Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve

27 Aug 2009 4 Comments

by mashadutoit in books, fantasy Tags:

Title: Mortal Engines
Author: Philip Reeve
Series : First is a series of “The Hungry Cities Quartet”.  Next is Predator’s Gold

Rating:stars_03


In Short: In a post apocalyptic world, humans have turned their cities into “traction cities” – huge mobile city sized machines.  These monstrous city-machines move around the deserts that used to be oceans, scavenging one another. Cities eat towns, towns eat villages.  This all seems right and proper to Tom, the apprentice Historian who lives in Traction London.  But one day Tom saves his hero the chief archaeologist Valentine from an assassination attempt – and sets of a series of events that forces him to question everything he believes in.

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What I thought: Mortal Engines is a rattling good adventure book.  It contains all the elements of the standard “boys own” story, but just when you are lulled into a seemingly familiar pattern, the story punches the air out of your lungs. More

Ernest in the Wild West by Ermanno Libenzi, illustrated by Adelchi Galloni

25 Aug 2009 95 Comments

by mashadutoit in books, Colour, Illustration Tags: ,

When I was a child, we had a book called Robin and the Pirates. You could spend hours pouring over it, and each time you would find something even more exciting and alarming.  I think my sister has got that book, but luckily I found another by the same author and illustrator:  Ernest in the Wild West written by Ermanno Libenzi and illustrated by Adelchi Galloni. He is capable of working in a remarkable variety of styles, as you can see from this page.

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It has all the qualities I loved in Robin and the Pirates:  pages crammed full of deliciously scary pictures, funny and edgy and really quite surreal.  Not your average children’s book at all. More

The Troll Princess Part 1

23 Aug 2009 2 Comments

by mashadutoit in Inspiration Tags:

Once upon a time there was a Troll Princess.  She was the only child of the Troll King and the Troll Queen, and her name was Princess Emma.

One day Emma was busy in her work room when she got a message to attend her parents in the throne room.  Emma wondered a little as she made her way through the castle.  “Its probably something to do with my birthday,” she thought.  She would be turning eighteen soon and her parents were full of plans and excitement for the party.

“I was already married to your father when I turned eighteen,” said her mother.  “Its time for us to choose you a husband.”

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Emma listened absently as her parents discussed her options.   They had some very particular ideas on who her future husband should be.  After all, one day, he would be the King, and rule at their daughter’s side. He had to be a prince, of course.  And more than that – he had to be a human prince.

“So clever, you know, humans”  said her father.  He liked to think of himself as an enlightened, modern ruler. “They are the coming thing.  So many of them around these days, too.”

“And so…delicate,”  said her mother.  “So soft.” More

December’s Travels – Dusan Kallay & Mischa Damjan

22 Aug 2009 6 Comments

by mashadutoit in books, Illustration Tags: ,

I wonder what I would have thought of December’s Travels if I’d read it as a child.  Many of the children’s books I love now I found too intense when I was little. December’s Travels is illustrated by the Slovakian illustrator Dussan Kallay:

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The story, by Yugoslavian Mischa Damjan tells what happens when the month of December decides to visit the other months in the year.  Here is December preparing toys for Christmas: More

Drogman by Stepan Zavrel

20 Aug 2009 11 Comments

by mashadutoit in books, Colour, Illustration Tags: ,

Every time I write about a book that I read when I was a child I want to say “my favourite”.  But Drogman has a special place in my heart. The story is magical.  Its romantic, with scary bits and a clever heroine.  It takes place mostly underwater which is something that has always fascinated me.    I particularly love the range of underwater colours, and the way the bleeding blobby ink style lends itself to watery scenes:bit2

The illustrations are simply stunning.  I cannot really give even a glimpse of them here, as every single page is a huge sumptuous double page spread.  Ive had to crop out little details just to give an idea.  More

Splish Splash!

19 Aug 2009 Leave a comment

by mashadutoit in Myself

It feels like spring is here, even though officially, we still have a couple of weeks of winter left to go.  Today I was clever enough to wear my wellies while walking my dogs on the Rondebosch Common.  Because of this:

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It rained a lot yesterday.  In some places, the water came nearly up to the tops of my boots. More

Alchemy by Margaret Mahy

19 Aug 2009 1 Comment

by mashadutoit in books, fantasy

Title: Alchemy
Author: Margaret Mahy
Series : No, this is a stand alone book

Rating:stars_03


In Short: Roland is on top of his world. Roland is barely hanging on. He hangs out with the in-crowd. His sleep is haunted by dreams, and by day he hears voices. He is in control.  He is being blackmailed. His girlfriend is Chris – the most popular, sexiest girl in the school. But he cannot get loner girl Jess Ferret out of his thoughts.

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What I thought. Margaret Mahy can do no wrong.   Most of her books that I have read are about teenagers, and the psychic energies let loose as they change from self-absorbed children to self-aware adults.  It is never clear what is reality and what is fantasy – and in fact, there is no difference.  Magic is not strange, just a natural extension of the general weirdness of life.  She has her own take on Magic Realism. More

Riding Tycho by Jan Mark

16 Aug 2009 Leave a comment

by mashadutoit in books

Title: Riding Tycho
Author: Jan Mark
Series : First in a series.  Sequel is “Voyager”

Rating:stars_05


In Short: Eleven year old Demetria lives on the High Island with her mother and her older brother.  Her life is dominated by unspoken rules.  People do not speak about the prison island on the horizon – Low Island.  Sometimes there is an escape attempt, and the sirens keep her awake all night – but nobody mentions it the next day.  There are prisoners on the High Island too.  They are called “Politicals” and  live with the village families.  One day, the soldiers bring a Political to live with Demetria’s family. But Political 37250 does not obey the unspoken rules. And as she gets to know him, Demetria’s view of her world changes forever.

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What I thought: This is a powerful book.  It is very short – only 215 pages – but it succeeds in creating a thoroughly chilling vision of Demetria’s world. More

Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon

05 Aug 2009 Leave a comment

by mashadutoit in books

Title: Speed of Dark
Author: Elizabeth Moon
Series : No this is a stand alone book.

Rating:stars_03

In Short: Its about 50 years into the 21’s century.  Lou Arrendale has made a comfortable life for himself.  He is good at his job. He may be falling in love with a woman at his fencing club.  And his new boss is trying force him to “volunteer” for a  experimental medical procedure that will make him normal- because  Lou is autistic.

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What I thought: This is a fascinating book.  Most of it is told in the first person, from Lou’s point of view.  It works.  There is no other way to tell this story.  Lou’s life is accompanied by an ongoing  internal monologue as he navigates the world of the “reals” as he calls none-autistic people. More

So…I Quit

31 Jul 2009 6 Comments

by mashadutoit in Inspiration

I recently decided that I wont continue with my present job past the end of this year.  Well, actually I’ve decided that quite a while ago, but I finally got around to doing something about it.

I’m not following all those  excellent rules about how to quit – I don’t have a new job lined up yet and I have no idea what I will be doing next.

It took me a very long time to realise that although my reasons for leaving might not seem sensible to most people, they make sense to me.

I have five more months to tie up all my loose ends and then…who knows?

Heaven Eyes by David Almond

29 Jul 2009 4 Comments

by mashadutoit in books

Title: Heaven Eyes
Author: David Almond
Series : No this is a stand alone book.
Other books by the same author: Skellig, Clay, The Fire Eaters

Rating:stars_03

In Short: Erin, Mouse and January are running away from the Whitegates children’s home.  They float down river on a raft made of doors aiming for freedom far beyond the horizon –  but are soon drawn into a hidden riverside world on their doorstep.  They meet the wild and gentle Grandpa, forever searching for treasure in the black mud, and  Heaven Eyes who finds treasure in everything she sees.

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What I thought: Initially I was a bit skeptical.  I found the voice of Erin Law – the first person narrator – not quite convincing.  She seemed a bit too controlled, too smoothly knowing, too adult for my complete belief in her as a young teenage girl.

But as the book progressed, this became unimportant. More

The Weathermonger – Peter Dickinson

27 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by mashadutoit in books, fantasy Tags: ,

Title: The Weathermonger
Author: Peter Dickinson
Series : First of the three “The Changes” – but they can be read as stand alone books as well.

Rating:stars_05

In Short: Five years ago, a mysterious change took place in Britain.  Thousands fled the country, and those left behind reverted to a medieval way of life.  Machines are hated and feared.  Anyone associated with modern technology is stoned as a witch.  So far, all missions sent by the outside world, have failed to find the cause of the phenomenon.  Pilots forget how fly, or are struck by lightning.  Soldiers turn upon one another.  And  now, two children – Geoffrey and Sally -are travelling to the heart of “The Changes” on the Welsh border to discover and if possible destroy it’s cause.

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What I thought:
The Weathermonger is another favourite book from my childhood.  I first read it when I was about 10 years old and I found it frightening but fascinating. I still do.  Geoffrey and Sally are both very young and have been orphaned by the Changes.  They live in a world where magic is real.  Geoffrey is the village Weathermonger;  he can make it rain,  change the wind, or call up a mist.  This is a dangerous skill in a world where witches are stoned, drowned or burnt to death. More

Corby Flood by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

23 Jul 2009 9 Comments

by mashadutoit in books, Illustration

Title:Corby Flood
Author:Paul Stewart
Illustrator: Chris Riddell
Series : Part of the “Far Flung Adventures”  Not so much a series as a set of related books that can be read separately too.

Rating:stars_05

In Short: Corby Flood is travelling with her family aboard the decrepit cruise ship the SS Euphonia. There is plenty to keep Corby’s mind off the new school waiting for her at the journey’s end.  Who is the man from Cabin 21?  Why is Mr Times New Roman, leader of the Brotherhood of Clowns, in such a foul temper?  And above all – what is the source of the saddest song echoing out of the cargo hold?

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What I thought:
I  loved this book.   It is simply crammed with fabulous characters and places. More

Bravemouse is here!

17 Jul 2009 2 Comments

by mashadutoit in Inspiration

I am hereby proudly launching my new teaching blog:  Bravemouse

Its the product of my three weeks research leave. More

Varenka by Bernadette

17 Jul 2009 15 Comments

by mashadutoit in books Tags: ,

Many of the books I share here are books that I grew up with.  There is something special about books from your childhood.  Varenka by Bernadette was one of my favourites.

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I tried to find out more about Bernadette – I have several of her books – but her surname is not mentioned anywhere.  Edit: Bernadette is, of course, Bernadette Watts I used to have a link to her site, but the site appears to have gone down. Varenka is not a re-telling of a Russian folk tale as I previously stated, but written by Bernadette herself. Each picture fills the entire page, so I was forced to reproduce mostly cropped details here.  Which really does not convey the beauty of the book.

Varenka was a widow who lives in a little wooden house deep in the great forest.  “Inside was everything Varenka needed, a table, chairs, a cupboard with a shelf for crockery, and picture on the wall.” More

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