Tuesday 19 November 2013

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness


Ness, P. (2011). A Monster Calls. United Kingdom. Turtleback Books

[social realism]

I get to read a great deal of fabulous writing in my job.  I am a very, very lucky lady!  

This is NOT a book which I would have normally chosen, and quite frankly it is not a comfortable read at times.  BUT, it is a stunning story with an amazing 'feel' (for want of a better word.)

Not only is the story a stunning one, but the story behind the story is also worth mentioning.  The idea for the book came from renowned young adult author, Siobhan Dowd, who died from cancer before she could write her story.  She passed the baton on to Patrick Ness (although they never met) and he took her story and ran with it.  He didn't want to use her voice to write the story, but he DID want to honour her idea.  I have no idea whether he believes that he has succeeded in this, but he has certainly created something unforgettable. 

The story itself is based around 13 year old Conor, whose mother is extremely unwell with an undisclosed illness.  In his dreams he meets a monster, and this monster is after one thing, and one thing only... the truth.  Conor is clearly struggling with his mother's illness, as well as how others around him are now reacting to him... his estranged father, his bossy grandmother and his school mates. 

This book is definitely one for older readers - those who are increasingly independent and increasingly searching for answers themselves.  These readers need to read about real issues, which are dealt with honestly and in an unpatronising manner - and this book certainly does that. 

As I said before, this is not always an easy read, but it is a thought-provoking one.  I would not recommend it to all young adults, but it certainly is a catalyst for discussion and thought. 

Mention should also be made of the stunning, yet disturbing, illustrations by Jim Kay.  They capture the essence of the book with their dark, brooding atmosphere.  Stunning.

Fortunately the milk... by Neil Gaiman (illustrated by Chris Riddell)


Gaiman, N. & Riddell, C. (2013). Fortunately, the milk... London. Bloomsbury Publishing

[fantasy / humour]

Neil Gaiman (Wolves in the Walls) and Chris Riddell (Goth Girl) are two of my most favourite children's authors / illustrators.  They have combined in spectacular fashion to produce this hilarious story of a dad who pops out to buy a pint of milk because the family have run out and have nothing to put on their breakfast cereal.   

Not that exciting you may possibly think... but you would be wrong.  Either the dad in this story has a vivid imagination or he lives in one exciting suburb!  While most of us have relatively uneventful trips to the dairy for milk, this dad meets pirates, intergalactic police, aliens and even some rather cutsie-pie (and oddly out of place) horses. 

A sense of humour is vital when reading this story – and funny stories, in my experience, go down well with the 7-12 year old age range.  Even better still, this would appeal to boys, who are often the ones who need the most guidance when it comes to hooking into reading.  As an added bonus, the book is illustrated by Chris Riddell, whose drawings are quirky and fun.  Also, the fact that there are illustrations means that there is less text... and less text is often appealing to readers - whether they be reluctant or someone who wants a less challenging read.  Neil Gaiman needs to write more books like this, as he is a brilliant man (not least because he is a huge advocate of the value of libraries!)

Penny the Prolific Pooing Cow by Bruce Potter


Potter, B. (2013). Penny the Prolific Pooing Cow. Tuakau. Draconis Ltd.

[humour]

Every child loves a good poo story… and this one delivers in spades! 

Penny is a cow with a lot to offer in the poo department, but it causes her to be shunned by all who know her… until, that is, someone comes up with the bright idea of using her ‘offerings’ to make a spot of money!

The story is actually a song, sung by Bruce Potter and included on a CD with the book.  The tune is annoyingly catchy and will have adults and children alike humming it for hours.

The illustrations are gorgeous… Penny is one beautiful cow.  I particularly love the illustration of her pirouetting and pooing simultaneously.

This is a self-published book and so may not have quite the same polished finish as a book published by a recognised publisher.  But, it is well enough done to be engaging to the target audience (I know… I have introduced it to a number of 5 year olds!)  The song is repetitive, it rhymes and it has a catchy chorus; the theme is perennially entertaining to youngsters; and the pictures are bright and funny and have fabulous 'ewwwww' factor!

I also love this book for a very personal reason – I am Penny as I practically forced Bruce into writing the book after meeting him at a talk given by him and Craig Smith about their joint venture on Kaha the Kea. In the background of one of the pictures is a cow, pooing majestically… and Bruce made a throwaway comment about perhaps writing about this prolifically pooing cow one day.  My mouth spoke before my brain engaged and I gave him permission to use my name!!

Tuesday 5 November 2013

Welcome to my blog


Just testing whether I have successfully created the Categories for the coursework, as suggested in the course notes... are Categories the same as Labels?  Not sure... need to check!

What is the purpose of the Categories?  Is it so that you can click on one category and just read the blog posts for that category?  If so, then they are the same as the Labels... but if they are serving another purpose then can someone wiser than me point me in the right direction?