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The Little Red Wolf: A Review

Book Reviews January 24, 2018 Comments: 4

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By Amélie Fléchais

Genre: Children, Picture books, Fantasy, Fairy Tales

Pages: 80

ISBN: 9781941302453

*A special thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

The Story:

The Little Red Wolf was inspired by the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale by Charles Perrault. This story is about a little wolf with a red cape who needs to cross the dangerous forest to deliver a rabbit to his grandmother. However, he must heed his mother’s warning about the treacherous and villainous humans living in those woods. When stumbling upon a charming little girl, the Little Red Wolf will have to choose if he’s ready to trust this creature or follow his mother’s advice. Curiosity might have killed the cat… but what will it do this Little Red Wolf?

The Positive Points:

The storybook The Little Red Wolf features eerie but cute (and even funny) drawings – they’re childish and exaggerated. I think it fits that new fairy tale, inspired by the creepy Little Red Riding Hood. If it had other pictures, I figure it would have changed the mood drastically and not have it be as troubling as it is! This book uses and elegant font which reminds me of the fairy tales of old.

Moreover, the colours used to paint the story start bright and get darker and darker as the little red wolf (a cute little fellow!) steps closer to the enemy. These artistic choices fit the story perfectly. It’s easy to notice how much work the author and illustrator put in the illustrations! As for the story itself, I was under the positive impression it was told in a way that is reminiscent of the fairy tales of old. However, don’t be mistaken in thinking it’s too hard for a child to understand because it’s not. It simply has a distinctive ring and approach to it.

All in all, the images are beautiful. I loved how imaginative wolves’ houses in trees and underground are; it’s quite original. This story is faithful to olden fairy tales what with the words chosen, the warnings, the colours used, the gruesome events and twists and characters depicted.

The song woven in the story was fun and I also loved all the different point of views, though the main (and cutest) one is the little red world, our sweet protagonist. The little suspense and mystery surrounding the humans was predictable, but then again it’s a tale for children! So, I can’t really blame the author for this, can I? Last but not least of the positive points is how the ending explains the red cape the protagonist has and what really happened to the humans’ family. It demystifies everything and answers all the reader’s questions, leaving them satisfied once they close the book.

The Negative Points & Conclusion:

Although I know a wolf is carnivorous, and he would obviously take a dead rabbit or something like that to his grandma, it was slightly disgusting… mostly when he eats parts of it. Don’t get me wrong: there might not be any blood, but the image is still disturbing somehow. I’m not sure this is okay for children. Or perhaps I’m too sensitive when it comes to animals. Or in general, too. But that is the only negative point I could find.

While I think this adorable storybook is really worth purchasing (especially for a child you know, although it’s a greatly enjoyable read even for an adult), it didn’t grab me fully. I do think back on it appreciatively, but my emotions weren’t really in the equation. For all these reasons, good and bad, I give The Little Red Wolf by Amélie Fléchais a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. I encourage you to give it a try or buy it for a child you know! The point of view of the wolf is a very different take on this reimagined story – it’s great and surprising.

If you want to learn more about Amélie Fléchais and her storybooks, head over to her Facebook account or her Tumblr.

Waters of Salt and Sin (Uncommon World, #1) – A Review

Book Reviews April 4, 2017 Leave a comment

Waters

On Amazon

On Goodreads

*I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Let’s start with the positive sides! The writing is engaging and the author uses the five senses, which adds to the reader’s experience. She also writes detailed descriptions of the settings and events, and uses a good vocabulary (mostly linked to sailing, which makes it even more interesting). This story is intriguing, full of magic, adventure, and a realistic caste system! It is exotic with all the names, the caste system, the food, and the description of objects and titles. Moreover, the plot is interesting. There is drama, much conflict, and a sense of urgency. It is not a boring read due to its being action-packed! I felt as though I were in the story with Kinneret and her crew. Speaking of Kinneret, she is a strong main character – she makes decisions and gives her all to accomplish her goals, and her motives are clear. It was quite enjoyable. As for the characters in general, they are interesting; we care for Kinneret and Avi, and the rest are pleasant to read.

I find Kinneret headstrong and inspiring. Plus, she has a good dream: becoming a ship kaptan instead of the usual dream of piracy! The forbidden romance between Kinneret and Calev, her high-caste childhood friend, is bittersweet and well-done. It was quite fun to read. The story’s introduction was good and I’d just like to point out a thing that I liked: the author mentioned a woman’s bleed, which is rarely done in novels. Klapheke’s world-building is fantastic and exotic! It feels real because the people inhabiting her world live by their traditions, conventions, and social classes (mostly represented by the caste system). It feels both out-of-this-world and familiar. I greatly enjoyed her world-building skills!

Now, let’s talk about the negative sides. The dialogue is a bit too revealing and unrealistic. The characters disclose too much information and/or the sentences are too long. It could definitely be stronger and have more subtext. The action could use more description to make it even more engaging. The emotions could be more detailed. I could not identify them easily except for shame, anger, and love. Otherwise, it’s more telling than showing. The other characters (other than Kinneret) lack goals and motives or they’re not clear enough or too weak. Most of them just seem to fall in line behind Kinneret and whatever she does.

For all these reasons, I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5. I enjoyed spending time with Kinneret and her crew, living all those adventures at sea to rescue her sister, Avigail. Klapheke’s world is brilliant and exotic – a pleasure to read and travel to. However, the lack of showing the emotions instead of telling and the fact that nearly everyone goes Kinneret’s way are tiresome and unbelievable. This being said, I still recommend this book to those who love adventure-packed novels! One doesn’t grow bored with this novel! I will read the rest of Klapheke’s upcoming and past books about Kinneret and her crew and the Uncommon World.

Ivy in Bloom: A Review

Book Reviews March 4, 2017 Leave a comment

ivy

Ivy in Bloom on Amazon

Ivy in Bloom on Indigo

Ivy in Bloom on Goodreads

I picked ‘’Ivy in Bloom: The Poetry of Spring from Great Poets and Writers of the Past’’ on NetGalley because of the marvelous cover that speaks of spring, the idea of introducing children to poetry (which is a big love of mine!), and the topic of the changing seasons, which is rarely explored in children’s literature (yet it is part of their life too).

I must say this book didn’t disappoint me. At all. It is a fun take on poetry for children what with an introduction by Ivy, the main character, and writings from great poets and authors. The poems rhyme, which make it all the more amusing, and they’re easy to understand. The pictures help clarify the meaning if there is some confusion. It tells a story many children live through as they wait for winter to end and spring to arrive so they can play outside and have some real fun. This book achieves it by combining sweet poems with pictures, which are pleasant to look at and cute. The emotions are portrayed by Ivy are easy to identify thanks to the pictures. As for the mood and setting, they are well conveyed.

Even though one of its two main topics is the weariness of winter, the book is quite colorful and filled with beautiful images. One can clearly see Ivy is bored, but without becoming as such ourselves thanks to the entertainment the colors and poems provide us! Moreover, Ivy is a likeable everyday girl who goes from bored to hopeful to happy. I think she is realistic and we can’t help but wish spring to arrive soon too!
I really love how the author credited the great poets and authors at the end of the book by including a short biography of each one and the works from which the lines (in green) were used. I find it highly respectful. Plus, the fact that they described the illustrator’s process in the biographies is interesting. The book is short, yet it delivers its content well.

Although, there’s only one thing I wasn’t comfortable with: one line of poetry talks of God. I know the author probably wanted to convey how everything is going well, so they mentioned God and Heaven. While I think it’s okay for people to believe in God, I am not sure it belongs in children’s literature the way it was presented as we are all different and not all religions believe in a single God. The author could have chosen a better line of poetry to express this.

Besides that, the read of ‘’Ivy in Bloom’’ was entertaining and I consider this book an inventive way to introduce children to poetry and help them expand their knowledge! It is also a lovely addition for those who already love it at a young age (I’m sure I would have dived right in was I still a child!). I decide to give it a 5/5 and I greatly recommend it.