How to use this Page

Four kings and a royal barge.
Copic markers and watercolour with pen and ink on bristol board. A5 size. Click to enlarge.

Add a Comment

Display Comments Add a Comment

It took me about forty pages to warm to this historical novel about a teenage Elizabeth Tudor, mainly because author Ann Rinaldi did such a poor job of establishing the narrator's voice. Elizabeth is old beyond her years, and not just because children were forced to grow up faster. At eight years of age she is expressing love for an admired member of her father's court, and it is as if Rinaldi has lost track of her narrator's age. Dialogue between Elizabeth and her younger brother Edward sounds as if it is exchanged between grown-ups, rather than tweenies (which they are at the start of the story--forsooth!) The book vacilates between juvenile and young adult suitability. But once it becomes clear that this is a YA book, both in content and style (again, it took about 40 pages, so be patient,) this is an engrossing story of political machinations, love affairs, and family dysfunction. Despite the fact that we know Elizabeth will go on to become one of England's most influential monarchs, it is fascinating watching her walk the tightrope between familial sentiment and survival.

Elizabeth is portrayed as a wise and wily young woman, mindful of her place while out of favor, but never forgetful that she could very well be queen one day. She watches her rivals get their turn at the throne, and then fall through one means or another (some natural, others, as in the case of the unfortunate Lady Jane Grey, unnatural.) Supporting characters in the book, of which there are many, are well-rounded. Rinaldi manages to avoid caricature when portraying larger than life figures like Henry VIII. In the end, The Redheaded Princess is worth the effort and will reward readers with a fresh look at one of the most fascinating political dynasties in history.

Add a Comment

Add a Comment

Add a Comment

Dick King Smith is such an inspiration. He started his writing career later in life, after having already tried his hand at farming, teaching, and TV presenting (and doing them all well, I might add, although he claims in his biography, Chewing the Cud, that he was not a very good farmer.) He has written dozens of books, all of them effortlessly readable, giving the impression that anyone with a good story to tell can sit down and crank it out. His most recent offering (at least on this side of the pond) is Hairy Hezekiah, about a Bactrian camel who is lonely in his zoo environment and sets off to find friendship and adventure in the big world. His journey takes him to the Safari Park, Shortseat, located in the English countryside. I have a sneaking suspicion that Shortseat is modeled after Longleat Safari Park, in Wiltshire. The fact that Longleat is the ancestral home of the Marquess of Bath, and the aristocrat in this book is called The Earl of Basin supports my theory. I have visited Longleat--long time ago, now--so perhaps I've actually met Hairy Hezekiah himself. King-Smith uses a friendly, conversational voice for his story, and this tone is reinforced by Nick Bruel's humorous black and white illustrations. This is just right for early chapter readers and will get them primed for some of King-Smith's meatier books, such as Babe: The Gallant Pig and (my personal favorite) Martin's Mice.

Add a Comment

Add a Comment

In this Show: Gretchen from the Mommycast at PodcampEDU Produced By: Andy Bilodeau

Add a Comment

So, after I posted yesterday, I saw that I had missed 2 very important updates!

1. The new issue of The Edge of the Forest is up! Check it out! Lots of awesome articles, plus 2 reviews by yours truly (My Last Best Friend by Julie Bowe and Reality Leak by Jodi Sensel-- both are great reads!)

2. The new Carnival of Children's Lit is up over at Wizard's Wireless. My contribution is actually my Geek Buffet post about the Xela Awards... check it out!

And now, a review of 2 books off the big scary list! (And a break because they're both Adult Nonfiction)

First up is Ten Thousand Miles Without a Cloud Sun Shuyun

This book isn't available in the US, so I had to order it from England after reading her The Long March: The True History of Communist China's Founding Myth.

In Ten Thousand Miles Without a Cloud, Sun sets out to retrace the journey of Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk who traveled to India at the start of the Tang Dynasty to learn Sanskrit and bring back new sutras to Chinese Buddhists. (His travels being the basis of Chinese classic, Journey to the West.)

Not a Buddhist herself, Sun is searching for her grandmother's faith, and Xuanzang's. What was his driving force as he faced many perils along his way?

Sun has a magical way of trying history and legend together with her current narrative. It all blends seamlessly and also paints an amazing portrait of the changing face of Modern China.

I highly recommend it, even if you do have to get it from England. Well worth it.

ALSO! How much do I love the fact that she has an Orphan Works notice on her list of illustrations! WONDERFUL!!!!! (sorry, that's the geek in me)

A Needle in the Right Hand of God: The Norman Conquest of 1066 and the Making and Meaning of the Bayeux Tapestry R. Howard Bloch

While this was interesting, as pop history it was ultimately unsatisfying. Bloch spends a lot of time proving minor points (did I really need half a chapter on the longship find of Sutton Hoo?) and leaves some other points hanging.

His premise is that the Bayeux Tapestry was stitched as a way to bring about a new multi-cultural peace and ultimately... I didn't buy it. There are many obvious other explanations to his supporting points that he doesn't address.

For instance, the fact that the tapestry is vague about some of the stickier points of the story (what the contents of the oath Harold swore, who Edward appointed as successor) isn't necessarily "sufficiently undefined as to permis all to identify with their particular point of view" ON PURPOSE. Maybe (a) it was common knowledge-- it's not like there are paragraphs of text here, most of the narration is based on common knowledge (b) Maybe they didn't know. This information doesn't appear in any other source, either. Maybe it was a secret.

But Bloch doesn't address these possible explanations for any of his evidence.

I do like his in-depth art-analysis of the symbolism and origins of various aspects of the tapestry, especially as he does refer to specific panels that are illustrated in the full color insert pages, as well as several other full-color and black-and-white illustrations throughout the text.

And as a minor note, I really didn't like the font. The lower case p has this little bit that extends out and is just visually very distracting.

Add a Comment

It's 19th Century England, and the Professor's daughter Lillian has gone and fallen in love with the handsome mummy of Imhotep IV. Not exactly the best match, hmm? After Imhotep gets loopy from taking tea and smashes up the tea room, police come calling. Lillian doses the tea she offers to the police, thinking that she will be able to get Imhotep out of her father's suit, and put away before any more trouble ensues. Alas, she ends up killing the officers, and what follows rivals many an action film.

From long lost fathers, to kidnapping, to noble sacrifices for love, Joann Sfar and Emmanuel Guibert have put together a graphic novel that zips along. The far-fetched story did not grab me as much as the GORgeous illustrations. From the sepia tones of early panels to the bright red coats of the palace guards, The Professor's Daughter is a visual stunner.

Add a Comment

The Guardian reports that Brit children's authors Jacqueline Wilson and Eric Hill have been honored in this year's Queen's Honours List. Jacqueline Wilson has now earned the right to be called Dame. Eric Hill has been given an OBE (Order of the British Empire.) I'm not a big fan of Spot, but I think it's fantastic that a picture book creator has been recognized in such a way.

Honors to me, too; this is my 100th blog entry. Yay me!

Add a Comment

Our Libros del Mundo series now contains a total of twelve titles. Two more will be released in March 2008 but here is a listing of all fourteen:

Add a Comment

This attractive animal fantasy should appeal to readers who like swashbuckling and hedgehogs in waistcoats. Penhaligan Brush is a fox, bored by his life as an apothecary in a sleepy Cornish village, who goes to visit his adoptive badger brother in the coastal town of Porthlaven. There he stumbles upon a dastardly plot by the loathsome wrecker Sir Derek (not a nice cat) to lure a ship full of treasure to its demise on the craggy shores of the port. Ouch!

The book, by S. Jones Rogan, is beautifully illustrated by Christian Slade (he of the Korgi fame.) Having visited Cornwall on many occasions, there is much about this book that appeals to me and makes me wish that I was still living in England. I anticipate recommending this title to boys and girls alike.

Add a Comment

There was a line from a poem written by a short blond girl who read once at a poetry open mic hosted by the college literary magazine. The line, which I don't remember exactly, was along the lines of, "I broke his heart in English, because I couldn't be bothered to translate."

There are many beautiful meditations on language, and losing your language, and living and loving in a foreign language in Chang-Rae Lee's fantastic Native Speaker.

I have tried and failed to date outside English. Conversation sticks to pleasantries like the weather and we never really get to know each other.

These were the thoughts running through my head as I read Xiaolu Guo's A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers: A Novel

I think it is telling that it is dedicated to "The man who... knows how a woman lost her language."

Z (no one can pronounce Zhuang, just call her Z) is sent to London to study English. There she meets a man, older and a drifter, and falls in love with him.

She talks to him as she learns English. Each chapter is short vignette, starting with a word and definition. As the novel, and time, wear on, Z's English improves, but never reaches fluency.

It's a doomed affair, you can tell from the beginning, the way he has a conception of China and expects her to be a good communist and Buddhist because she is Chinese and those are aspects that fit in with his aging-hippie drifter persona, never realizing that China has changed drastically. You can tell by the way she doesn't understand privacy.

More than a chronicle of a doomed love affair, it is a story of subtle and wry cultural misunderstanding. It is a coming-of-age story, both emotionally and sexually.

It is beautifully written, at times switching between terse and broken, to evocative and sensual, to moments of clear truth.

One of my favorite books of the year.

Add a Comment

Add a Comment

Proposal for a mile high mirror.
2 sketchbook pages, each 13cm x 9cm. Rotring pen. Click to enlarge.

Display Comments Add a Comment

Add a Comment

I have been so looking forward to this book; pretty much since I closed the cover of its predecessor, Larklight. As soon as this made its way through Tech Services I grabbed it. And, I'm pleased to say, I have not been disappointed! The Victorian intergalactic adventures of Art, his ever so proper sister Myrtle, their 2,000,000 year old mother, and the space pilot-cum-British-spy Jack Havistock continue as they do their duty for Queen and Country. 'Science Fiction' is one of those terms that has fallen out of favor, particularly among the biggest fans of the genre. The replacement term, 'speculative fiction' is a fantastic substitute in this case, because both Larklight and Starcross are speculating on an epic scale. With one simple premise--alchemists never could turn base materials into gold, but they did develop warp technology--and one far-reaching backdrop (Queen Victoria's British Empire,) author Philip Reeve has created a series of adventure stories with the sensibility of M.T. Anderson and the bustles of Anthony Trollope. Give us more, kind sir!

Add a Comment

Add a Comment

Found this on the Times (that's, of London) website. American director Wes Anderson is directing a feature length adaptation of The Fantastic Mr. Fox, with George Cloony. What I want to know is, does The Fantastic Mr. Cloony speak West Country?

Display Comments Add a Comment

Me: Holy Cow! Molly's interviewing me for her blog!
Dan: Um, shouldn't you be interviewing her?
Me: Probably, but I'm saving that for when her book comes out and she's all famous and everyone wants a piece of her. Because they will. And then I can be all "Hey Molly! You interviewed me! My turn!"

So, here's my interview over at Bittersweet.

And, now, onto the Poetry Friday portion of our event.

"Luke, you will find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view."

-Obi wan Kenobi

When I lived in Manchester, I spent Guy Fawkes day in the Darwin Forest, drinking cider by a large bonfire and pretending I knew the words the various songs being sung around me. Living in the North, Guy Fawkes day was a day to celebrate "The last good man sent to Parliament." Whereas, traditionally, especially in the South, it is a day to celebrate catching a Catholic traitor who tried to blow up Parliament.

Harpers had an interesting article on Guy Fawkes and his modern role in Monday's Harpers.

Literary connections: I'm assuming that Fawkes the Phoenix in Harry Potter is named after Guy Fawkes. Also, the day play a big role in V for Vendetta. (Do I lose all street cred when I mention I haven't read this, but only seen the movie? The movie was pretty awesome!)

So, here I give you:

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The gunpowder, treason and plot,
I know of no reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, ’twas his intent
To blow up the King and Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below,
Poor old England to overthrow;
By God’s providence he was catch’d
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, make the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
Hip hip hoorah!

A penny loaf to feed the Pope.
A farthing o’ cheese to choke him.
A pint of beer to rinse it down.
A faggot of sticks to burn him.
Burn him in a tub of tar.
Burn him like a blazing star.
Burn his body from his head.
Then we’ll say ol’ Pope is dead.
Hip hip hoorah!
Hip hip hoorah hoorah!

Display Comments Add a Comment

Add a Comment

Add a Comment

Add a Comment

Add a Comment