Archive | October 2019

Darling Hedgehog by Auralee Arkinsly

Oct30

Charming

Darling Hedgehog Goes Down A Foxhole by Auralee Arkinsly is a charming book for young children ages eight years and below. It is beautifully illustrated by Julia Swezy. I only had a black and white copy on my kindle and I imagine a paperback in colour would be stunning.

The book has some life lessons to be learnt – trust must be earnt; be brave; find what you are good at. These are all starting points for discussions with your child.

With simple sentences this book is ideal to read aloud to young children or for early readers to read themselves. It would make a beautiful addition to any bookshelf.

Both the hedgehog and the fox are well illustrated and would appeal to young children. They would translate perfectly into soft toys too.

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Cats, Cannoli’s And A Curious Kidnapping by Cheryl Denise Bannerman

Oct28

Stranger Than Fiction

Cats, Cannoli’s and A Curious Kidnapping by Cheryl Denise Bannerman is a contemporary light-hearted suspense that would make a perfect afternoon movie for channel 5.

The novel surrounds a crime author who accidentally stumbles into a real life crime. She finds out that fact really is stranger than fiction.

Told from three alternating points of view, the reader ‘sees’ the action through the eyes of the author, perpetrator and a cop. It is an entertaining and unique read.

As a crazy cat lady, I loved the inclusion of seven cats. My favourite was the black Siamese.

Cats, Cannoli’s and A Curious Kidnapping was a pleasant story to while away a dismal autumn afternoon.

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Many Hands Make Light Work by Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy

Oct27

The Family That Works, Rests And Prays Together

Many Hands Make Light Work by Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy is a wonderful family memoir about growing up in a Christian family in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

The author is one of nine children who had what sounds like The Waltons type childhood. Mum and Dad happily welcomed strangers into their home in the form of a series of college students needing board and lodgings.

As with all large families, a degree of organisation is needed to function. The family all pulled together to keep everything running smoothly.

I loved the idea that the family sang together as they worked together. I even found myself singing along in my head as I read! Some songs did create moments of hilarity too.

Prayer, church attendance and God were all present in the children’s lives as good strong influences on the adults they became.

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Red Cabbage Blue by Annie Try

Oct26

A Journey Of Discovery

Red Cabbage Blue by Annie Try is a powerful contemporary tale about discovery – just exactly what makes us who we are. It is part of the Dr Mike Lewis series but can be read as a stand-alone.

The novel is told from two points of view – psychologist Dr Mike Lewis and his patient Adelle. The reader becomes intimately acquainted with both. Interestingly they are both dealing with similar issues but in very different ways.

Our pasts shape us whether we consciously realise it or not. Some things in our past are buried so deeply that we do not even realise they are there. We do not realise the significance of why we do what we do.

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