The Heart and The Bottle Book Review

By Oliver Jeffers

*****

A joyful and curious child finds herself with a heart she must protect after she discovers her beloved grandfather's chair empty. Oliver Jeffers' newest book, The Heart and the Bottle, is by far his deepest message.


Those who are drawn to Jeffers' books because of the illustrations will not be disappointed! For the first time he starts out a book with "Once there was a girl" as opposed to most of his others which the main character is a boy. The simplicity and beauty of his artwork remains remarkably the same with this new character, however the girl creates a new personality amongst his paintings. Children and art-lovers everywhere will come again and again to The Heart and the Bottle to turn it's pages and admire the new friends on it's pages.


The storyline is a bit grim and unexpected from the cheerful and imaginative Oliver Jeffers, but the way he words it, it is perfect. He introduces us to a girl, and through the pictures we see her always with her grandfather. She is happy and full of wonder, until the day her grandfather's chair is empty (this is Jeffers' way of saying her grandfather had died). She wants to protect her heart so she puts it in a bottle for safe-keeping, unfortunately this causes her to loose all the joy and youth she once had. The book takes you through her life, until you find the very happy resolution that helped her regain her heart.


Although this book has a pleasant ending, it is a bleak journey to get there, so this book isn't recommended for the tenderhearted or for children who have not discovered the fact of death just yet. The Heart and the Bottle is a fantastic tool for children (and even adults) who have suffered a loss because it teaches a wonderful lesson of not to protect your heart so much that you loose trust and happiness.

Winnie-the-Pooh Book Review

By A. A. Milne
Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard

*****

A father tells his beloved son, Christopher Robin, a series of cheerful adventures in Winnie-the-Pooh. The characters of these timeless stories are Christopher Robin himself, along with all his nursery animals, with emphasis, of-course, on his favourite, Pooh Bear.

Winnie-the-Pooh brings to life some of the dearest childhood friends, from worried Piglet to all-knowing Owl and even gloomy old Eeyore. Each animal becomes a faithful companion as you travel the marvelous journey of this book.

This classic is broken into ten chapters, each the perfect size for a story to prepare your dreams before bed-time. Ideal for children who have a collection of stuffed friends, as well as anyone who enjoys darling portals of the child's imagination. Milne does write very intellectually English so explanation may be necessary for younger children.

Winnie-the-Pooh is a book that will never be forgotten by children, it's almost got the feel of a security blanket, it's so adorable and fills you with "the warm and fuzzies". You know you will always have a smile spread your face if you have Winne-the-Pooh in your hands.

The Reluctant Dragon Book Review

By Kenneth Grahame
Illustrated by E. H. Shepard

****

One night a shepherd spots a scaly creature sleeping in a cave nearby his flock. He arrives home in a panic to tell his family, at which his son replys, "It's all right, father. Don't you worry. It's only a dragon. And I'll stroll up to-morrow morning--no, in the morning I can't, I've got a whole heap of things to do--well, perhaps in the evening, if I am quite free, I'll go up and have a talk to him, and you'll find out it'll be all right." When the boy goes up to see the dragon, he finds that he is quite agreeable to get along with and even writes poetry.

But what happens when the people of the village find out about the creature living in the cave? They create horrible stories, and call for Saint George to defeat him in a fight! St. George isn't fond of killing, and the boy wants to help his friend, so together they devise a plan to please the crowds as well as stay true to who they really are.

Author The Wind in the Willows Kenneth Grahame creates another fantastic tale of friendship and love in The Reluctant Dragon. The language is very English and intellectual, so this book is best for children of the mid-upper grades. Ideal for children who love fairy tales and stories from the middle ages. The Reluctant Dragon has such lovable characters with the most simplistic of titles, such as boy and dragon. Once you are introduced to them, you will be turning page after page to find out how they can stick together is such a tricky situation. Although it is a slim book, that certainly doesn't reflect the value of it's content.

The Wish Giver Book Review

By Bill Brittain

****

What would you say if you could get you anything you asked for in exchange for 50 cents? At the Coven Tree Church Social, three children and one man meet a strange little man named Thaddeus Blinn who gives them this offer. Upon giving Thaddeus Blinn their 50 cents they are each handed a card with a red spot in the middle. They are instructed to place their thumb on the spot and make their wish, only one, and they would never see Thaddeus Blinn again.

Each child makes a wish for something they want, they do get their wish, but not exactly in the way that would be expected. Newbery Award Winner The Wish Giver is a childlike spin off of the old horror classic The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs. It is a fun, thrilling, fast read appropriate for mid-grade children. It teaches the lesson of 'be careful what you wish for' as well as other moral lessons about how children should behave and to be grateful. Unlike The Monkey's Paw, The Wish Giver has a positive (yet predictable) ending.

Ideal for the lovers of Goosebumps and other children's chillers. There are some scary ideas and situations in this book, so it is not a suggested for the easily scared or nightmare prone. The Wish Giver is told in a series of short stories that are intertwined together. Once you read one story, you won't want to wait to hear what the next child wishes for. This is a fabulous adaptation of a horrific classic that has become appropriate for children.