Books to cherish every day
There’s an excellent new review of Petal and the Really Hard Riddle on the Reading Time blog. Here’s a short extract:
Author of picture books, chapter books and stories for older children England has reimagined this tale with humour and skill.
Highly recommended.
(We just wish the great review had mentioned the fabulous illustrations by David Allan too–so we are mentioning them here 🙂 –they are fabulous indeed and really add to the wonderful story!)
You can read the whole review here.
The first review for our new chapterbook, Kathryn England’s Petal and the Really Hard Riddle(illustrated by David Allan) has just 
been published in Buzz Words, and it’s a nice one. Here’s a short extract:
This is a lively reworking of a tale probably unfamiliar to today’s readership of five to nine-year olds for whom it’s intended, but the story is easy to follow with simple text in a well-designed book. Each chapter is illustrated with black and white drawings which make reading easier.
You can read the full review here.
Delighted to see that Margrete Lamond’s and Ingrid Kallick’s gorgeous Two Troll Tales from Norway has garnered another lovely review! It’s in the latest issue of the prestigious children’s literature magazine, Magpies, and is by author and bookseller Mike Lucas. Here’s a very short extract:
Christmas Press, a relatively new publisher specialising in fairy tales, folk tales and traditional stories, has brought together a magical storyteller and a perfectly suited illustrator to retell these two Norwegian tales..
The review is below(not available online)
Just in, another great review for Margrete Lamond and Ingrid Kallick’s Two Troll Tales from Norway!
Here’s some short extracts:Â Margret Lamond skilfully retells the two magical tales in this charming picture book displaying her talent as a storyteller….The illustrations by Ingrid Kallick convey the unusual quality of these stories and have a distinctly Scandinavian appearance in the decorative patterns and colours.
You can read the whole review here.
Here’s a short extract:
Three Dragons for Christmas is a beautiful 32-page book that is perfect for young readers. It contains three original, heartwarming stories created by different authors and illustrators and featuring everyone’s favourite mystical creatures – dragons.
You can read the full review here.
We were delighted and honoured to hear that the distinguished and very popular author Hazel Edwards has posted a wonderful five-star review of Three Dragons for Christmas, on Goodreads. The review follows below but you can also read it here.
‘Three Dragons for Christmas’ is a suitable gift of the imagination for an entire family. It won’t be read only at Christmas.
Beautifully designed with traditional illustrations and even a mouse on each of the endpapers, plus a bookplate for the owner’s name, this is a book for keeping (even when downsizing). Check out the green dragon scales on the endpapers too.
The three tales are very different but all share the rhythm of well structured stories where the reader identifies emotionally and cares what happens to the character…in each case a small dragon.
Sophie Masson’s ‘The Christmas Dragon’ wants to be a sleigh-pulling reindeer. The job interview with Santa when you’re fiery, not cool, was fun. Lisa Stewart’s postcard provided a different perspective even if 5 cents seems cheap postage in dragontimes.
Fiona Mc Donald’s ‘Dragon Market’ was like many present day community markets and the eventual dragon merchandise sells well.
And the witty book titles within the Beattie Alvarez’s illustrations for ‘The Dragon’s Pet’ include Encyclopedia Draconica and First Flames.
Both the design and type of tale have a traditional feel, and the book is VERY green, with scales. All read well aloud (especially by grandparents to 5 year olds).
Older readers ( and adults) will also enjoy this trio of stories by three different authors, two of whom are illustrator-authors and the extra Dragon artwork by illustrator David Allan.
Highly recommended.
Another great review for the beautiful Two Tengu Tales from Japan, by Duncan Ball and David Allan: review published in Buzz Words. Here’s a short extract:
Thank goodness for Christmas Press which works hard to introduce young Australian readers to legends, myths and folklore from other countries! Here is its latest offering, a lively retelling by a well-known children’s author of stories about tengu, magical beings from Japan who grant wishes to those who ask them. However, tengu are tricksters…
This is a gorgeously presented book, well-designed with illustrations in the Japanese tradition which are so attractive they make you want to pore over them.
You can read the full review here.
