have expected this book to offer the hope that it does.

In the chapter on bullying the author concedes that bullying is a risk factor that increases the chance of suicide but also includes the following sentence:

“However, what the experts don’t know is whether bullying directly causes suicide or suicidal behaviour.” (64% – please note this quote is from the ARC so may not be representative of the final text)

I found this sentence offensive (just because the experts haven’t decided something doesn’t make it any less true) and I’m sure parents who have lost their children to suicide after they were tormented by bullies would have some things to say to counter this claim. In Australia there has recently been a highly publicised story of a gorgeous 14 year old, Amy “Dolly” Everett, who died on 3 January 2018 after relentless bullying. I thought of Dolly’s family when I read that sentence and am sure they’d beg to differ with the ‘experts’.

Overall, I feel this is an extremely valuable book. One of my early childhood friends died by suicide in her early 20’s and I still think of her and her family. Even though I hadn’t been close friends with her since we were about 10 and hadn’t seen her after we attended different high schools, I still wonder if there was anything I could have personally done to make a difference in her life in the lead up to her death. I can’t even begin to imagine what those close to her must still be feeling all of these years later.

I applaud the author and the people who contributed to this book, and thank them for their openness, courage and honesty about their experiences. I believe their words will make the difference to people who are thinking of suicide and those supporting them.

It’s so hard to see around corners when you’re a teenager but please take it from someone who attempted suicide when they were a teenager. There are so many wonderful things I would have missed out on that I couldn’t have even begun to imagine at the time if I had died back when I thought my life was over. There is hope and there is good to be found in this life, even if all you’ve known until now is pain.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Pikko’s House for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Are you under a lot of stress? Feeling too much pressure to get good grades? Trying to avoid social media because you’re being bullied? Grappling with your sexual/gender identity? Feeling depressed – even suicidal?

What are the reasons why teens decide to take their own lives? What can be done to stop them? Through stories, studies and strategies, Dead Serious helps teens, parents and educators navigate the choppy waters of adolescence and provides tools that can help break the cycle of teen suicide. 

Teen suicide is preventable. 

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , ,

Anxiety is Really Strange – Steve Haines

Anxiety is Really Strange. Is it ever! Yet it is also common, with 28.8% of people being seriously affected by an anxiety disorder at some point in their adult lives. Anxiety disorders include Generalised Anxiety Disorder, panic disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), social anxiety and other phobias, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

This graphic novel outlines some possible causes of anxiety, outlines philosophical ideas along with a really interesting experiment dealing with mouse poo (of all things), how the body reacts in anxiety mode and some tools for managing symptoms.

I went into this book thinking it would be a really good introduction to anxiety for someone who’s just been diagnosed and while I still think it will be useful for some people in this situation, there will be others who will be most likely wanting more advice on helpful tools rather than the thoughts of philosophers.

Now, I’m a proud nerd so I enjoyed all of the sciency, philosophical bits and pieces, and I’ve found some studies I’m interested in looking into further. People with a general interest in anxiety should get enough from this graphic novel to come away with a better understanding of the roles the mind and body play in exacerbating and easing anxiety. Hopefully Anxiety is Really Strange will make it into the hands of some friends and family members of those affected by anxiety and will result in greater empathy and better support systems.

Quote that made me chuckle:

“Anxiety is a good thing because psychopaths don’t have any.”

I loved Jon Ronson’s quote. My brain automatically made this into a bizarre TV commercial … “Got anxiety? Take heart. At least you’re not a psychopath!”

While books about anxiety are useful I believe there’s really no substitute for getting professional help. Anxiety can be extraordinarily daunting to deal with by yourself and a doctor and/or therapist who can provide much needed support and tools can make the world of difference to your quality of life.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Singing Dragon, an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

What is the difference between fear and excitement and how can you tell them apart? How do the mind and body make emotions? When can anxiety be good? This science-based graphic book addresses these questions and more, revealing just how strange anxiety is, but also how to unravel its mysteries and relieve its effects.

Understanding how anxiety is created by our nervous system trying to protect us, and how our fight-or-flight mechanisms can get stuck, can significantly lessen the fear experienced during anxiety attacks. In this guide, anxiety is explained in an easy-to-understand, engaging graphic format with tips and strategies to relieve its symptoms, and change the mind’s habits for a more positive outlook. 

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , ,

Keep Her Safe – Richard Parker

When Maggie discovers an intruder in her home late one night, she knows she has to do everything she can to protect her daughter, Penny. Maggie knows why the intruder is there because four nights ago Maggie was in the intruder’s position. Someone who calls themselves Babysitter is threatening single mothers and giving them until dawn to comply with their instructions or face never seeing their child again.

Facing the question of what lengths a mother would go to in order to protect their child pretty much opens the playing field, and as a result Keep Her Safe is an action packed book. It’s practically one action scene followed by another, with little respite in between. So why could I put it down?

Part of the reason was that because there was so much action there wasn’t a great deal of time spent on character development. After finishing the book I feel that while I know a few facts about Maggie and the intruder I don’t know them. There was never a point where I expended any emotional energy connecting to either of the women and so I found myself quite detached from the outcome.

Somewhat James Patterson-esque in that the chapters were very short and oftentimes ended on a mini-cliffhanger, I had expected to be faced with working out which of the two main characters I sided with, especially as there were chapters focusing on each point of view. However I would have been equally fine with either or both women dying and found that entirely unexpected. I found it difficult to distinguish between the characters’ voices because they all seemed to sound the same.

It felt to me that this book was made up of three sections and I had different thoughts during each:

  • Home Alone (or am I?) – This first section was brilliant. You don’t know what’s happening and you’re being fed various pieces of information/disinformation. You don’t know who’s telling the truth and it’s a fun adrenaline powered ride.
  • Hit the Road, Jack, A.K.A., Are we there yet? – Our cat and mouse game is on and I quickly found myself getting bored. While lots was happening, at the same time it felt like nothing was happening. It was during this time that I started hoping one or both of the women would get killed.
  • What the hell did I just read? – This one speaks for itself, but this is the part of the book where I wondered if perhaps the author had actually planned on writing two books and at the last minute smooshed the second half of one onto the first half of the other. It really felt like the first half didn’t gel with the second. Had the first half ended differently or the climax had belonged to a book with a different lead up I think either would have worked better. It was during this section that we learn that Babysitter is a fan of the madman monologue.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

How far would you go to protect your child?

Maggie’s daughter Penny is her whole world … and she’d do anything to protect her. So when Maggie wakes one night to find a strange woman in her home, she runs to lock herself in her bedroom with her child. But Maggie knows why she’s come … 

Someone has been targeting mothers and offering them a choice: do as he says or their child disappears. This stranger in her home has until dawn to follow his orders … but Maggie too has the ‘choice’ to make. Can she put the pieces together to stop the cycle before her time is up?

by Categories: ReviewTags: , ,

Peach – Emma Glass

I hate giving a low rating to any book. I have such admiration for authors – for the blood, sweat and tears that go into writing a book in the first place, then having to navigate the publishing world and subjecting themselves to readers who can lift them up or tear them down with their words.

If you are interested in reading this book, please don’t just go by my review. There are a lot of 5 star reviews for this book as well, and who knows, maybe you’ll be adding one yourself after reading it. My review comes from a place of confusion and ‘this wasn’t the book for me’ rather than malice. I applaud the author for successfully navigating the publishing world and for the many positive reviews I’ve read.

Having said that … my brain hurts! Had I borrowed this book from the library instead of requesting an ARC I would not have finished it.

You know those books that hoity-toity book clubs rave about with their “literary masterpiece” this and their “author stunned with their use of [some big fancy word that the general population can neither spell nor use in a sentence]” that? You may listen to these people and smile and nod, but on the inside you’re thinking, ‘How did you get that from this book?’ and ‘I must be completely stupid. I have no idea what you’re going on about.’ I think that’s going to be the unfortunate fate of this book; a polarising “most exquisite piece of writing ever!” or “what the hell did I just read?!”

Reading like a stream of consciousness, Peach (the novella) opens with Peach (the person) having just been brutally sexually assaulted and follows her down the rabbit trail of its physical, emotional and psychological aftermath. I came away from Peach having very little grasp on which words were literal, fantasy, hallucination, nightmare or flashback – and I’m not sure I was supposed to. I can handle gruesome, triggery books, I understand the internal turmoil following sexual assault and revenge fantasies, but I. don’t. UndErsTand. This. book.

Which brings me to the writing style. There are so many one word sentences, some sentences start with a capital letter and others don’t, words have randomly capitalised letters scattered through them. I expect it was deliberate, intentionally messy and disjointed to reflect the emotional state of Peach and her internal dialogue, but I just found it messy. I understood what was happening (sometimes) but I couldn’t figure out if the author was going for prose, poetry, some combination or something else entirely.

There’s the use of food to describe people, including:

  • The rapist / stalker / maker of creepy hand delivered notes with words cut out of magazines, Lincoln, is sausage, pork, oily, greasy, slimy
  • Mr Custard, college biology teacher made of custard
  • Baby, Peach’s brother who remains unnamed is icing sugar, jelly.

Mam and Dad are overtly sexual, so much so that I found it as uncomfortable to read as I did the sexual assault. Speaking of Green, Peach’s boyfriend, the same evening of his daughter’s sexual assault –

“You make such a cute couple, and the sex sounds amazing, says Dad.”

Immediately following his daughter’s face flushing red with embarrassment,

“It’s okay, Peach. Sex is a good thing. Me and Mam do it all the time. We just did it now on the kitchen table. It’s human nature, Peach, don’t be embarrassed. Green is a lucky guy. Most girls won’t put out until they’re married. But not our Peach. and we’re proud of you.”

I’m sorry, what??? Then good ol’ Mam and Dad, along with boyfriend Green remain oblivious to what Peach is going through for the entire novella.

So, just two of my multitude of unanswered questions:

  • Why does Peach’s stomach continually grow larger and larger and larger?
  • What really happened in the end?

Colour me confused!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Circus, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Slip the pin through the skin. Start stitching.
It doesn’t sting. It does bleed. White thread turns red.
Red string. Going in. Going out. I pull. Tug. 
Tug the pin. In. Out. Out. Out. Blackout.

Something has happened to Peach. Blood runs down her legs and the scent of charred meat lingers on her flesh. It hurts to walk but she staggers home to parents that don’t seem to notice. They can’t keep their hands off each other and besides, they have a new infant, sweet and wobbly as a jelly baby. 

Peach must patch herself up alone so she can go to college and see her boyfriend, Green. But sleeping is hard when she is haunted by the gaping memory of a mouth, and working is hard when burning sausage fat fills her nostrils, and eating is impossible when her stomach is swollen tight as a drum. 

In this dazzling debut, Emma Glass articulates the unspeakable with breath-taking clarity and verve. Intensely physical, with rhythmic, visceral prose, Peach marks the arrival of a visionary new voice.

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , , ,

Missing Molly – Natalie Barelli

When I first saw the cover for Missing Molly I wasn’t overly interested in the book as it’s fairly generic and doesn’t really capture your imagination. The blurb, however, really grabbed my attention and I had to read it.

Rachel Holloway works for a small struggling newspaper, the South Hackney Herald, and to try to generate some much needed interest and advertising dollars the team decide to embark upon a new venture – podcasting. Piggybacking off the idea of Serial, an extraordinarily popular investigative podcast, the Herald team decide to focus on a nearby unsolved true crime story.

They’re going to find Molly Forster, whose parents and older sister were murdered fifteen year ago when she was a child. Molly has been missing ever since. The problem is that Rachel Holloway is Molly Forster and there’s a good reason why she doesn’t want to be found.

While I was definitely interested in knowing what came next and I enjoyed the slow reveal of the information discovered during the investigation and its impact on the various characters, I don’t imagine it’s going to be one of those books that lingers in my mind, with me thinking about the characters weeks later. I didn’t particularly love or hate any of the characters and unfortunately I didn’t emotionally connect to any of them.

I was entertained and I liked the guessing game of whether Rachel really was Molly or if in fact she was psychotic, although I found myself searching for red herrings that I never found and didn’t get caught up in unexpected twists and turns like I’d hoped. There was one incident that initially surprised me but one I’d read it it made perfect sense and I was able to come up with the reasons behind this and who had done what quite easily.

Favourite quote:

“Memories, unpleasant ones, are like a scab. You hate them but you pick at them anyway”

Thank you so much to NetGalley, The Last Bureau and Pikko’s House for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Everyone has secrets, and Rachel Holloway is no exception. She’s worked hard to keep the past where it belongs: dead and buried. And so far, she’s been very successful. 

But now the small newspaper where she works wants to produce a podcast on a cold case: the disappearance twelve years ago of little Molly Forster.

Some secrets should never see the light of day, and as far as Rachel is concerned, whatever happened to little Molly is one of them. Rachel has a life now, a boyfriend she loves and a three-year-old daughter she adores, and she will do anything to protect them. 

But to do that, no one can ever know that she is Molly Forster.

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , , ,

Wolfie & Fly #2: Band on the Run – Cary Fagan

Illustrations – Zoe Si

Renata Wolfman (AKA Wolfie) is an introvert loner nerd and I adored her! She doesn’t do extra classes like pottery or drama, and detests pink and dressing up, but loves reading about helicopters, alone time and her ‘uniform’ of a white t-shirt, overalls and sneakers. She’s snarky and spends a fair amount of her time (when she’s not involved in something she’s passionate about) underwhelmed.

Wolfie’s next-door neighbour Fly (a much better name than the one his parents gave him – Livingston Flott!) is quite the opposite of Wolfie. Fly is an extrovert, could talk under water and is a bundle of energy and enthusiasm. He also has a limited grasp on boundaries: Wolfie stands by the door telling him he can’t come in so he climbs in the window instead.

Wolfie’s parents are trying to encourage her to get more involved in activities including dance class, during which Wolfie’s ingenuity mixed with her stubborn to make me laugh. Later Fly drops by (through the window) and somehow manages to convince her to become the drummer in his Hokum Street Public School talent show entry.

I loved Wolfie’s character so much and I was really enjoying the story until the imagination sequence, during which the book lost me and I wandered somewhat aimlessly until the end. Wolfie and Fly: Band on the Run is the second book in the series and I confess that I haven’t read the first. Therefore, I may be missing something vital so please don’t let my review dissuade you from giving this series a chance.

On to the section that lost me. Wolfie tells Fly she’s not sure she has an imagination. Fast forward a couple of pages and the imagination sequence begins, and is so real to both kids that they’re shocked when they wind up back in Wolfie’s kitchen once it’s finished. Then there’s an element in the story later that implies the imagination sequence was reality.

Now, I have a lot more imagination than sense and I can suspend my disbelief for all things weird and wacky. However this sequence didn’t seem to fit well with the feel of the rest of the book. It felt off to me and while I was happily immersed from the first page, as soon as the imagination sequence began I found myself surfacing, reading words rather than experiencing an adventure.

I adored Zoe Si’s illustrations. They suited the story and the expressions of Wolfie and Fly worked perfectly given their descriptions. Wolfie’s surly, pouty grimaces were as on point as Fly’s energetic bubble of happy. My favourite illustration was the adorable stuffed toy audience patiently waiting for the performance to begin.

Favourite passage:

“Hurray! At last Wolfie had the house to herself. There was nothing she liked better than being alone. Now she could read her book in peace.”

Now that’s a girl I can relate to! 😃

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada, for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

A classic story of imagination, friendship, rock bands and high-speed helicopter chases. For fans of Ivy & Bean, Judy Moody or Nate the Great.

Everyone’s favourite odd couple is back. Our heroine, Renata Wolfman (Wolfie) does everything by herself. Friends just get in the way, and she only has time for facts and reading. But friendship finds her in the form of Livingston Flott (Fly), the slightly weird and wordy boy from next door. This time, Fly has convinced Wolfie to join him in his one-man band. Before they know it, they’re playing live onstage in front of a stadium of screaming fans. But these fans are about to get out of control – and Wolfie and Fly have to make a daring escape!

Even though Wolfie thinks she’d rather be at home reading by herself, playing the drums in a rock band is actually pretty fun. Maybe there is something to this friend thing.

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , ,

From the Heart of Africa: A Book of Wisdom – Eric Walters (compiler)

From the Heart of Africa: A Book of Wisdom comprises of aphorisms (sayings), where they originated and their meaning, every saying accompanied by an illustration. Each illustration is the work of an individual artist, all of which have brief bios at the end of the book.

The compiler of these sayings, Eric Walters, co-founded an organisation focused on the Mbooni District in Kenya called Creation of Hope. This organisation supports orphans and a portion of the proceeds of this book will be donated to assist with the childrens’ education.

My Compassion daughter lives in Kenya so I have a soft spot for the people of this country. What I particularly like about what I’ve learned about Creation of Hope is that while its co-founder is a Canadian man, it’s a Kenyan program run by Kenyan people.

I enjoyed the sayings in this book but wanted there to be so many more. There were only 15 sayings included, most I’d heard some variation of before but also a couple that were new to me. The meanings were fairly basic and easily understood.

For me this book was all about the illustrations, the majority of which were vibrant and absolutely stunning. My personal favourite illustration was by Eugenie Fernandes and depicts the saying,

“When in the middle of a river, do not insult the crocodile.”

I adored the detail of the animals and the gorgeous colours. I’m no art critic but I want a copy of this illustration and I definitely need to seek out more of this artist’s work.

My two favourite sayings in the book were

“Rain does not fall on one roof alone.”

and

“I pointed out to you the stars, but all you saw was the tip of my finger.”

Suitable for children and adults alike, this would make a beautiful addition to school and public libraries, and as a gift or coffee table book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada, for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

A collection of African wisdom gorgeously illustrated by artists from Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Canada, the United States and more.

Aphorisms are universal. They give guidance, context and instruction for life’s issues, and they help us understand each other and the world around us. We use them every day, yet never think about where they came from or why they exist. 

In this beautifully illustrated collection, Eric Walters brings us classic sayings from the places where this shared wisdom began. Ashanti, Sukuma, Akan and Kikuyu: all of these cultures use the portable and easily shared knowledge contained in aphorisms, and from these cultures and more this communal knowledge spread. 

This book is a celebration of art, of community and of our common history.

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , ,

Hopeless Heroes #1: Here Comes Hercules! – Stella Tarakson

Illustrations – Nick Roberts

Here Comes Hercules! is a fun start to a new children’s series called Hopeless Heroes. Including plenty of illustrations by Nick Roberts, we’re introduced to Tim Baker who lives with his mother. Tim is often needed to help out with the housework as his mother is busily working two jobs trying to keep her small family afloat, while actively working on her dream of becoming an author.

One day while dusting an ancient Greek vase he accidentally drops it and it shatters. Unbeknownst to Tim, by breaking the vase he’s also accidentally set Hercules free after he was trapped inside by wicked Hera, the wife of Hercules’ father Zeus. Hercules winds up ‘helping’ Tim with his household chores as only a Hopeless Hero can.

Hercules’ funny attempts to help inevitably end in disaster and Tim’s poor mother thinks Tim is acting out because he’s sick of cleaning. Tim discovers he’s the only person who can see Hercules, which complicates his relationship with his mother, his friendship with Ajay and even with Leo, the bully at school. Hercules is desperate to return to his wife and daughter and Tim is determined to help him, if only they can figure out how.

This chapter book is suitable for younger children who will enjoy Hercules’ bumbling attempts to be helpful. There are some good giggles and great illustrations, along with some accidental education about ancient Greek mythology. Bullying is addressed and I expect this theme will continue in future books. There are also indications the bully is facing family problems.

Tim and his mother are likeable characters who both have room for growth in future books. Tim, while not a fan of housework, wants to help out his mother and is supportive of her dream of becoming an author. Tim’s mother only wants the best for her son and is working hard to support him. I will be interested in reading the next book in the series.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sweet Cherry Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

When Tim Baker breaks his mum’s favourite vase, it’s the least of his problems. The Greek hero he’s released is in danger of doing far worse. To the flowers, the rug – Oh, no! Not the kitchen!

Hercules is only trying to be helpful but he’s just hopeless. It’s time to send this dim demigod home before Tim becomes ancient history.

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , ,