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You are here: Home / Archives for dream

Moo by Sharon Creech ill. Sarah Horn

April 28, 2021 By achuka Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 29 Apr 2021
Sunday Times Children’s Book of the Week 11 Apr 2021

Waterstones
Amazon

“Creech has a magic touch. She writes simply and directly (in this novel, largely in blank verse), yet her unshowy language is transporting and charged with emotion… It’s delightful, and infused with understanding of young and old might behave and feel.” Nicolette Jones, Sunday Times
“Not only does Creech seamlessly intersperse prose and poetry, but the design manipulates typeface, font, setting, and spacing to paint word-pictures, in some instances creating concrete poetry while in others emphasizing a few words on the page—an accentuation that makes the story come alive and deftly communicates the range of emotions, from humor to sorrow, that the story conveys.” KIRKUS
“Reena’s narrative uses a comfortable combination of prose, poems, and prose poems, while changing fonts, type sizes, and type placement help express emotion, drama, action, and mood. The story zips along yet somehow conveys the slow growth of trust and friendship between young and old, human and bovine. It’s Reena who first suggests they move to Maine, because she’s read three books that made her 
feel “I was there already / in my mind”; Creech’s novel memorably does the same.” Horn Book
“A summer setting, vividly developed characters and liberal use of white space make this book a breezy companion…” Washington Post

[f.p. in US in 2016]
Following a family move to Maine, twelve-year-old Reena has no idea what to expect.  She hopes it’s going to be beaches, blueberries and all the lobster she can eat. She certainly doesn’t expect to suddenly be put in charge of a menagerie of animals, belonging to the irascible Mrs Falala, who not only has a fast-wheeling pig, a secretive snake, but the most ornery cow she ever thought to meet.

A wonderfully funny, moving story of one family’s move to the country, and the challenges they face.

Filed Under: Blog, BookOfTheDay, Books, Fiction Tagged With: cow, dream, expectations, family, reality, relationships

Dream Big, Little Mole by Tom Percival ill. Christine Pym

February 25, 2021 By achuka Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

“Dream big, Little Mole, be brilliant, be YOU …” Join one little mole as she follows her dream of building the biggest hole ever, and learns along the way that everyone has something special to give the world – it just sometimes takes a little time (and a few mishaps!) to discover what that special something is.

A powerful celebration of embracing who you are and finding your own unique talent from Tom Percival, the creator of Ruby’s Worry. With charming illustrations by Christine Pym.

Filed Under: Illustrated Tagged With: ambition, dream, goals, talent

Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea by Meena Harris ill. Ana Ramirez Gonzalez

January 21, 2021 By achuka Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop (unlisted)

A beautiful, empowering picture book about two sisters who work with their community to effect change, inspired by a true story from the childhood of the author’s aunt, Kamala Harris, and mother, lawyer and policy expert Maya Harris.

One day, Kamala and Maya had an idea. A big idea: They would turn their empty apartment courtyard into a playground! This is the uplifting tale of how the author’s aunt and mother first learned to persevere in the face of disappointment and turned a dream into reality. A story of children’s ability to make a difference and of a community coming together to transform their neighborhood.

Meena Harris has a new book, Ambitious Girl, out in March (2021)

Filed Under: Illustrated Tagged With: activism, change, community, dream, reality, uplifting

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