My Friend Inchy By Lynette Duffy

Feeling like he has no friends Timothy uses the money given to him by his mother for running an errand to busy a puppy. Upon returning home his mother tells him he cannot keep the puppy as they have a small house and it will dig holes in the garden and bark and make a noise. Saddened Timothy returns the puppy to the pet shop.

Upon returning the puppy the pet owner, no seeing how lonely Timothy would be, exchanges the puppy for a kitten. Of course his mother is displeased and Timothy soon returns the kitten...this setting the scene for the continuation of the exchange of animals until Timothy discovers a caterpillar ( Inchy ) whilst sitting under a tree. This begins a relationship between a boy and his pet as Timothy interacts and cares for Inchy. One day when Timothy returns from school he finds that Inchy has spun himself into a cocoon. Inchy soon becomes a magnificently coloured butterfly. Timothy is devastated when Inchy fly's out his bedroom window but soon realises that he has not lost a pet at all, it has just been transformed. 

My Friend Inchy by Lynette Duffy is a wonderful story of friendship that is easily related to by all children. It touches on the childhood emotions of loneliness, sadness, friendship, joy, love and loss. The use of repetition reinforces concepts and assists the less confident reader. This is coupled with the realistic illustrations by Anne Marie Finn, taking children of all ages on a visual journey.

The introduction of the process of Metamorphosis, the changing of caterpillar to butterfly, not only leads itself to the discussion of the loss of a pet but to the early discovery of biology and animal care. My Friend Inchy is a book that opens itself to conversation on many different levels. Used on a 1:1 basis or in a school or group setting, My Friend Inchy is sure to leave children asking questions and pondering the world of friendship, pets and relationships.

This is a book is suited to the 5 + age group due to the amount of words and length. Younger children would find it difficult to sit for the duration of the story as there are a lot of word per page. The illustrations lend themselves to discussion and storytelling with the younger child.

Copies can by ordered directly from Lynette Duffy by joining her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bookladylynette?fref=ts

ISBN: 978-0-646-56058-8

Yellow Dress Day by Michelle Worthington

‘Ava loved dresses. She had a dress in every color of the rainbow.’ and so this beautifully put together story begins. Simple yet elegant and educational Yellow Dress Day by Michelle Worthington follows the journey of Ava and her coloured dresses that are worn depending on the weather of the day.

I loved the descriptive words associated with this book. They tease and tantalize the senses and sit happily in your mind for hours after you have shared the book. It is words like these that captivate and instil a love of reading in children, with the words nicely playing on the sounds and world around us. Words such as ‘swish and swirl and fall’, ‘whistling, whirly, windy day’ and ‘jumped and tumbled’ made us want to act them out as we visualized the movement of the environment on such a day. The colours of the dresses nicely matched the mood of the weather and Ava’s mood, giving recognition to the role colour plays in our life.

Yellow Dress Day opens up a world of communication. The use of colour encourages recognition and discussion with Ava’s despair of her yellow dress being in the wash basket just right for talking about feelings, emotions and problem solving. How would you feel when you looked out the window and it was a whistling, whirly, windy day? What would you do for the day? How would you feel if the dress you wanted to wear was in the wash? What could you do to solve the problem?

Beautifully present Yellow Dress Day lifts the spirit, instils fun and laughter and is easy for children of all ages to relate to. In the first instance the cover captivates in a fun spirited way, enticing you to open the book in order to grab more of the fun inside. Illustrator Sophie Norsa has done a wonderful job at complimenting the story, providing colour that uplifts and gives a visual to the descriptive.

Yellow Dress Day by Michelle Worthington is one of those memorable children’s books that will be pulled off the shelf creating an instant feel good smile. The story is lighthearted and moving, the illustrations are colourful and inviting. The hard cover presentation shows the thought and

commitment of a team of professionals.

You will definitely not be disappointed when you purchase a copy of Yellow Dress day by Michelle Worthington.

ISBN: 9781921928291

Find out more and grab a copy at www.michelleworthington.com

Who's In The Grass by Alyssa Jane Mulholland

Who’s In The Grass may appear as a normal lift the flap story book but within it holds something magical. It holds the gift from one child to another.

Author Alyssa Jane Mulholland is an 8 year old girl who, along with the assistance of her mother Kerry Mulholland, has created a storybook world of magical animals and peek a boo surprises. This is a light amusing book that will delight children from birth upwards. The familiar animals and the lyrical words create a world that, when shared to a young child, introduces concepts, words, sounds and animals within their environment. When presented to an older child who is familiar with the nonsense words and world within you are sure to hear giggles of glee. Who’s In The Grass lends itself to a great first reader with the pictures prompting the words.

This is a beautifully presented book. The silver reflective backing of the cover works well adding to the charisma within and allowing the child to see a reflection of themselves within the grass. I scratched my head for some time as to why this book was titled Who’s In The Grass. I even shared it with other adults who also could not see where the title was associated with the book. Within we find out who’s behind the tree, who’s in the flowers, who’s hiding in the leaves, who’s hiding over there in the bucket of water, who’s hiding in the tree, who’s in the bush, who’s under my bed and who’s all snuggled up in bed but no mention of grass can be found. It dawned on me whilst writing this review and critiquing and analyzing it that the Who’s In The Grass refers to the child’s reflection on the front cover. This concept seems to have initially been lost. I feel it would have been nice to end the book on this note with the reflection of the child on the last page, carrying the title through to the storyline.

I love the illustrations of this book. They are clear and large with just the right amount of detail to provoke discussion and labeling in the younger child. A bumble bee can be found on each page with the toys on page 17 being found on the bed on page 19, along with the tail of the cat from earlier in the story. One thing I found interesting is that there is no mention of who illustrated this book on the cover. I was so sold on the illustrations that I wanted to know who did them. I even went online to see if I could find a mention of the illustrator but all leads led to dead ends. After a lot of thought and reading of all the fine print within the cover I discovered mention of the illustrator being Glen Singleton. For some reason I felt cheated that the illustrator had not been given a bold mention and felt as though the book had been, to a degree, left in an unfinished state. As a reader it is always nice to know who drew the pictures, especially in a book like this where the illustrations play a major role.

Overall this is a great book that will hopefully inspire other creative children to believe in themselves, write from the heart and share with others. My 6 year old daughter and myself enjoyed sharing this book. My adult quirks do not matter to a child. It is the sharing, nonsense within and overall journey of words and pictures that matter most to a child. This book is presents

professionally making it a beautiful gift for a child.

Find out where to purchase a copy at  www.whosinthegrass.com.au

Madeleine, Maddy and Midge Positive Thinking for Children by Cathy Domoney

Confidence and a positive self esteem in a child goes a long way to shaping a successful and happy future. It gives them the courage to try new things, stand up for themselves and accept love and praise. It helps them make good decisions, set goals and look forward to the future. In Madeleine, Maddy and Midge Cathy Domoney provides an environment that helps children feel good about themselves.

Appealing to all ages as a read alone book or one that is shared with an adult, Madeleine, Maddy and Midge is illustrated by Karen Davis who has created characters that compliment the positive and negative aspects of the book.

Madeleine has two secret friends, Maddy and Midge. Maddy’s happy messages makes Madeleine feel tall, strong and full of confidence. Midge however, fills Madeleine with worries, troubles and doubt and makes her feel small, scared and alone. Madeleine has found the magic spell so that Maddy’s voice will be all she will hear and Midge will disappear like the ‘Pop’ of a bubble. Madeleine has a power to decide whether to be happy or sad. The question is, what will she decide?

The use of empowering, positive descriptive words in Madeleine, Maddy and Midge gives children the tools they need to not only explain how they are feeling to another but tools that will strengthen their thought processes, helping beat the confusion that is often found in a young mind.

I loved the warm, loving relationship between Madeleine and her mother but did wonder if, to a child who is already feeling negative, this relationship would destroy them a little more if not found within their own family. Here leads further opportunity for teachers and therapists to open the door to discussion about families and the individual dynamics they hold.

Cathy Domoney has done a wonderful job of addressing the reality of the fact that it is not easy to push those negative thoughts and feelings aside.

‘From that day onwards, there were still times when Midge would try to re-appear and make Madeleine feel bad. But Madeleine was clever. She remembered that she had power inside of her to choose, and she would listen to Maddy and tell Midge to “Shush!”

Madeleine, Maddy and Midge is more than just a story book, it is a world full of information,empowerment and self awareness. Cleverly created to meet not only the needs of children but those of parents, teachers and therapist, Madeleine, Maddy and Midge is a resource worthy of sitting on all bookshelves.

Using her experiences and qualifications of not only a primary teacher but that of counsellor and psychotherapist Cathy Domoney has included pages that provide pointers for using this book as a successful resource tool. She has included points to share with children along with suggestedactivities.

The message within Madeleine, Maddy and Midge is written with strength that is clear and precise.In her message at the back of the book Cathy Domoney writes:

“The most important thing to remember is that all children are unique and that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to help them! As long as we begin from a position of love, patience, and respect, we are on the right track.......My hope is that this story and the associated activities will be a foundation for you to generate your own ideas for the child in your care. I hope that it has opened a line of communication for you to further develop and explore the promoting of confidence and self-esteem with your child or children.”

Madeleine, Maddy and Midge Positive Thinking for Children by Cathy Domoney is the ideal gift for any child, and a gift for any adult working in the eduction industry. This book has the ability to change a child’s life experiences without them even realising it. Those working with children will thank you for years to come as their job is made easier and the children they work with leave with a smile on their face.

ISBN: 978-1-4525-0761-3

Format: Paperback and ebook

Available at www.amazon.com and other online retail stores.

“This book offers children a clear and accessible story through which greater confidence and self-esteem can develop, and the suggestions and activities offered at the end of the story will be welcomed and used by many adults who support children in a broad range of settings” - Sarah Hebe, art psychotherapist.

“ All children deserve to feel good about themselves, and this book helps them feel just that. The story appeals to children of all ages and will become a much-thumbed favourite. Parents and teachers will find it a useful aid for raising self-esteem through assemblies, circle times and bedtimes. What a way to boost their confidence!” - Jess Caunter, primary headteacher, BEd ( Hons), NPQH.

Homecountry by TW Lawless

This book review is part of the Christmas Advent Calendar 2014

5 sleeps till Christmas. 

Homecountry by TW Lawless shows the strength of this Australian writers ability to produce a novel that not only captivates but puts you in a place of reality. TW Lawless entertains with humor, drama, love and a little bit of country lunacy. 

Born and raised in North Queensland but currently living in Melbourne Victoria TW Lawless has combined his life experiences in both parts of Australia into one book. He has created a work of fiction that makes Australians feel at home and brings those overseas to Australia. There is truth in his characters as they represent the culture of Australia and the life of the outback. 

Primarily set in 1987 Homecountry takes you on a journey into the life of Peter Clancy, a hard-drinking Melbourne Truth journalist. Returning to his hometown of Clarke’s Flat to bury his mother and settle the estate Peter Clancy’s short two day stay is soon stretched to eight as he is drawn back into the past and the secrets the town beholds.  

Peter is convinced by his childhood mate David Tindall, who is now a police constable, to use his journalistic skills and contacts to help him uncover the truth behind the 1960’s ‘suicide’ of David’s father and another man. With Aboriginal Sam Saturday supporting David, Peter is soon convinced that things are not as they seemed. 

TW Lawless writes with an easy to read flow that draws you in and captivates you, throwing in a little humor from time to time that has you snickering and grinning from ear to ear. My initial thoughts after reading two pages of Homecountry was that this was definitely a man’s book, but how wrong I was. Homecountry is a book that suits both sexes and a vast age range. The content is manly do a degree but it soon had a woman like myself wanting to turn the page to find out more. 

Homecountry is a thriller that leaves you asking questions and wondering about the plans and motives of those around you. What is going on in your town? Is Clarke’s Flat possibly an example of country towns within Australia?

On his site TW Lawless states that Homecountry is an idea he has carried in his head for twenty years. In the early 1990’s he sat down and wrote a book in longhand, had it typed and sent it to several publishers. After receiving rejection letters he soon became discouraged saving the publishing of his first book until he became older, wiser and more determined. Readers will be thankful that he eventually found that little place within himself that gave him the courage to take the leap into publishing. 

TW Lawless is currently working on his second book Thornydevils which should see a publication date of early 2014 . As he says “Thats what writers do. There’s no time to sit on your hands when a great idea is developing in your head. It will take you over anyway.”

TW Lawless is a storyteller who leaves you breathless with anticipation. Homecountry has definitely left me wanting more and wondering what is being created in the mind of this Australian author. I await book two with anticipation. 

Find out more about TW Lawless and purchase Homecountry at www.twlawless.com

ISBN: 978-0-646-58469-0

Roan: The Tales of Conor Archer Volume 1 by E.R. Barr

Are you ready to travel on a journey of a lifetime, where all is not how it seems, where the ‘dark ones’ powers are slowly unleashing, where forbidden love touches hearts, and strong bonds of friendships are formed?

As soon as you set your eyes on the pages of Roan: The Tales of Conor Archer your journey begins.

E.R. Barr is a storyteller like no other. Within Roan he weaves a magical, mystical story that resembles those told around fires many years ago. Captivating, magical and highly addictive Eric Barr creates a story of love, spiritual being, power, control and good v’s evil.

It is rare that I am lost for words but Roan has put me there. I am spell bound by the magical journey I have travelled. From cover to content I am hooked on this trilogy. Roan fits just nicely into the world of fiction, fantasy and sci-fi, actually it probably fits too well in terms of having the ability to take control.

Within Conor, his family, his love and his friends E.R. Barr has created characters that become part of you. As I read Roan I felt every moment, I travelled every road and I visualized ever character as though they were standing in the room next to me. I was mesmerized, excited and part of every page. It has been years since I cried whilst reading a book but Roan had me sobbing. I turned the last page in disbelief of the fact that my journey was over. No! I wanted to shout. Not now, never. Where is volume 2?

There is no guessing or knowing where this book will take you from page to page. I became trapped, for use of a better word as I never wanted to leave, in the web of Roan. Just as I thought I had the plot all worked out E.R Barr had me turning an unexpected corner and gasping with elation, fear, anticipation or excitement.

Conor Archer is a young boy with a life full of adventure that he has not chosen to be part of but which instead chose him at birth. After his mother passes Conor finds himself part of a world he could never have dreamed existed in the little town of Tinker’s Grove, Wisconsin. Here magic happens, both good and evil. Here lives the ‘dark ones', children born with strange powers that diminish in adolescence.

With Celtic myth running through the town, and a century and a half of keeping the truth hidden, life in Tinker’s Grove soon changes. Conor Archer arrives in town, with his hand wrapped in a bandage and a severe fever, bearing the name of the one of the prophecy spoken. There are the stories and sightings of Piasa, the Native American river demon, and the disappearances of town folk that lay unexplained. Motivated by Piasa and a promise of fame and glory, Cathness McNabb, with the support of her three sons and Dr Nicholas Drake, a respected geo-geneticist, set out to learn the secret of the ‘dark ones’ and obtain the powers they behold. With a battle between good and evil soon looming the future of Tinker’s Grove lays unknown.

As you travel the journey with Conor Archer you become at one with the Celtic myth and his inherited ties to the land. You become part of a life of a young man who is only just beginning to discover who he truly is. As you close the book on the journey you are left with the blood of Conor Archer and the folk of Tinker’s Grove running through your veins. I felt a little lost when Roan came to an end. I was numb with disbelief that my journey was over, left seeking the next volume. Conor had become part of me, part of my family. To end the book was to end a chapter of my own life.

I love everything about this book. I will admit that at first instance the thickness of the book, being that of 542 pages, had me a little overwhelmed but by the end of the first few chapters I had forgotten all about it. The cover of Roan speaks as the content does. It intrigues, provokes thought and wonderment and calls ones name. One may say the cover portrays a dark mystery, and I suppose to a degree so does the content, but not the darkness that one may find hard to take. It is a magical darkness that engulfs you and speaks a voice of its own.

Roan: The Tales of Conor Archer Vol 1 by E.R. Barr offers darkness with a ray of sunshine, mystery with a little bit of the known and romance with love and pain.

J.R.R Tolkien had it. E.R Barr is following behind.

ISBN: 978-1-93787-66-2

www.erbarr.com

Where My Heart Breaks by Ivy Sinclair

Where My Heart Breaks by Ivy Sinclair is a heartwarming contemporary romance based on lust, young love and friendship.  It presents as an enjoyable relaxing read that allows you to loose yourself in the personal and emotional struggles of Kate, the 21 year old who finds herself helping her aunt for the summer holidays at Willoughby Inn. Then there is Reed, the hunky hot tattoo’d bad guy with many notches on the bed that Kate is forbid from seeing by her mother and aunt Partrice. 

Ivy Sinclair has done a marvelous job of setting a story line the weaves the characters and their past and present lives perfectly. Although I did feel the book was a little predictable at times it seemed to only add to the romance within and set the mood. 

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I tend to steer away from e-books as I miss the feel of the book in my hand. The way a book feels, smells and looks in an important component to the reading experience for me. The first chapter of Where My Heart Breaks had me wondering if I was going to make the final chapter but by the time I got to chapter two I was so hooked I forgot I was reading an e-book, instead reading into the small hours of the night completing the book within two days.

Where the Heart Breaks has something magical about it. It is a simple read with a simple plot but it seems to touch the heart in a way that other romance novels tend to miss. Suited to the late teen plus market this book is sure to find it’s way onto many e-readers and into the heart of  it’s readers. The cover easily portray’s the passion between Kate and Reed and the desire to love and move on from the past that has tainted their image.

Where My Heart Breaks is the 5th book by Ivy Sinclair and I will admit that the thought of reading her other books does appeal to me and has me wondering what the Ivy Sinclair experience would be like in paperback. 

Overall well done Ivy Sinclair. Where The Heart Breaks has left me with the characters whirling in my mind and visions of life in Bleckerville, past and future, for Kate and Reed. 

A recommended read for contemporary romance lovers!

ISBN: 9781492239123

E-book and paperback available online from Amazon.com

Learn more about Ivy Sinclair at  www.ivysinclair.com