classic book

Book Review: The Little Bookroom

Posted by

0

The Little Bookroom by Eleanor Farjeon

The Little Bookroom
by Eleanor Farjeon, Edward Ardizzone (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

This charming collection of short stories includes elements from fairy tales, from Victorian England, and even from WWII. The settings are just as varied, sometimes in England, sometimes in a fairy land, sometimes in Italy or Ireland. There are magical giants, kings, and dragons, and sometimes just a donkey, a parlormaid, or a plain peach tree. The fantastical and the ordinary are blended so beautifully in each story.

Continue reading →

Board Book Review: Lit for Little Hands Jane Eyre

Posted by

0

Lit for Little Hands by Brooke Jorden

Lit for Little Hands: Jane Eyre
by Brooke Jorden, Olga Skomorokhova (Illustrations)

5 out of 5 stars

This board book tells the story of Jane Eyre, simplified for little readers. It has interactive pull tabs and flaps to reveal the mysteries surrounding Thornfield Manor! Some of the story is told with quotes from the original novel and includes original dialogue as well.

Continue reading →

Book Review: Aunt Jane’s Nieces Out West

Posted by

0

Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West by Edith Van Dyne

Aunt Jane’s Nieces Out West (Aunt Jane’s Nieces, #9)
by Edith Van Dyne

4 out of 5 stars

Uncle John and his nieces discover the delights and dangers of the motion picture business when they befriend two young actresses. When a mysterious young man makes their acquaintance, the group are puzzled to explain what he is doing in California.

This penultimate book in the series is so much fun! It has mystery and stolen jewels, a daring rescue, and all the intrigues of the early days of silent films. It was really interesting to see how the girls and their Uncle John got entangled in the lives of these two actresses and the mysterious young man. I loved learning more about the motion picture business in its early days. It’s like a little snippet of history.

Continue reading →

Manga Classic Review: Midsummer Night’s Dream

Posted by

0

Manga Classics by Crystal S. Chan

Manga Classics: Midsummer Night’s Dream (Modern English Edition)
by  Crystal S. Chan, William Shakespeare, Po Tse (Illustrator), Michael Barltrop (Editor)

5 out of 5 stars

This manga adaptation of Williams Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream is the perfect way to introduce Shakespeare to readers who might feel intimidated by the original play. The text is modernized, but still captures the original style of Shakespeare. The entire play is intact, and all the beauty of Shakespeare’s words comes through wonderfully in this modern adaptation.

Continue reading →

Book Review: Aunt Jane’s Nieces on the Ranch

Posted by

0

Aunt Jane's Nieces on the Ranch by Edith Van Dyne

Aunt Jane’s Nieces on the Ranch (Aunt Jane’s Nieces, #8)
by Edith Van Dyne (Pseudonym), L. Frank Baum

3 out of 5 stars

Louise is married, living happily on the ranch with her new baby and adoring husband. Patsy, Beth, and Uncle John come to visit and see little baby Jane. Uncle John worries that the local nurse that Louise has hired will be incompetent, so he brings along a trained nurse from New York to care for the little baby. However, the local Mexican nurse is upset and jealous, causing drama in the family. When both nurses and baby Jane go missing, the whole house is in an uproar to find them.

Continue reading →

Classic Review: Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates

Posted by

0

Hans Brinker by Mary Mapes Dodge

Hans Brinker: The Silver Skates
by Mary Mapes Dodge, May Audubon Post (Illustrator)
4 out of 5 stars
Hans and his sister Gretel are poor. Their father was injured years ago and left with brain damage, so it is up to their mother to support the family. Hans tries to get work, but there are no jobs available in the winter time in Holland.
All the children in their village are excited for a grand skating race that will be held after Christmas, but Hans and Gretel only have cheap wooden skates that Hans made himself.

One of my favorite books as a child! Love it! There are so many elements to the story, and yet it is simple and pretty. The writing is so charming and sweet! The plot kept my interest, and I got so attached to the characters.

Continue reading →

Book Review: Mujercitas (Little Women: Spanish Edition)

Posted by

0

Mujercitas by Louisa May Alcott

Mujercitas (Little Women)
by Louisa May Alcott, Gerardo Gambolini (Translator)
5 out of 5 stars

Fue un placer escuchar esta historia como un audiolibro en español. ¡Me encantó volver a visitar esta historia favorita en mi segundo idioma despues de leerlo muchas veces en ingles! Fue genial para mi comprensión del idioma y fue casi como redescubrir a estos personajes por primera vez.

¡Amo a Beth, Amy, Jo y Meg! Son personajes tan dulces. Nunca me canso de leer sobre sus pequeñas aventuras y dramas.

El audiolibro gratuito que escuché era de “Voz Humana”. Fue una buena traducción y sentí que reflejaba muy bien el estilo de la escritura original. Me gustó mucho la narradora. La narradora hablaba clara y lentamente, por lo que era fácil de entender, incluso si el español es su segundo idioma.

KEEP READING TO SEE MY REVIEW IN ENGLISH!

Continue reading →

Classic Review: Wind in the Willows

Posted by

0

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

The Wind in the Willows
by Kenneth Grahame, Grahame Baker-Smith (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars
I adore this book! It is one of my favorite classics to reread. There is something so enchanting about Mole and Rat, Toad and Badger, and all the animal folk. Every time I read it, I am swept away into the exciting world of the River.

When I received this beautiful Templar edition in the mail, I literally started crying because the book is so beautiful. The cloth-bound green cover perfectly captures the peaceful mood of a breezy day boating on the River. I love the gorgeous gold foiling on the cover. It’s so tactile! I want to run my fingers over it, feeling the embossed edges of the ripples in the water, but I don’t want to mess it up by handling it too much.

And the inside is just as gorgeous! The endpapers are a pretty green with patterns of willow branches. Every couple of pages throughout the story, there is another delightful illustration bringing the story to life.

Continue reading →

Manga Classic Review: Macbeth

Posted by

0

Macbeth by Crystal S. Chan

Macbeth
by Crystal S. Chan (Adaptor), Julien Choy (Illustrator), William Shakespeare, Michael Barltrop (Modern English Adaptor)
4 out of 5 stars

Despite its popularity, MacBeth has never been one of my favorite Shakespearean plays. Too bloody and gory and gloomy for my taste. But if you like a dismal adventure with plenty of violence and mayhem, MacBeth has plenty of that! And this manga adaptation rings true with the moods and poetry of the original play. I like that the words of Shakespeare are modernized in a thoughtful way, and the artwork beautifully illustrates all the action and drama.

Each character has a memorable and striking appearance, and I found it especially interesting to see how MacBeth’s demeanor changed after he commits murder. His posture and facial expressions are different, and shadows gather around him in the darker shadows of the artwork. It’s a subtle but effective way of showing the development of his character, slowing falling into madness and despair.

Continue reading →