From the blurb: In this beautiful story of kindness and empathy, loneliness and love, one creature finds that the help he needs is just a song and a sigh away.
Whale's beautiful song winds its way through the ocean, reaching the farthest of faraways. His song is one of happiness and hope, magic and wonder--and Whale's fellow sea creatures are calmed, cheered, and lulled by it. But though Whale sings his tender song day after day, night after night, Whale wonders why he has no song to fill his empty heart. So when he lets out a mournful sigh, the ocean carries it like a wish through its fathoms, bringing it to just the right place. Filled with stunning art and poetic language, this poignant story reminds us that being kind and helping a friend in need is sometimes the most beautiful thing of all. My thoughts: I loved the artwork in this gorgeous little book - its gentle watercolours give the story a dreamlike quality. The text is poetic, imaginative, and poignant- you will almost hear the whale's beautiful song and wonder what can help to fill his empty lonely heart. I won't retell the story- let its magic wonders on you page by page and enjoy immersing yourself and your child into this majestic world. Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. Title: The Heart of a Whale Author: Anna Pignataro Publisher: Philomel Books Expected publication date: January 28th, 2020 Here's a marvelous picture book, charmingly written and beautifully illustrated, about the power of memory and the magic of friendship. Llewellyn, a little rabbit, is a collector. He gathers things in jars--ordinary things like buttercups, feathers, and heart-shaped stones. Then he meets another rabbit, Evelyn, and together they begin to collect extraordinary things--like rainbows, the sound of the ocean, and the wind just before snow falls. And, best of all, when they hold the jars and peer inside, they remember all the wonderful things they've seen and done. But one day, Evelyn has sad news: Her family is moving away. How can the two friends continue their magical collection--and their special friendship--from afar? (From the book blurb) My thoughts: Lovely story with gorgeous artwork (the sunset spread and the meteor shower are just amazing) about friends and beautiful moments we experience together. When the main character's friend moves to a new city, he is feeling sad and empty. Luckily, he discovers they can send each other packets and parcels and share new things they see and learn. It is possible to make new friends without forgetting the old ones. Beautiful, heart-warming message. Thank you to Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. Expected Publication date: January 21, 2020 ![]() From the book blurb: Welcome to Unicorn School, where you get your own unicorn best friend! You go on magical quests together! There is glitter! There is even more glitter! Mira can hardly contain her excitement as her fellow students are paired with their unicorns. Darcy is assigned the statuesque Star, whose shimmering coat always catches the light. Raheem is matched with Brave, whose every step reverberates like thunder. And Mira is paired with... Dave. Dave loves doughnuts. He doesn't follow directions very well. And he farts. A lot. Mira is a little disappointed. But she soon realizes Dave is unlike his fellow unicorns in another way: He's a little smarter than they are. When a school trip goes awry, the only way to save the day is for Mira to embrace her unexpected unicorn best friend. My thoughts: This book was never-ending fun from the beginning to the end! The characters are very diverse and relatable. Usually, I identify with the protagonist, but this time I felt Darcy was much closer to what I was like at elementary school. Of course, the unicorn school is a magic place, but starting a new school, learning rules, trying to do your best, and making new friends are experiences many children will share with Mira and her school mates. I loved the concept of magic pairing of unicorns with their human best friends and how they seem to complement each other. You need to read the story of Raheem and Brave to see that it's not that simple. Dave is just adorable, not least because he has a very understandable weakness for sugarcoated doughnuts and tends to fall asleep in history lessons. The message of being true to yourself and friendly and accepting of others is very positive and I hope this series is going to be read and enjoyed by lots of young unicorn-lovers all over the world. Thank you to Edelweiss and Imprint for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. |
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