Fairest, by Gail Carson Levine

This book was not on my reading list for the month of January. It's in my reading stack but I intended to get to some other titles first. However, Fairest was staring at me from my bookshelf and I was feeling in the mood for a fun piece of fiction so I picked it up. I had picked up a used copy of this book sometime last year and just never got around to reading it. Now, I'm glad to have done so.

First off, this book is marketed to 8 to 14 year olds which I think is atrocious. There is no way on earth I would hand this book over to an 8 year old. I would also personally think twice about handing it over to a 12 year old. Fourteen is growing more reasonable.

The reason: the romance. Oh, it's incredibly tame if you are an adult. (It's just some kissing and extremely mild descriptions of love.) But EIGHT!? I think not!

For myself, the romance was so tame and the fairy tale and magical aspect of the story so strong that my 30-something year old self wasn't bothered by it. Awhile back I read Ella Enchanted (linked to my thoughts) and had the same feeling. Fun story. Magical. Winsome. Not really suitable for the age it's being marketed to.

In Fairest we meet a young girl named Aza whose "singing is the fairest in the land" of Ayortha. Her drawback is that she is hideously ugly - such that customers at the Inn that her family owns do not even want to look at her. Aza doesn't know, exactly, where she comes from. She was brought to the Inn by a wench who smuggled baby Aza in and herself out. The innkeeper and his wife (and their children) adopt Aza and love her as one of their own.

Despite her ugliness, a Duchess who patronizes the inn takes a fancy to Aza's company and invites Ava to join her as her companion when she travels to the castle to see the king marry. Aza is both excited and terrified to be able to go. She would love to see the King marry (and his chosen bride!) and participate in the sings but she knows that her appearance causes others distress. What other people do not realize is that Aza also has a secret talent. She can "illusing" - which involves throwing her voice to different parts of the room and mimicking others. Unfortunately, the new queen discovers Aza's talent and this ultimately puts Aza in great danger.

I thought this was a really clever story. I enjoyed the plot, I cared about the characters and I had a hard time putting the book down! I devoured it in one day. It is an absolutely fanciful fairy tale and I really enjoy Levine's style.

As an aside - the family structure in this book is top notch. Aza's parents love her fiercely and devotedly. Her relationship with her siblings is admirable. Much better than the father figure in Ella Enchanted, that's for sure! At one point in the story, when Aza is in danger, her father writes her a letter in which he states: "We know the daughter we raised. We fear for your future, but never for your character. You take our love and our trust wherever you wander. Father."

My dad said something similar to me at one time and so this particular passage in the book struck a deep chord with me. I so loved reading about the relationship that Aza had with her parents. I could say a good bit more on this topic but I'll leave it with Aza's Father's remarks for now.

I heartily recommend this one to adults who just want to escape into a good, solid story. I just have problems, as I said, with handing it over to younger readers because of the kissing and romance. Probably this is very tame and light romance, all things considered. Still, I hardly see the point. The twist, turns, suspense, ogres, gnomes and daily castle life is thrilling and enchanting enough. I wish authors would let girls be girls and save the romance for later. Definitely not a read for an eight year old, but I was completely enthralled and delighted! I would be happy to lose myself in more of Levine's work. In fact, I look forward to doing so!

Although this is marketed as middle grade reading, I'm marking it YA and General Fiction because I think that's more appropriate.

Lucy Maud Montgomery Challenge 2011 - conclusion

**THE WINNER OF A COPY OF MAGIC FOR MARIGOLD IS - #26 - Stephanie's Mommy Brain**



Yes, my friends, our (official) time with Lucy Maud Montgomery and her lovely books and characters has come to an end. Just because the L.M. Montgomery Reading Challenge has come to an end, doesn't mean your reading of her works must stop! (I am most pleased to have heard from some of you that you are just getting started!) It's been a fun month and I've very much enjoyed it. I hope you have also.

Now is the time to leave us your links! What did you manage to read? How many reviews/thoughts did you write up about the challenge? Leave your links/wrap-up posts in the comment section below. I look forward to seeing what you all have thought and what your Montgomery reading experiences have been.

As is my habit- I'll create a post that organizes your links which will go up next week. Feel free to visit around now, of course, but do know that I'll give you the links in a convenient post in a bit. I like to give people a few days to get their posts up and linked before I provide the list though so that no one gets left out of the main link post!

Thank you for reading along and sharing with us! If you are the planning type, go ahead and mark your calendars for next January when we'll gather again and revisit some more of our favorites - both on and off The Island! =)

The Selected Journals of Lucy Maud Montgomery: Vol. II: 1910-1921

I thought I read Volume I of Montgomery's journals last year but apparently it's been two years. I went back and read my thoughts/review of The Selected Journals of Lucy Maud Montgomery: Volume 1 to try to re-engage with her personal story.

The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery: Vol. 2 covers eleven years of Montgomery's life - from 1910 to 1921. In some ways, this was a much harder set of journals to read than the previous volume. Of course, having read The Gift of Wings (a biography - linked to my review), I knew what was coming but reading a biography is quite different from reading a person's actual thoughts and emotions on any given subject matter!

In Volume I, Montgomery was a young girl, a teenager, whose head was filled with hopes and dreams. In Vol. II we read along with Maud as she marries Ewan MacDonald, becomes a mother, lives through World War I, loses her best friend and begins her legal battles against her first publisher, Page. Her life concerns are greater. Her emotions are deeper. She is consumed with responsibilities unknown to her previously - and she is mostly unhappy.

The greatest year of her life in this journal is the year she became a mother. She writes at the conclusion:

"This is the end of 1912. It has been the greatest year of my life - the year that brought me motherhood. I faced death in it - and came off conqueror, bearing as my guerdon a new and unspeakably precious life. So it to me must always be the annus mirabilis - the wonderful year."

She did revel in motherhood a great deal, delighting in her two small sons - Chester and Stuart - with great enthusiasm. (She did have a third child who was still born.) Other than motherhood though, she took delight in very little excepting the company of her cousin and best friend, Frede.

I will give her this - as a minister's wife she had a hard time making genuine friends. There were a great deal of expectations placed upon her head and she felt unable to make close friendships. She complains a great deal about the woes of being a minister's wife and how duty and responsibility seemed to outweigh what I would consider honesty at times. If she were sick and miserable and felt like she had taken on (or been given) too many responsibilities, she never spoke up for herself. Drawing boundary lines seemed to be outside the realm of reasonable for a woman in her position. Nowadays we would take special care not to expect so much of one person, and certainly we would expect a pastor's wife to speak up if she felt overburdened. Instead of expressing that she was wilting under the enormity of the tasks she was expected to fulfill, she pressed on, outwardly smiling and generally leaving the congregation with the impression that she had it all together. Her journal was her outlet, her sole place to unleash her emotions -whatever they might be. The strain of that is unimaginable. I can well imagine that she felt depressed and alone, without the solace and comfort of good friends if she didn't feel herself in a position to share her real life, thoughts and struggles with the other ladies within her church.

It was difficult to read about.

On the flip side, she also found the company of others to be tiresome. She felt things so deeply and passionately (take the War for instance) that she rather resented and abhorred anyone who did not share her same passions. She seemed to have a very difficult time being around people who didn't feel as she felt, or thought as she thought. She writes about such people in her diary with disgust. I think with an attitude like that she is equally to blame if there were certain walls between her and the other women in her community. She could not share and she would not share her life. Of course she was lonely. And that is very sad.

Towards the end of this selection of journals, we start to witness Ewan's mental decline. Montgomery confesses in her journals that she did not love Ewan - never had and wouldn't. However, she was fond of him. She liked him well-enough as a companion, but did not share her innermost thoughts or arguments with him. She saved all honest communication for her relationship with Frede - her closest friend and exclusive confidant. The last two/three years in particular of this journal she devotes a great deal of energy in keeping Ewan's mental anguishes a a secret from others - further building up walls and keeping people away from the family. She did not want others to know of his torments and odd behaviors and she was terrified that he was mentally unstable and that she had borne children with him, potentially passing on mental unbalances to another generation. She tormented herself endlessly over these issues and I think, in some ways, worried herself unnecessarily. She did not allow for others to come up alongside her and support her as she attempted to support Ewan.

Her relationship with her cousin Frede was a relief and also a torment to myself, the reader of the journals. It's both easy and difficult for me to fathom only having one friend that you trust to walk through life with. Grant it, I play my own cards close and have a few selected friends that I trust with my entire world. I think it's important to have such friends and I'm very happy that Maud had one also. I'm only sorry that she had only one - because when the one was lost, Montgomery's world seemed to crumble to pieces. (Not that my world wouldn't also, but it's all so very exclusive that it feels a bit...like strangulation of one friendship. Not that Frede seemed to mind.)

Least I give off the picture that this entire journal is full of woes and sorrows (although I do feel like it is) there were very interesting tidbits scattered throughout.

Maud makes her first journey to America, as a guest of Mr. Page, her publisher. She writes of America:

"The Americans are a noisy nation. I had heard and read this and now I found it out for myself. They do not seem able to enjoy themselves unless there is a tremendous noise going on about them all the time. Even in the restaurants there is a crash of music that you have to shriek to be heard. No wonder "The American Voice" is notorious. I cannot but think such a constant racket most injurious. One may "get used to it" but the bad effect on nerves must remain."

I also enjoyed a passage in which she detailed what she based various places on in her first book (and my favorite!) Anne of Green Gables. I also thought it was interesting that she had originally entitled Anne of the Island, Anne of Redmond and was perturbed when her publishers changed the name.

Reading her impressions, emotions and anguish over the events during World War I was both wearisome (she felt it acutely) and fascinating. Reading this particular portion of the journal made Rilla of Ingleside come alive. Montgomery would re-read her journal for notes and inspiration as she wrote Rilla and it was very intriguing to find so many little quips and antidotes and sometimes direct quotes in the journal. I was glad that I had just finished reading Rilla so that it was fresh in my mind.

The other strong impressions I was left with were her statements about theology and faith. However, my thoughts on that particular subject are quite long and so I shall save that for another post which will be shared later on in February. (So stay tuned for that.)

Like last time, upon finishing a Volume of her journals, I am glad to have read it. Any false impressions I might have ever had about Montgomery might be blown away, but then I feel like I can truly enjoy Anne and Montgomery's other works for what they are - without any misconceptions about who the author was or what she believed.

I find Montgomery to be fascinating and wearisome. I confess I was glad to come to the end of this particular volume because her lamentations about life in general were generally starting to wear me out!

Still, it is done. I'm not sure if I'll pick up The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery: Volume III: 1921-1929 for next year's challenge, or space it out a bit. I find that I can only take so much "direct contact" at a time. This year I particularly enjoyed diving back into some of Montgomery's fiction and it made easing into this reading year an all together pleasant experience. We shall see what next year brings!

The Price of Motherhood, by Ann Crittenden

Admittedly, this book took me awhile to complete. I rather slogged my way through it. I think it was a combination of the content feeling a bit dry at times and my maternity weariness which causes me to want to fall into a deep slumber when I put the boys down for their afternoon naps.

It is not that the subject matter itself wasn't interesting to me. I was highly intrigued by this read, which has been re-released in honor of its 10th anniversary.

The Price of Motherhood: Why the Most Important Job in the World Is Still the Least Valued struck a chord for me. However, I'd have to say that it strikes an emotional chord for me and not so much a fiscal one. This book is all about the numbers, which is something that I didn't really expect when I opened the covers and took a peek inside.

Being that ten years ago I was not even married, let alone the mother of three children, I didn't ever notice this book before. Even if I had seen it, it would have been of little interest. That said, being that I am now married, have three children and work inside the home, this book had great interest. I delved in. Then, I forced myself through it.

The premise of Ann Crittenden's book is that the services that mothers provide in their homes is undervalued and is not properly compensated for, financially speaking. Her argument is that the government and men in society should realize how much a woman sacrifices by leaving the workforce in order to raise the next generation. By leaving the work force, Crittenden argues that the woman unnecessarily has to give up social security benefits, the comfort of a 401K plan, not to mention a somewhat hefty salary (particularly if she is a bright woman with a promising future in the company!) Crittendon spends the book arguing for the financial rights of women period, but particularly in cases of what she seemed to determine was an inevitable divorce.

Now. I have to be honest and tell you that every time I set the book aside I thought to myself, "My word, this woman sounds bitter!" The entire book I was thinking that the only way to give Crittenden what she wants is to increase taxes somewhere to pay for the benefits she wants to give to women who are not in the "visible" workforce but who are staying at home providing childcare, etc. I was figuring that in order to satisfy her desire to enable women to re-enter the workforce as soon as possible, there would have to be government provision of daycare and we'd essentially have to fight against the concept of covenant marriage in favor of something "equal." We'd be promoting a system in which both partners are being constantly made wary of how their spouse would affect their own personal financial interests and investments.

I reached the conclusion of the book and discovered that these are things that Crittenden listed as must-haves if we're ever to change the tide and liberate and empower women and make them financially stable in any type of storm that they might be forced to weather.

I think you can pretty much assume that I disagree with her "solutions" to the problem. But there is almost no arguing at all with this book because it is written from a different worldview than my own and that's pretty much the crux of the matter.

I can absolutely agree with the following things:

• We, as a society, place very little value on the stay-at-home mom.
• Mothers are at work 24/7, 365 days out of the year. There are few "off" moments of downtime.
• Mothers are generally not compensated (financially) for their work.

Personally though, I would approach the above three situations from a Biblical worldview in which I do believe that a woman is called to be a life-giver and the nurturer of her family. On the flip-side of that, I believe a man is called to support and provide for his family as best as he possibly can. Yes, I do have a very traditional view of the family - wherein the man is the bread winner and the woman cares for the home. That model is largely broken in today's society though and so I saw the point and purpose of this book as being somewhat valid in that it's a desperate solution trying to fix a desperate problem.

I guess what I'm trying to say is - the arguments in The Price of Motherhood make sense. I read and clearly understood her points. The way that society loosely holds on to the concept of what marriage is calls for each spouse to protect themselves and their interests. Shouts of equality under the present day circumstances are easy to comprehend. So long as we oppose traditional marriage then attacking any aspect of it - and trying to protects the partnership aspects of it that we most like or care for (on any given day) - should be expected.

That said, I couldn't help reading this book and being rather put off by it because it's a modern day solution to a deep-rooted problem. If we put value on the marriage covenant then the problems and negative emotions describe and expressed in this book would decrease. Families would remain united and partnerships intact. Children wouldn't be viewed as another commodity or "problem" to be dealt with as a result of a marital union, but would instead be viewed as blessings.

At no point in this book did I ever feel as if Crittenden felt that children were a blessing. They were something that women wanted, usually, and never the men. (If you were to believe what she wrote, that is.) At one point she talked about the man's right to procreate but she never gave an example of a father who longed for and valued his offspring. Most of the examples she cited, if not all, showed a callous and distant father who saw his wife as free labor. That's a very sad state of affairs, folks. Because if we do not value our help-meet and partner then what hope have the children? Children are indeed a blessing and a gift from the Lord. One of the best ways of showing children that you care for and value them, is to value your marriage and love/respect your spouse.

Is staying at home with the children always fun? I dare say that it is not always just a barrel full of monkeys. (Or, perhaps, it is?) It's hard work, make no mistake about it. Having children changes everything in life. But are they worth it? Oh absolutely. Honest and true: no job or pay could ever equal the overall joy and delight of being able to stay home and be a life giver and a nurturer. Fulfilling this role is fulfillment in and of itself. Especially when blessed with a spouse who feels as you do and has made a lifetime covenant before God to honor the wedding vows and walk this journey as a team.

I could go on (and on and on) but I'll stop here. Was this book interesting and enlightening? Most definitely. Would I recommend it? Of course! It's a curious read and full of information that would prompt a decent conversation. I like these types of reads very much - whether or not I would agree with them. In this case I do not but that doesn't make me regret the read. Instead, I'm more glad to have read it to understand the arguments behind what Crittenden is trying to persuade people of.

Thanks to Picador for sending a copy of The Price of Motherhood for me to read. I think it's quite obvious, but I'll say it anyway: although I received a copy of this book for free, all opinions about it are my own. I have received no further compensation. (ha!)

Big and Little Box Set

Recently I received the following two sets of mini board books from Kane Miller, which is connected to Usborne Books and More. Small and compact, there are four books within each set which are perfect for little hands. (They are also perfect to stuff away in backpacks for perusal during church or when sitting in waiting rooms or while driving in the car.) Small and concise, (the books are 3 3/4 " x 3 3/4"), they make for easy reading and are very entertaining to the young fry.

In the Big and Little Set by Ana Martin Larranaga we find four mini books about animals: Splash in the Sea, Stomp in the Swamp, Fun on the Farm and Snuggle in the Snow. Each story focuses on an animal baby and its parent and is a warm and snuggly read, full of love and fuzzy warmth. Naturally these books were a hit around here seeing that they dealt with our favorite subject matter - animals! The illustrations (also by Larranaga) are bright and bold. If you look at a picture here on your left of the box that holds the four titles, you can get a feel for the style of the books.

Very cute, very fun and exciting - especially if you are a toddler.

Mini Machines is another box set - this one by James Croft. The books are also small in size and deal with another well-loved subject (by Bookworm2, age 2) - construction trucks!

We found this particular set somewhat more appealing because the books are all interconnected, sharing the story of the same characters. We learned about Bill's Bulldozer, Dave's Digger, Dan's Dump Truck and Carl's Crane. Bill, Dave, Dan and Carl all work on the same construction site though so you may see them interspersed throughout the books. It adds a certain continuity to the subject matter and was very much enjoyed.

If you have a little boy who is just old enough to start being interested in construction trucks - this is a very fun set!

These books are earmarked for ages 2 to 3 years but I would put them in the 1-3 range myself. My four year old was only interested in them as a curiosity, but not as stories of substance. On the other hand, my soon-to-be two year old was enthralled with the pictures, the books and the ability that he had to remove the books from the box and replace them (over and over again.)

Both Big and Little and Mini Machines are both listed on Amazon but I should point out to you that they are actually not available through Amazon. If you are interested in them, follow the links provided to Usborne Books & More where you can obtain copies.

In the meantime, I am happy and delighted to tell you that Kane Miller has offered one copy of each of the above series to one Reading to Know reader. Interested? Simply leave a comment below! This contest will be open through Tuesday, February 1st and is open to U.S. Residents only.

Thank you, Kane Miller, for sending us these copies to check out and for your generosity to one of my readers!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER (as selected by random.org) IS #13 - STEPHANIE'S MOMMY BRAIN. CONGRATULATIONS!

What's On My Nightstand

Nightstand time over at 5 Minutes for Books!

Looking back, I haven't participated in a Nightstand event since October! That seems a little hard to believe. But now that the Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge is coming to a close, I guess it's time to look ahead a bit and plan out what I'm hoping
to read during the month of February. Here are some of them:



The Hunger Games. Why? Because everyone is (just about done) talking about it. Even Stephanie and Amy.

Here's what Amy had to say:

"I think I could just make one statement about this book and leave it at that, and my feelings about it would have been vented. That one statement is WOW. "

That pretty much sold me. (And then she went on to read the other books in the trilogy so I'm interested. I picked up a used copy and figured I'd give it a go and see what I thought!




The Duggars: 20 and Counting! Why? Because I like the Duggars. A lot. I spent my whole bed-ridden first trimester watching episode after episode of their tv show - in part to encourage myself in the knowledge that children are a blessing! Jonathan gifted me with this book for Christmas. I've been saving it to read during my third trimester to remind me that even though I can't breathe because someone is squishing my lungs, they are indeed a blessing.



Think, by John Piper. Why? Because I still like the title and the sound of it. It's been on my "Nightstand" for far too long and so I've pulled it from the shelf and added it to me, "You WILL read this in February" stack. May it be so!




The Crossing, the latest upcoming release by Gilbert Morris. Why? Well. I've never read a Gilbert Morris book before. Ever. I saw that Barbour Books was publishing a new book in what is to be a new series by him and I thought now was as good a time as any to check him out. So they kindly sent me a copy of the book and I plan on reading it and deciding what I think of Morris. Of course, I'll share my opinion here as well. (Least you doubt it!) We'll see!

Those, my friends, are some of the books on my nightstand for this month. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Lucy Maud Montgomery books during January and I'm excited to see what February reads will bring. I am getting better about estimating what reading time I have available these days and what I set aside to read in January was accomplished. We'll see if I've figured correctly for February. Stay tuned!

Howard Whitehouse and The Strictest School in the World series

As you long time readers of this site are well aware - I am a big fan of Howard Whitehouse's Strictest School in the World series. I've talked about them here, here, here, here and now here.




As any long time reader of this site also knows - when I like a book I can't stop talking about it. (Hello, Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge, right?!) Recently I was made aware of a special deal being offered by author Howard Whitehouse to purchase the entire hardback set from him - autographed and inscribed however you like - for $21 total. (That's $5 per book, plus good ol' S&H.) I decided to replace my non-autographed set for an autographed one and am taking advantage of the offer! You can learn a little bit more about that below, but I also asked Mr. Whitehouse a few questions which he obligingly answered.




Question #1 - What sparked your imagination for writing the Strictest School series?


HW: I’d been doing research into Victorian inventions for a completely unrelated project. I was fascinated by the number of ‘almost-right-except-for-that-part’ creations as well as the “What were you thinking?” ideas. One day the thought popped into my mind that a book for youngsters, involving a young inventor, might have potential. I decided that the pioneer ought to be a girl (because Victorian girls were supposed to live very narrow and restricted lives) and that she should have a younger boy as a partner in all her inventions.

Oh and he should be one of those ‘indestruckible’ kids you meet who can do the craziest things and never get hurt. Victorian aeronauts had a bad habit of plunging to their doom, which ended their experiments (obviously). I wanted Rubberbones to be able to walk away from many a crash.


Question #2 - Did you know that it would turn into a series when you began writing and are you hoping to write any additional books with these characters?

HW: I’m not usually one of those writers who carefully plans out stories, so I had no idea where it was all going to go, at all. But when I finished the first book I simply started the second!

I would love to write more. In fact, I have the first chapters written of a fourth book, wherein Professor Bellbuckle gets two letters. One invites him home to Savannah for the first time since he blew up the family home there. The other is from his old chum Butch Cassidy, currently in jail in Wyoming, asking the professor to help him leave said facility by means of an explosive device. It would involve a romp through the American west with Purnah accidentally becoming leader of a bank robbing gang, Rubberbones an act in a wild west show, and Emmaline showing a couple of young bicycle enthusiasts called Wright the basics of a flying machine.

Alas, the third book in the series didn’t sell well – it got great reviews but very little promotion at all – so Kids Can Press weren’t interested in it. I’d love to write more, possibly using the deranged-yet-loveable Princess Purnah as the lead. But she might be too extreme in her behaviour for anyone to take it on!


Question #3 - Which book of the three is your favorite and why?

I love all three of them, but I think “Mad Scientists” is the best. It’s very fast, with all three kids playing equal roles, and rushes about the UK like a mad thing. I was able to feature some fictional characters I like (from H.G. Wells, Jules Verne and Conan Doyle) as well as real scientists, all of whom have been taken prisoner by the villain. Sigmund Freud keeps asking Rubberbones about his mother!

My favourite scene is the séance, where Aunt Lucy and Purnah are called upon to pretend to be a medium and her niece in order to persuade a rather dotty old lady to stop wasting her time dealing with charlatans who promise to bring her late husband into contact with her. Purnah can’t recall whether she’s supposed to mess it up or not, but does so anyway. Someone told me they were happy I hadn’t featured any actual occult happenings. This confused me a bit, since it had never occurred to me that A) I should treat spiritualism as an authentic element (I don’t believe in it myself) and B) more importantly (!) “How would that be funny?”

(*See Carrie's note below)


Question #4 - Do you ever attempt speaking in Chiligriti to your wife, Lori, and if so, does she put up with it?

HW: Lori is a responsible adult. She puts up with a great deal, but not my speaking in Chiligriti. Besides, most of the language seems to consist of insults and curses. I don’t sing any of Purnah’s songs, such as “I shall cut out your spleen with a spoon”.


Question #5 - You mentioned in The Island of Mad Scientists (in the Note About People and Places) that you enjoy Wodehouse. My husband and I are also fans. Which of Wodehouse's many well-loved characters is your favorite?

HW: Wodehouse actually appears in “The Faceless Fiend” as Plum, the thirteen year old schoolboy. He was at Dulwich College in London at this time. My favourite PGW character is Uncle Fred, the lunatic older relative whose demented schemes to ‘help’ lead to chaos.


Question #6 - I understand that you are model soldier enthusiast. What drew you to that hobby and how safe is your cat, Ursula, from the inevitable battles between the mini warriors?

HW: The cats show no interest in model soldiers, although they have on occasion knocked over displays. Model solders don’t taste good, and often have sharp pointy bits like swords and bayonets. Collecting them has been my hobby since I was a boy in England in the 1960s. From about the age of twelve it’s been a ‘serious hobby’ (!) for me, and I’ve made most of my living in recent years either working for a couple of model soldier companies or making custom scenery (like those big model railway displays you may have seen) for collectors. Yes, I am a Big Kid.


Question #7 – You’ve done other books for young people, correct?

HW: My most recent book is “Bogbrush the Barbarian”, also from KCP. It’s very much a book for ten year old boys rather than twelve year old girls (as I have always seen the Emmaline books). Bogbrush is a massive, dim-witted boy determined to be a great hero. His intentions are good, his brain-power tiny. It’s a fantasy quest book with broad, slapstick comedy, some very cartoony violence and a bit of mild bathroom humour, such as the thief with a very tiny bladder. It also features lots of fake ‘educational’ bits (pop quizzes, “Word for the Day” etc) that are obviously not useful advice. A lot of adults like this book for its sheer comic foolishness.


Question #8 - I also understand that you have a special offer for anyone who might enjoy reading The Strictest School in the World series. Would you please tell us about that?

HW: In December KCP informed me that they weren’t going to do any more hardback copies of the books, and that if I wanted to buy copies at a very reasonable price indeed I could. So I put some announcements up on various groups and websites (mostly the toy soldier folks, who know me well) and took enough orders that I could pay for their books and more besides. In the past I had found that there’s always someone who asks for a book ten years after you parted with the last one, so I ordered quite a lot. Then the company I was working for imploded suddenly (and owing me back wages) so I thought, “Why don’t I contact those nice children’s blog people who have liked my books and see if they’d like some”

I’m offering sets of the three books at $15 for all three (plus $6 for mailer and stamps) or $5 a book for individual books (and marginally less shipping, because it’s all weight-based). Within reason, you can have as many as you like (!)

The books are "The Strictest School in the World : Being the Tale of a Clever Girl, a Rubber Boy and a Collection of Flying Machines, Mostly Broken" (2006) - a Victorian prison break tale set at a boarding school involving flying machines and pterodactyls.

"The Faceless Fiend, Being the Tale of a Criminal Mastermind, His Masked Minions and a Princess with a Butter Knife, Involving Explosives and a Certain Amount of Pushing and Shoving " (2007) - in which a master criminal plans to kidnap loveable-yet-deranged Princess Purnah, with Sherlock Holmes, a Belgian Birdman, and an elderly dog.

"The Island of Mad Scientists , Being an Excursion to the Wilds of Scotland, Involving Many Marvels of Experimental Invention, Pirates, a Heroic Cat, a Mechanical Man and a Monkey " (2008) - where our adventurers are pursued madly, and a whole collection of Victorian scientists (some real, some not) and held captive.

For information on how to take advantage of this offer, e-mail me at – professorbellbuckle (at) yahoo (dot) com

I hope that works for you. Please tell me who you’d like the books inscribed to, and any special wishes (etc)

Thanks so much – I hope you’ll enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them!

***

Thank you, Mr. Whitehouse, both for your time and your talents!

*I specifically addressed the issue of the seance in my review of The Island of the Mad Scientist and you can see my brief thoughts on that by clicking the link there.

Magic for Marigold (giveaway)

THE WINNER OF LAST WEEK'S CONTEST FOR A COPY OF THE MOVIE LANTERN HILL IS STEPHANIE @ SIMPLE THINGS. Congrats, Stephanie!

Magic for Marigold is perhaps one of Montgomery's lesser known works but that doesn't mean it's not worth a read. If you haven't stumbled across a copy of this one, then I'm here to offer you an opportunity to nab it and read!

Here is the description of the book from Amazon.com:

The eccentric Lesley family could not agree on what to name Lorraine's new baby girl even after four months. Lorraine secretly liked the name Marigold, but who would ever agree to such a fanciful name as that? When the baby falls ill and gentle Dr. M. Woodruff Richards saves her life, the family decides to name the child after the good doctor. But a girl named Woodruff? How fortunate that Dr. Richards's seldom-used first name turns out to be . . . Marigold! A child with such an unusual name is destined for adventure. It all begins the day Marigold meets a girl in a beautiful green dress who claims to be a real-life princess. . . .

I picked up a gently used copy of Magic for Marigold and would like to pass it along to one of you!

This contest is open to US and Canadian residents only and will be open through Thursday, January 27th. I will announce the winner on Friday, January 28th at the conclusion of the L.M. Montgomery Reading Challenge. (At which point we can all cry that the challenge is over but then wipe our tears and start planning for next year! One of you can add Marigold to your stack of future reads.)

If you are participating in the Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge and have left me a comment/link saying so, feel free to enter twice!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER IS #26 - Stephanie's Mommy Brain! Congrats, Stephanie!

The Blythes are Quoted, by Lucy Maud Montgomery

The Blythes Are Quoted was first published in the fall of 2009. Published by Penguin Canada, it was and remains hard to find a copy in the states. I finally ordered my copy from Amazon.ca because I couldn't find it here. I'm hoping it will increase in popularity such that it will become more widely available. It's mildly annoying to me that it is not!

All of the descriptions I read about The Blythes Are Quoted talk about how this is a darker version of Montgomery. She completed this manuscript shortly before her death and it was, in fact, delivered to her publisher the morning that she died. (No one knows who delivered it.) The Blythes Are Quoted was written and intended to be the ninth book in the Anne series. So, my friends, if you haven't read this one then you haven't completely read the Anne series!

Now, her publisher did use parts of the manuscript, preparing and presenting it to the public as a series of short stories compiled under the title The Road to Yesterday (which I own and have read.) What the publisher apparently decided at the time was that the public couldn't handle the darker side of Montgomery and wanted to release more of her traditional fare and so they edited it down and removed parts that they thought would not be readily accepted.

So, The Blythes Are Quoted landed in my quivering little hands with the following words attached to it: "adultery, illegitimacy, revenge, murder, and death." Definitely more foul words than what we are used to from Montgomery's pen, hmm?

Honestly, I was worried. I like the fact that, as Barbara H. pointed out in her post about Anne of Avonlea, Montgomery's stories are wholesome and sweet. I was worried about what Montgomery might have done to the Blythe family at the end of her own life. What would I find? What became of Anne and Gilbert? Then I read the book. And I'm more inclined to say that using words like adultery, illegitimacy, revenge, murder and death are more of an advertisement to sell books and, quite frankly, I'm a bit annoyed.

Quickly, this book does tell us more about the Blythe family. The book is divided into two parts - before World War I (and Walter's death) and after World War I, as history was marching us into the second World War. This book is unique in that Montgomery chose to tell us more about the Blythes through poetry (Anne would read passages that she or Walter wrote aloud to the family which would then be commented on by various family members) and through short stories involving the lives of others. References to the family are how we glean our information about them. We are occasionally invited to Ingleside for evening readings but beyond that, the Blythes remain somewhat distant and, I would hastily point out, we find them just as wholesome and agreeable as ever.

We do discover interesting things about Anne and Gilbert as they discuss their past relationship. We also learn how they handled the children out of Susan's earshot and presence, which I thought was kind of interesting. We learn some of the names of their grandchildren and can confirm some births and marriages. It is very intriguing.

As to the darker side, I admit it's true in that there are more ghost stories. I might have been more shocked by this had I not just read Legends of Prince Edward Island (linked to my review.) Because I had read that book first, I wasn't taken aback by the ghosts and alleged ghosts that Montgomery chooses to involve in her stories here. Having read Legends, I would say that The Blythes Are Quoted makes more sense to me in regards to Montgomery wanting to tell stories in a different fashion. Through legends, ghosts and poetry she definitely changes her style, but there is nothing terribly unpredictable.

Perhaps I am being too simplistic and some would likely argue that I very much am. However, I felt the book was still very true to Montgomery and her Island heritage and love of poetry. Nothing took me by surprise.

All that explained, she writes with perhaps a bit more hopelessness than I think we can see in some of her other works. I'm not terribly surprised by that either, considering she wrote this at the end of her life when she was not in the best state of mind herself. I would say that she is perhaps more honest in this book, not trying to make all of her characters the picture of rose colored mental health. There is a story in here, for example, of a man who spends his entire marriage wishing he had married someone else. The story could have been disturbing. However, she's still Montgomery and, dare I say it?, her style is still predictable. At the end of the story the husband realizes that he has played the absolute fool and repents most wholeheartedly! It doesn't account for his wasted years but it does end admirably and in a just manner.

There is indeed a murder and I do think that particular story is the darkest of them all. There really is no hope in it, as you might long for and/or expect. But one story in a 510 page novel doesn't really get me down. Yes, it exist. But if the entire book is promoted as containing murder and death then I think anyone looking for Montgomery morbidity might be slightly disappointed.

In short (ha! ha!) - I was glad to have read this book. For me, it really does complete the Anne series. It makes sense. It falls into place. It keeps the spirit of Rainbow Valley and Rilla of Ingleside alive by letting us see the Blythes through the eyes of others in the community. I don't want to spoil too much of what is shared because I think you ought to read this one for yourselves. I shall tuck it on my shelf next to my other Anne books and will think well of it. I'm tremendously pleased that it was presented, unedited, as Montgomery originally intended for it to be.

Kids' Guide to God's Creation

Yup, we're creationists and it's very hard to find resources these days that are appealing and hold to our view of how the earth came into existence. Most book titles I see on the subject matter are rather poorly done and uninspiring. I'm perpetually disappointed by the resources that I have found thus far.

Not so with Kids' Guide to God's Creation! I'm pleased to say that this book is not only visually appealing but holds to a consistent creation world view throughout the entirety of the book. Published by Barbour Publishing, this book opens well by first presenting the creation story which you can find in Genesis chapter 1. After detailing the scriptures upon which this book is based, the book then continues to provide information on the variety within God's creation. The chapters are divided up into the seven (literal) days. For example, Chapter 1 is entitled, "Day 1, Part 1: How it All Started - Heavens, Earth and Water." The book quotes the scriptures referenced for the first day of creation and then goes on to explain scientific information about space, the size and shape of the planet Earth, the layers of Earth, the gift of water, etc. Along the way you'll find "That's Amazing!" facts scattered in, which includes historical and scientific facts on a variety of topics relating to the subject in focus for any particular chapter.

Kids' Guide to God's Creation is not only informative but it is also visually appealing, which I consider to be a huge plus. (In other words, no 1970's illustrations.) This book is loaded with full-colored photographs that are laid out in an attractive manner. (Have I said I'm impressed with this book? I'm impressed with it.) After hunting high and low for an informative book that is presented in a way that would make a child actually want to look inside of it, I'm happy to have found this particular book. I highly recommend it, especially for grade schoolers who need something more than a "God created the world" statement and yet is still easy to comprehend. It's laid out in chapter book form and almost feels text-bookish. Except it isn't. Either which way though, I'd still be happy to recommend it to you. It's quality and I like that.

Also by Barbour Publishing is a Kids' Guide to Bible Animals. Also illustrated in full-color with real life photographs, and presented in a crisp, clean manner, this book describes the many and varied animals that you would find listed in the Bible. From the ant to the worm, the animals in this book are listed in alphabetical order, giving you both scripture references as to where the animal was listed as well as basic scientific facts about said animal. Of course I thought referencing the Leviathan was the most interesting. (Obviously there is not a full-colored photograph for this one!) There is however a detailed description of it, verse by verse, as listed in the Book of Job.

Filled with lots of fun facts, this book is a winner for any animal lover in your family as you walk through the scriptures and learn more about the how and why each animal might have been listed, or what it's use was in Bible times. I have to give a thumbs up here as well.

I'm very grateful to Barbour Publishing for bothering to want to put together and present resources for Christian parents that are sleek and professionally presented. I'm so tired of the sloppy half hearted attempts at providing parents with valuable resources. As Christians, we should want to create and pursue quality and well-designed creative items. After all, if we are indeed created in the image of God, then we have a gift for creativity. I'm delighted when I see people using their gift for the glory of God and in this particular case I believe Barbour acted quite well in putting these together. So my thanks to them (for the resources in general and for sending them my way specifically so that I could check them out!) and my recommendation to you!

A Child's Book of Faeries

I have a Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Shelf. (Well, now it's more like two shelves verging on three.) It's full of books that she has written, and a various assortment of books that remind me of Prince Edward Island and the magic that is Montgomery. A new addition to this shelf is A Child's Book of Faeries which I picked up recently. I was drawn to it instantly because of the title and subject matter, of course. I was also easily able to identify it as being a Barefoot Book even before I picked it up. It has Barefoot Book's unique style and quality and I figured it was a safe purchase. (It was!)

A Child's Book of Faeries is a series of stories and poems which have been "collected and retold" by Tonya Robyn Batt. As she explains in her introduction, "[t]he magical realm of Fair Elf Land has frequently captured the imagination of writers, artists and musicians alike." In this book she fosters that imagination in young readers by providing a variety of poems, explanations as to fairy behavior, temperaments, likes and dislikes and, of course, through the telling of stories.

Apart from the fact that this book does contain the magic which faeries are naturally wrapped up in, I found nothing objectionable within that would need to be reported. (And I think if you start talking about faeries you are implying magic will be involved.) The stories are not scary at all but rather spark the imagination into wondering what it would be like if faeries really existed - or DO exist. And I know even begging the question would be insulting to some! At any rate, it's a fun and fanciful read.

One of my favorite memories of going to Prince Edward Island is of the night my friends and I stayed at the West Point Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast. I purposed to wake up to see the sunrise on the beach and walk along the "Faerie Path" that was located behind the lighthouse. None of my friends could be convinced to rise at the crack of dawn so I went alone out onto the beach and walked along. Then I entered into the forest and had a delightful morning walk underneath the trees. It was a peaceful, chilly morning. I could hear the waves crashing in the distance and heard the wind and nothing else. It was secluded, safe, and magical. (Of course I was safe! Faeries prefer the nighttime and wouldn't be found during the daylight hours!) It's just such a peaceful moment and memory that I have locked away and I like thinking of faeries existing and being merry in green forests and sitting on mushrooms. It's just....fun!

Happy to add this book to my collection to share with my daughter one of these days. If you are looking for a calm introduction to the world of faeries, I think you might like this one!

Rilla of Ingleside, by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Moving right along in the Anne series, I picked up Rilla of Ingleside which has long been thought to be the last book in the series. However, thanks to Penguin Canada we now know that Montgomery wrote what she intended to be a ninth book in the Anne series - The Blythes Are Quoted. I've just recently finished that title and will have a review of it popping up shortly. In the meantime - Rilla.

Rilla of Ingleside was first published in 1921 and jumps us about a decade(ish) beyond Rainbow Valley (linked to my review.) Montgomery chose to focus primarily on Rilla, who is the youngest child and daughter of Anne and Gilbert Blythe. This story is set in World War I - and if you have (dared to) watch Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story (not linked because I hate it) then the story line will be familiar to you. The Continuing Story places Gilbert and Anne in World War I, sending Gilbert off to fight. Anne adopts a war baby and nothing realistic happens. A great deal of that movie script was ripped from Montgomery's story of Rilla.

Rilla of Ingleside does have great historical relevancy that goes beyond just being another of Montgomery's novels. It is one of the only books that was written right after the first World War that gave a description of life on the Canadian home front. It tells the story of Rilla as she and her family experienced the challenges of war - both the joys and the heartaches. Rilla is merely a fanciful teen at the beginning of this book but as the war continues on, and she rises to meet and stare down the challenges which are presented to her, she grows into a mature young woman whom the reader ends up very much admiring.

In my latest story, “Rilla of Ingleside,” I have tried, as far as in me lies, to depict the fine and splendid way in which the girls of Canada reacted to the Great War – their bravery, patience and self-sacrifice. The book is theirs in a sense in which none of my other books have been: for my other books were written for anyone who might like to read them: but “Rilla” was written for the girls of the great young land I love, whose destiny it will be their duty and privilege to shape and share.

L.M. Montgomery, from “How I Became a Writer,” 1921

Unlike Rainbow Valley, Anne and Gilbert receive quite a bit more "air time" - primarily because it is their offspring who are now being sent off into battle. We are able to feel the effects of the war through the eyes of sacrificial parents who allow their children to go off and fight for freedom. In fact, quite admirably, Gilbert and Anne affirm their young lads in their pursuit of bravery and duty in order to secure the freedom of Canadians and other oppressed peoples.

I know this book is primarily about Rilla but I have to say that I really enjoyed the character of Susan Baker, who is the hired help at Ingleside, more than anyone else. Susan is cram packed full of patriotism and as I read this book I kept relating Susan's spirit of pride and patriotism to the lack of it these days as contemporary societies deal with the War in Iraq. Not to get all political on you (but definitely to get all political on you) we Americans can be quite shameful in our lack of support for freedom and for those in our country who sacrifice their lives so that we might have it. Susan would definitely have a thing or two to say to this pathetic American attitude if she were to be made aware of it! I think her best passage is as follows:

"It is the beginning of the end - I feel it - I feel it," said Mrs. Blythe.

"Thank God," said Susan, folding her trembling old hands. Then she added, under her breath, "But it won't bring our boys back."

Nevertheless she went out and ran up the flag, for the first time since the fall of Jerusalem. As it caught in the breeze and swelled gallantly out above her, Susan lifted her hand and saluted it, as she had seen Shirley do. "We've all given something to keep you flying," she said. "Four hundred thousand of our boys gone overseas - fifty thousand of them killed. But you are worth it!" The wind whipped her grey hair about her face and the gingham apron that shrouded her from head to foot was cut on lines of economy, not of grace; yet, somehow, just then Susan made an imposing figure. She was one of the women - courageous, unquailing, patient, heroic - who had made victory possible. In her, they all saluted the symbol for which their dearest had fought. Something of this was in the doctor's mind as he watched her through the door.

"Susan," he said, when she turned to come in, "from first to last of this business you have been a brick!" (Chapter 30, The Turning of the Tide)

Indeed it seems to me that it is Susan who carries the family through their most trying times. She is a faithful friend and I say this sincerely - God knows that when you are in your most trying times, it is the blessing of a constant friend and support system that will help carry you through. Susan Baker is that to the Blythe family and I found myself wanting to share an afternoon with her above all the other characters in the book. She is amusing and has some fabulous quirks, 'that you may tie to.' But above all she has a loyal heart of gold and I find her most admirable.

At the risk of making this too long, I'll stop here and say that I am very happy to have re-read this particular title. I can't believe I waited so long from my last reading to get to it again! I'll try not to make the same mistake again.

Lantern Hill movie (giveaway!)

*THE WINNER OF LAST WEEK'S CONTEST FOR A COPY OF ANNE OF GREEN GABLES IS: #3 - Amy @ Hope is in the Word*

If you missed my earlier review of the movie Lantern Hill then click on the link there and see what you think! (There is a bit of mysticism in here that you should be aware of so just double-check the review first!)

What I didn't tell you at the time I posted that review was that I purchased TWO copies of the Lantern Hill movie so that I could give a copy away. Hello, L.M. Montgomery Reading Challenge! Now is the perfect time.

If you would like to win your very own, brand new copy of the Jane of Lantern Hill movie, simply leave a comment below. This contest is open to U.S. AND Canadian residents and will remain open through Thursday, January 20th.

I will announce the winner next Friday at the opening of yet another Montgomery-related contest.

The only thing I ask in relation to this contest if that you enter for yourself and your immediate family ONLY. (In other words, no entering for people you think might like it.) I'd like this to go to someone who truly loves Montgomery and would love to just enjoy this movie. Thanks for that! If you are participating in the Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge and have left me a comment/link saying so, feel free to enter twice!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!