Saturday 27 December 2014

You are special

 


You Are Special
Author: Max Lucado
ISBN: 9781859855454
Picture book

 
 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!

 

I was sitting thinking about how brilliant Christmas day was, when I remembered this book.  I nabbed my son who hadn't heard read it and we read it together.  This book has such a brilliant message for children.  It even touches the hearts of adults. 
 
Every day a new wemmick is made.  Each one is different.  Each is loved by its maker.  One little wemmick isn't able to do very much well and he gets sticked with dots all the time.  No matter how hard he tries he recieves more dots.  You see, the wemmicks have stickers that they label the others with.  You get either stars or dots.  There is one wemmick that never has a sticker, so the dotted wemmick goes to visit her.  She has no stickers because she is loved by her maker and she encourages him to visit the maker.  There he is told how much he is loved, special and unique.
 
As Christmas passes and a new year approaches, may we all remember our maker and how unique we all are.  We don't need to wear a label.  We need to know we are loved for who we are.
 
My daughter made me get this book.  I thank her for being.. just her!
 
 
This was available from:  Fishpond, Book Depository and Manna Christian Stores
 
 
 

Monday 22 December 2014

Insurgent

Insurgent
Author: Veronica Roth
ISBN: 9780062024046
Pages: 525

Insurgent (Divergent)
 

Veronica Roth hasn't let me down!  This book captured my attention just as much as Divergent, the first book in the series. 

Tris sets out to find the truth behind everything in her world.  What had her mother ment?  What was the secret Marcus knew.  What was really the intentions of the factionless.  What are the other factions plotting?  And... what is beyond the fences?

I had to keep reading to find the answers to the many questions and while doing so I was caught in Tris' emotional world.  I found the battle between Tris and Tobias (Four, in the first book but called Tobias in the second book)  a little annoying at times.  I wanted to yell at them and tell them to get over themselves and move on.  Really, they go through much together yet don't really treat each other that well... then they are back together... but only for a moment before something else interferes.  Love isn't really that complicated.  But it give the book an emotional feeling, and love does conker all.  There is nothing like a little emotion within a story.  I look forward to seeing what happens to Tris and Tobias in book three.

Definatly well worth reading!


This was available from: Fispond, Book depository and Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=insurgent

http://www.bookdepository.com/search?searchTerm=insurgent&search=Find+book

http://www.fishpond.co.nz/q/insurgent?rid=1006197717


Monday 15 December 2014

The bear who wanted to read

The Bear Who Wanted to Read
Author: Lee Davis
Illustrator: Susan Winter
ISBN: 0-7513-7149-1

 
 
This is one  of my favourite read aloud picture books of my kids little days.  I used to read and read this book.  It is about a bear at day care.  When all the kids go outside to play, Ben Bear decides he wants to read.  The other toys help him figure out how to spell his name with the letter blocks.  It shows the phonetic structure of the basic sounds as Ben and Tiger write their names.  It also makes books seem really fun. 
 
The illustrations are bright and beautiful.  This is a good hard cover book that has lasted many reads in our house.  I am keeping this book it is one that will last the next generations to come.
 


Monday 8 December 2014

Orphan train

 


Orphan Train
Author: Christina Barker Kline
ISBN: 978-0-06-195072-8
Pages: 273

Orphan Train: A Novel
 
 
 
Truly, I cant praise this book enough!  It is one of my favourite historical novels.  It is a story of a young adolescent who is in foster care and steals a book from the library only to find herself doing community service.   She cleans out the attic of a elderly woman who was on the orphan trains in 1929.  Together the help each other find themselves amongst the emotions hidden inside them. 
 
The book bounces from the past to the present as each story is told.  I was transported into the lives of both characters.  I found myself reading with an open mouth as I was engrossed in the life of the woman.  Astonished as I read the judgements of the foster parents of the adolescent.  Both lives  were a web of misfortunes that had nothing to do with the doings of the girls.  I wanted to cry for both of them but managed to contain myself.
 
I will read this again in time.  It has the makings of a classic on my bookshelf.
 
Anyone who likes historical novels... This book is for you.
 
 
It was available from: Book depository, Fishpond and amazon