2023 EDIT: Part of my 2023 clear-up, of books I no longer like, or am no longer interested in, or remember well as standing out, or find as special anymore, or I otherwise will not miss.
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
Another painfully real, intimate, life-reflecting and life-affirming poetry book. Bluntly feminist and poignant, bittersweet and hopeful, bleak and kind, 'milk and honey' covers the subjects of abuse, trauma, family, self-esteem, sex, love and relationships. Rupi Kaur knows about the ups and downs and the complexities of a loving yet co-dependent relationship too well.
'milk and honey', ultimately, teaches us this: Love yourself before you can give that love to others. You are beautiful, no matter what you've been taught your whole life. Respect yourself, and demand that your lover(s) respect you as a person as well. But be kind, above all else. I also hold the simple belief that to be kind is the most effective goal any human being can achieve. This moral evades so many of us due to selfishness, intolerance, and cynicism.
And support and love other women; never bring them down so you can feel special in having "risen" above it all. Privilege is the enemy of kindness and understanding.
'milk and honey' didn't affect me as much as 'The Princess Saves Herself In This One', but I'll still look toward it for encouragement and inspiration during difficult times in my life. Nobody is alone, and they shouldn't be made to feel so.
Final Score: 4/5
Saturday, 24 September 2016
Wednesday, 21 September 2016
Book Review - 'Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story From China' by Ed Young
2023 EDIT: Part of my 2023 clear-up, of books I no longer like, or am no longer interested in, or remember well as standing out, or find as special anymore, or I otherwise will not miss.
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
A classic Chinese retelling of 'Red Riding Hood' - a very different albeit similar take, with three young sisters at the forefront.
The misty watercolour illustrations really add to the darkness of the book. The wolf himself - Lon Po Po, the house intruder disguised as the girls' grandmother - is terrifying, yet at the end you can't help feeling sorry for him. An oddly tragic villain, is Granny Wolf. I love the dynamic between the three girls - Shang, Tao, and Paotze - and how they prove to be as cunning as the hungry wolf. These children work together, and show they are not so innocent as all that. For you see, they've got nuts, and trees, and a rope! They did learn from their rather callous mother, who leaves them alone in the house overnight to go out and celebrate their grandmother's birthday without them, apparently. Cultural differences? Thus leading to the wolf's plot and demise in the first place.
'Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story From China'- a gloomy, creepy and strangely funny fairy tale. I'd definitely read it to my kids - it's not that scary, and children's stories need a bit of depth and darkness to them. And diversity. And smart, brave, ordinary heroines to aspire to.
I'm glad I happened upon this shadowy beauty only today. I adore it to pieces.
Final Score: 4/5
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
A classic Chinese retelling of 'Red Riding Hood' - a very different albeit similar take, with three young sisters at the forefront.
The misty watercolour illustrations really add to the darkness of the book. The wolf himself - Lon Po Po, the house intruder disguised as the girls' grandmother - is terrifying, yet at the end you can't help feeling sorry for him. An oddly tragic villain, is Granny Wolf. I love the dynamic between the three girls - Shang, Tao, and Paotze - and how they prove to be as cunning as the hungry wolf. These children work together, and show they are not so innocent as all that. For you see, they've got nuts, and trees, and a rope! They did learn from their rather callous mother, who leaves them alone in the house overnight to go out and celebrate their grandmother's birthday without them, apparently. Cultural differences? Thus leading to the wolf's plot and demise in the first place.
'Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story From China'- a gloomy, creepy and strangely funny fairy tale. I'd definitely read it to my kids - it's not that scary, and children's stories need a bit of depth and darkness to them. And diversity. And smart, brave, ordinary heroines to aspire to.
I'm glad I happened upon this shadowy beauty only today. I adore it to pieces.
Final Score: 4/5
Book Review - 'Eat Your Peas: A Daisy Book' by Kes Gray (Writer), Nick Sharratt (Illustrator)
One of the funniest picture books I've read. Daisy is adorable, and so is her mum, whom I can tell is especially close to her sulky and sassy little daughter. A sweet relationship.
Over the top and endearing for a fable set entirely at a dinner table, 'Eat Your Peas: A Daisy Book' also teaches how not everyone can like the same things, and that we can dislike whatever we want. And that adults are hypocrites. Good book for repetition and numeracy, too.
Enjoy!
Final Score: 4/5
Over the top and endearing for a fable set entirely at a dinner table, 'Eat Your Peas: A Daisy Book' also teaches how not everyone can like the same things, and that we can dislike whatever we want. And that adults are hypocrites. Good book for repetition and numeracy, too.
Enjoy!
Final Score: 4/5
Book Review - 'Susan Laughs' by Jeanne Willis, Tony Ross
A very simple but vitally important book for children about learning human differences, and similarities. Do not treat others differently because of a so-called handicap - give every single child a chance to do whatever they want. To be whoever they want. To be happy. For nobody should ever be considered lesser.
A rare diverse gem; much needed when the mainstream media still perpetuates the idea that it is better to not exist than be disabled. Tony Ross is a nice illustrator, as well.
Final Score: 4/5
A rare diverse gem; much needed when the mainstream media still perpetuates the idea that it is better to not exist than be disabled. Tony Ross is a nice illustrator, as well.
Final Score: 4/5
Book Review - 'The Princess and the Wizard' by Julia Donaldson (Writer), Lydia Monks (Illustrator)
2025 REREAD: Unfortunately, I now find this to be shallow and babyish, with not good art. There are many plot holes, even for a children's picture book. There is noticeable cheating with set magical rules at the end, too, which I won't reveal due to spoilers. Still, little kids are sure to enjoy it. Plus, the princess in this fairy tale doesn't need a prince to save her (although she is only seven-years-old).
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
A sparkly, colourful fairy tale and fantasy children's picture book. A princess who learns and develops in order to escape her captor by herself, using the help given to her by her incapacitated fairy godmother? Fancy that!
I guess that's the reason why I like 'The Princess and the Wizard' more than Julia Donaldson's most famous work, 'The Gruffalo' - it's feminist, intentional or not.
Poor young Princess Eliza, with her fairy godmother's magic, turns herself into various colourful animals whenever the wizard gives her her seven chances to escape his castle (he owns a rhyming magical book which tells him where she is every time, so he isn't utterly stupid). This reminded me of 'The Sword and the Stone'. And the wizard being angry and setting forth the plot at the beginning because he wasn't invited to Eliza's birthday party is 'Sleeping Beauty'-ish.
The story itself is fun, and Eliza proves to be a proactive and smart heroine overtime (her seven-days deadline, to be exact) in this 30-page tale. The only real downside is the wizard is such a one-dimensional villain, even by the standards of children's picture books, and he doesn't receive any punishment for everything he's done in the end. He turns Eliza's family and fairy godmother to stone, for pete's sake!
It's nice and heartwarming, still.
I'd like to see 'The Princess and the Wizard' adapted into something, and expanded on a lot more. It'd make a great kid's film, especially for girls who like princesses with no princes; who work hard to save themselves. By adapting to and changing herself - externally and internally - depending on her circumstances and environment.
Final Score: 4/5
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
A sparkly, colourful fairy tale and fantasy children's picture book. A princess who learns and develops in order to escape her captor by herself, using the help given to her by her incapacitated fairy godmother? Fancy that!
I guess that's the reason why I like 'The Princess and the Wizard' more than Julia Donaldson's most famous work, 'The Gruffalo' - it's feminist, intentional or not.
Poor young Princess Eliza, with her fairy godmother's magic, turns herself into various colourful animals whenever the wizard gives her her seven chances to escape his castle (he owns a rhyming magical book which tells him where she is every time, so he isn't utterly stupid). This reminded me of 'The Sword and the Stone'. And the wizard being angry and setting forth the plot at the beginning because he wasn't invited to Eliza's birthday party is 'Sleeping Beauty'-ish.
The story itself is fun, and Eliza proves to be a proactive and smart heroine overtime (her seven-days deadline, to be exact) in this 30-page tale. The only real downside is the wizard is such a one-dimensional villain, even by the standards of children's picture books, and he doesn't receive any punishment for everything he's done in the end. He turns Eliza's family and fairy godmother to stone, for pete's sake!
It's nice and heartwarming, still.
I'd like to see 'The Princess and the Wizard' adapted into something, and expanded on a lot more. It'd make a great kid's film, especially for girls who like princesses with no princes; who work hard to save themselves. By adapting to and changing herself - externally and internally - depending on her circumstances and environment.
Final Score: 4/5
Book Review - 'The Midnight Library' by Kazuno Kohara
2024 REREAD: A simple and cute fairy tale, all about animals, a midnight library, and its little girl librarian.
Libraries are so important, and magical. Let us never, ever lose them.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
Such a cute picture book about a library that opens from midnight to dawn. Its customers are forest animals (wolves, squirrels and tortoises galore, and three owls are the assistants), and it gets very busy. The librarian is a little girl who's a good role model to children, attending to the animals' needs always. There are simple but lovely illustrations with a black, yellow and blue colour palette. Adorable - a nibble, a must-taste for book lovers of all ages.
Isn't 'The Nocturnal Library' a more suitable title, though?
Final Score: 4/5
Libraries are so important, and magical. Let us never, ever lose them.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
Such a cute picture book about a library that opens from midnight to dawn. Its customers are forest animals (wolves, squirrels and tortoises galore, and three owls are the assistants), and it gets very busy. The librarian is a little girl who's a good role model to children, attending to the animals' needs always. There are simple but lovely illustrations with a black, yellow and blue colour palette. Adorable - a nibble, a must-taste for book lovers of all ages.
Isn't 'The Nocturnal Library' a more suitable title, though?
Final Score: 4/5
Monday, 19 September 2016
Is anyone else getting really, really f%^$!!king sick of romances? In books and all plots in general? That they ruin and hinder a story rather than aid it? Labelled romance, fine. Not central and properly kept to the side, again, fine. But after reading/seeing so many "true loves" over and over again, I'm like, "Do something else for a change! Be a tragedy!" Love triangles can go die in the next big bang, as well.
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