Review: The Shadow of the Bear: A fairy tale retold

 Doman, Regina.  (2008) The Shadow of the Bear: a fairy tale retold.  Front Royal, VA: Chesterton Press. ISBN #978-0-981-93180-7.  Author recommended age 14+. Litland.com recommends age 14+.  See author website for parent guide to aid you in deciding acceptability for younger readers.  http://www.fairytalenovels.com/docs/Picky%20Parent’s%20guide%20to%20Shadow.pdf

 Our thoughts:

 Modeled after the original Brothers Grimm fairy tale Snow White and Red Rose, this isn’t your Disney princess spoof. Anyone familiar with the real fairy tales of old know they spin morals and virtues contrasted with evil throughout the tapestry of the story. Doman’s book includes the best of this feature without some of the hideous and difficult storyline that traditional fairy tales are known for. 

It is a tale of two sisters named…you’ve got it, Blanche and Rose! The teenagers live with their widowed mother in New York City. Not a simple whodunit at all, the reader is led with suspense through the dark streets, halls and buildings; parties and conversations with the popular kids you know are setting them up for a fall; envy, jealousy, almost-despair, uncertainty. Fear. The description and self-dialogue realistically portray true inner emotions of the two sisters as they face ridicule, bathroom bullying, and school authorities. School-age readers can relate entirely; adult readers are glad to not be in high school anymore.

 Far from the typical one-dimensional view of teen angst given to us in entertainment today, this story is enriched by the affinities and intelligence of its characters. In addition to an occasional Chesterton or Tennyson quote, the description wrapped around their interactions is culturally-rich; thought-provoking wisdom is their normal discourse. Rose’s emotional melt-down in the park, playing her violin in the rushing wind with an impending storm at bay is dramatically told. We can feel her lift “her bow from the strings in the silence of the rushing winds…” after playing that “distant, bold note flying high as a bird to the clouds”.

 Not all is as it appears.

 Good and evil subtly mirror one another throughout the tale. It can be a rough exterior compared to a gentle personality. The rumored drug dealer’s virtuous behaviour compared to the popular, good looking guy using and manipulating all around him. Self-discipline and self-denial vs. hedonism and selfishness. White martyrs and red martyr vs. evildoers.

 A 200-page book should be a quick read. I usually slide right through one. Some books, however, just have more to say. And this book is one of those. Without a word wasted, Doman has given sufficiently rich detail in both the physical and emotional settings that we can feel we are there. We see in our mind solitary Rose playing an ominous tune on her violin in the middle of the park with the same fervor as the wind. From the beginning, the girls imagine that the human exterior merely covers up for a magical interior, and we are then swept through a fast-paced story full of emotion and suspense. Litland.com highly recommends this story for teens and adults. While its content is “clean”, parents should decide if a story line with drug dealers, beer parties, and murder are acceptable for their younger gifted reader. Grade for these schoolgirls? A++!

 (Follow the movie at http://theshadowofthebear.blogspot.com/ ! )

Below are samples of a spread I did for Highlights magazine a few months back for their current issue. “The Right Note”, written by David Hill, is a story about a violin student who, during a recital at her teacher’s home, is able to help her teacher locate her “lost in the house somewhere” cat when she plays a high C, which makes the cat meow. The story is much better than my short synopsis of it, of course.

So below, I have the August cover (sweetly illustrated by Melanie Hall) and the content page (showing a pull-out of one my spots):

Then, below, is the final spread. I wasn’t privy to what the background color would be, but I would make some color changes to accommodate, I believe.

And for those who like to see roughs, etc., I have the layout with my sketches inserted. For the most part the sketches were accepted, with just a change or two. A wall was added on the 3rd spot in the upper right so you get an idea of the location of the cat.

copyright (c) Highlights for Children

The following books represent a few of the many different genres available for young, independent readers. I'm positive that they will be enjoyed by many.

My guest today is versatile author, Mayra Calvani.

Puerto Rican author Mayra Calvani has been writing since the age of twelve. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Literature/Creative Writing from the University of Bridgeport, CT. Her stories, articles, and book reviews have appeared in many online and print publications in the States, England and Puerto Rico. She is co-editor of "Voice in the Dark" ezine, where she writes a monthly column. After having lived in several countries, she is now settled in Brussels, Belgium with her husband, two children, and a variety of pets.

Welcome, Mayra. I'm impressed that you write in so many genres! Do you have a favorite?

I love to write in many genres, but I have to admit my weakness is speculative/supernatural fiction.

The Magic Violin has such an intriguing title. Would you tell us how you came up with the title and the idea for this children's picture book?

My young daughter and I both started playing the violin about five years ago, so I know very well how difficult it can be at times, especially when learning a new piece. The violin is a very difficult instrument to master, requiring lots of discipline, perseverance and commitment, and this can be hard for a child at times. My love for the violin and watching my daughter play were my inspiration for the story. I wanted to create a tale which would be fun and magical, yet one which would encourage children and teach them about self esteem at the same time.

The title is simple yet has a nice ring to it, plus children love magic, right? In the story there is a part where Melina, the little protagonist, suddenly begins to play amazingly well--is it because of her hard work or because the violin has turned magical? That is one of the questions the reader must think about.

I noticed that you became a "paid" author at an early age. Did you have a mentor? Someone who has inspired your writing?

My mother, who writes beautiful poetry, has always been a great supporter of my writing. Because of her, our house was full of books and she instilled in my mind the importance of reading and being intellectually smart. But besides her, my inspiration was the books themselves, the great stories of mystery and romance I read at an early age. I think by the time I was fifiteen I had read all of Agatha Christie's mysteries. Conan Doyle was another powerful inspiration in my writing. During my teens I also loved the historical romances of Barbara Cartland. I loved being transported to her Victorian world of black carriages, alluring counts and lords, lace and bows, and all the elegance of that era.

You are also editor of "The Fountain Pen" newsletter and co-editor of "Voice in the Dark" Ezine. Keep two blogs and write book reviews for various print and online publications. In addition, you teach a book review writing course at the Long Story Short School of Writing. My question: How do you find time to write?

Good question! I guess my first answer would be doing my best to keep myself organized. For starters, I live and breathe with my large agenda/calendar, the kind where I can see the whole week in front of my eyes. For other projects, I keep a monthly calendar. It's very important for me to visualize what I'll be doing on a weekly and monthly basis. It keeps my thoughts and time structured. Otherwise I would forget everything! I only work on my newsletters towards the end of the month and it actually takes me a while to read and review a book. In spite of all the planning, though, I still have to struggle to write every weekday. The important thing to remember is that writing must come first. Book promotion is also extremely time consuming and emailing can become a little addictive, so many times I have to reel myself back like a fish and tell myself: 'Leave this for later; you have to write first.'

Do you have any specific writing rituals?

I love having music in the background while I write, and of course the music must match the tone of the story. Mostly I listen to violin music. Most of the times I write in the mornings when my mind is fresh and the house is quiet. If I feel particularly uninspired, I go on a walk with my dog or go to write at a cafe--these two things can be extremely effective to unleash your creativity. On occassions I may light a candle. I also have my violin at arm's reach and if I'm stuck in a scene I play for a while. Oddly, this has a calming effect and puts my annoying inner critic to sleep. :-)

What other project are in the works?

I'm very excited about a proposal I'm working on for Harper Collins. I'm also polishing a tween manuscript which I already completed. I have a work-in-progress I also need to finish. I took a break and will start on it again after the holidays. This one is a paranormal/werewolf suspense novel for Zumaya Publications.

Finally, is there something funny you can share about yourself that your readers might not know?

Hmm. I don't know if this is funny or not, but here it goes: This morning on our way to school my fifteen-year old asked me if I would give up reading for one whole year in exchange for one million dollars. I didn't have a quick answer for him so I told him I had to think about it (I really needed to think about it!). He thought I was completely nuts!

Mayra, would you tell my readers about the prize you're offering at the end of your book tour on Christmas day?

I’ll be giving away a $20 Amazon gift certificate to a lucky winner on Christmas day. To be eligible, all a person needs to do is leave a comment at the end of this post or any of my other tour stops. If the winner is from England, I’ll be giving away a £20 gift certificate from Amazon.co.uk. I will announce the winner on my blog Mayra's Secret Bookcase, on the 25th.

Mayra Calvani
Mayra's Secret Bookcase
Mayra's Secret Bookcase Blogspot

Author: Richard Michelson (on JOMB) Illustrator: E. B. Lewis (on JOMB) Published: 2006 GP Putnam & Son ISBN: 0399239707 Chapters.ca Amazon.com Gorgeously illustrated and intimately told, this tale of friendship and understanding is an inspiring tribute to the distinctions and connections that define us. Tags:Across the Alley, baseball, childrens book, E.B.Lewis, music, Podcast, review, Richard Michelson, sport, violinAcross the Alley, baseball, childrens book, E.B.Lewis, music, Podcast, review, Richard Michelson, sport, violin

Author: Gavin Curtis
Illustrator: E. B. Lewis
Published: 2001 Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing
ISBN: 0689841159 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

In this touching tale, a frustrated and distant father comes to see his son through new eyes. Mark loves this one.