12 Apr 2009
by mashadutoit
in books
Tags: alternative italy, book review, diana wynne jones, fantasy, the magicians of caprona, young adult
Title: The Magicians of Caprona
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Series :Part of the “Chronicles of Chrestomanci”, but is really a stand alone book
Rating:
In Short: A fantasy set in Italy in an alternate universe. Two family Spell Houses, the Montanas and the Petrocchis, have been bitter rivals for generations. Tonino and his brother Paolo get caught up in the conflict.
Other books by author: “Howl’s Moving Castle”, “Charmed Life”, “The Ogre Downstairs” among many others.
Diana Wynne Jones is one of those authors who I turn to when in need of some comfort reading. Whether its a brand new read like “The House of Many Ways”, or re-reading an old favourite like “The Magicians of Caprona” – I’m never disappointed. More
02 Apr 2009
by mashadutoit
in books, Opinions & reviews
Tags: book review, charles keeping, edward blishen, greek myth, leonard garfield, the god beneath the sea
Title: The God Beneath The Sea
Author: Leon Garfield and Edward Blishen
Illustrated: Charles Keeping
Series : First of two books – followed by “The Golden Shadow”
In Short: A re-telling of some of the most famous Greek myths as a single narrative. Intense, lyrical and satisfying.
Other books by author: Leon Garfield – “Black Jack” , “Devil in the Fog”
Rating:
“The God Beneath the Sea” is the first in a series of two books in which the Greek myths are re-told as a single, continuous narrative by Leon Garfield and Edward Blishen. They explain that they wanted to rewrite the “haphazard sequence of tall tales” as these myths are usually presented, to recapture the profound impact the stories had on them when they first read them as children. More
29 Mar 2009
by mashadutoit
in books, Opinions & reviews
Tags: book review, cornelia funke, fantasy, inkdeath, inkheart, young adult
Title: Inkdeath
Author: Cornelia Funke
Series : Third book in the “Inkheart” trilogy
In Short: A compelling story set in a glorious fantasy world. This is a dark, grim book about difficult choices, lit with moments of beauty.
Other books by author: “The Thief Lord”, “Dragon Rider”.
Rating:
Background: Inkdeath is the final book in the trilogy which began with “Inkheart”. It follows the story of the book restorer Mo and his young daughter Meggie. Early in Inkheart we learn that Mo has a very special talent: when he reads out loud, his voice beguiles the characters to step right out of the story into our world. And sometimes, people are swept from our world and into the book… More
24 Mar 2009
by mashadutoit
in books
Tags: once upon a time challenge
Well its too much temptation looking at other people’s lists. Here is my own list so far.
- Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke
- Birdwing by Rafe Martin
- Wonder Tales edited by Marina Warner
- The God Beneath the Sea by Leon Garfield and Edward Blishen
Dont they look yummy?
OK, OK so its very short so far, but hang in there – I’m coming back to edit soon…
22 Mar 2009
by mashadutoit
in books
OK – I’ve never done this before, but this one looks interesting. A communal read and review challenge at “stainless steel droppings”:
The challenge revolves around these categories – the “Once Upon a Time Criteria”: More
12 Mar 2009
by mashadutoit
in books
Tags: Abhorsen, fantasy, Garth Nix, His Dark Materials, Lireal, Phillip Pullman, Sabriel
My colleague Richard is in the throes of finishing his masters. Or rather – he should be. I am not allowed to give him any distracting books to read. In the mean time, I’m compiling a list for him to enjoy once that masters is submitted.
I’ve already got Richard to read Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” series. These are easily the best books I’ve ever read. You can read more about them here.
So, Richard, if you liked those ones, you will definitely love Phillip Pullman’s “Sally Lockhart” series. Four books follow the life of a young orphaned girls in Dickensian London. Sound a bit humdrum? Just read the first paragraph: More
27 Jul 2008
by mashadutoit
in Animation, Art, books, Colour, Illustration, Myself
Tags: children's books, Illustration
Some books touch your heart. ” An Ocean World” by Peter Sis is one of these. It tells a simple and powerful story about a whale’s search for friendship and love. Apart from the writing on the postcard on the first page, the entire story is told through the images- the evocative watercolour marks and the muted colours. We meet the whale for the first time in baby picture that has been turned into a postcard:
On the back of this card we can read a message from Peter Sis to his children: More
01 Jul 2008
by mashadutoit
in books, Illustration
Tags: creative process, hobbit covers, JRR Tolkien, story telling, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, writing
Where do stories come from? The process of story creation is fascinating. I’ve been reading a lot about JRR Tolkien, and how he came to write The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Most of the following information was found in Humphrey Carpenter’s biography or Tolkien. You can also read about them here at Tolkien online.com and here at warofthering.net
Tolkien was someone who immersed himself in stories. He had been creating the language and history of Middle Earth for many years, and his stories seem to emerge out of this preoccupation. Tolkien, as quoted in Carpenter’s book: More
30 Jun 2008
by mashadutoit
in books, Colour, Illustration, Inspiration
Tags: children's books, gennady spirin, Illustration
What makes a good subject for a children’s picture book? I see so many similar books on the bookshop shelves. Clear happy pictures, short happy stories. “Once There Was a Tree”, written by Natalia Romanova and illustrated by Gennady Spirin, could not be more different. As a foretaste, here is a page number:
You can read more about Spirin at this page. He is described as being “like a magician, using his paint brush as a wand.” I hope these scans of the books do justice to his work. I was once lucky enough to see an exhibition of his original paintings. They are breathtaking. More
19 Jun 2008
by mashadutoit
in books
Tags: books, children's books, reading
Don’t you find some books are just MADE to be read out loud? Phrases stick in your head, and you can recite bits of them at will. How about “The Thirteen Clocks” by James Thurber:
This is how it starts: More
16 Jun 2008
by mashadutoit
in Art, books, Colour, Illustration, Inspiration
Tags: children's books, chinese, fold tale, Illustration, molly bang
Dont you just love an excuse to sort through your book collections? To be paging through old battered survivors of childhood, as well as look at new discoveries. For me, one such new discovery is “the Paper Crane ” by Molly Bang. This little book is perfect. I love the freshness of the storytelling, the sensitivity and beauty of the artwork, and the quiet joy it radiates.
What could be a more satisfying medium for this story than to tell it in pictures made up of folded and cut paper and collage? More
14 Jun 2008
by mashadutoit
in books
Tags: arthur ransome, children's books, Illustration
Why is it that so many books that are loved in childhood are forgotten when we are grown? Many marvelous stories which are classified as “children’s books” are magical at any age. Of course there are children’s books that are the literary equivalent of coloured sugar popcorn – to be devoured by children, but heartburn inducing in adults. No – I’m talking about books that can be read and re-read at any age, and always gives you something more. One such an author is Athur Ransome, well known for his “Swallows and Amazons” stories.
He is another author who illustrates his own books. More
06 Jun 2008
by mashadutoit
in Art, books, Colour, Illustration
Tags: children's books, Errol le cain, Illustration, sleeping beauty
Isn’t it strange how some childhood moments stay with you so clearly, while most things fade into a half remembered muddle? It was just before Christmas, many years ago when I was just a little girl. My family were getting into the car to go home after a visit to the bookshop in Cape Town. My father was holding a brown paper packet. I tried to peep into it and caught a glimpse of two books, but my father whisked them away before I could get a proper look.
That packet re-appeared again under the Christmas tree, and contained Errol Le Cain’s Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. More
02 Jun 2008
by mashadutoit
in Art, books, Illustration, Inspiration
Tags: drawing, Gormengast, gothic, Illustration, Mervyn Peake, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, writer_artist
Inevitably I have come to Mervyn Peake. Mervyn Peake! That name casts a shadow. Have you read Titus Groan, or Gormenghast? Did you realise he was well known as an illustrator for such classics as Alice in Wonderland, and Treasure Island?
If you have not read him yet, Mervyn Peake is the master of true, dark goth. His creations live below the page, he sculpts his characters and crosshatches them with words. No one else writes, or draws, like Mervyn Peake.
More
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