THE STORY OF FERDINAND

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The Story of Ferdinand is a child's classic, a beautifully written and illustrated picture book.

The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf            Illustrations by Robert Lawson

         

Ferdinand is unlike any bull in Spain, massive in size, but gentle in nature.  He has no interest in fighting like his brothers, who spend the days roughhousing, butting heads, and pawing the ground.

Ferdinand enjoys the tranquility of nature, sitting peacefully in the grass beneath his favorite cork tree in the majestic field near his house. His days spent lounging and sniffing the sweet fragrant flowers perfuming the air.

His mother watches with concern, and notices that Ferdinand spends his days alone lying beneath the cork tree. Unsettled by this, she inquires why, and learns that it’s his choice, and he’s happy and content.  She leaves with the acceptance that he is different from his siblings, and loves him for who he is.

In coming years, Ferdinand and his brothers are fully-grown, strong and powerful bulls. Despite his massive size, he is still gentle natured and non-aggressive.

Five men in funny hats come to his village in search of the fiercest bull to fight in the arena. Ferdinand watches his brothers as they butt heads, leap off the ground, all to demonstrate their strength.  He has no interest in participating and wanders away to his favourite cork tree.  

Hidden in the tall grass beneath the cork tree a bee is busy gathering pollen. Ferdinand is unaware of the bee, and settles in the grass. Stung, he flies through the air, sputtering, bucking and leaping, exhibiting behaviour that is mistaken for fierceness.

The five men shout in excitement. They have found their bull, Ferdinand, who will be the fiercest they’ve ever had in the ring.

In the weeks to follow, Ferdinand is carted away to fight in the arena. Sitting in the middle of the Coliseum, he sniffs the air, fragrant with flowers from the lovely women’s hats in the audience.  No matter how hard the Matador, Picadores, and the Banderilleros try, Ferdinand refuses to fight.

Ferdinand returns to his village, and settles beneath the cork tree in the field near his house, happy and content.

Ferdinand is a beautiful book, a timeless classic written by Munro Leaf.  I have read this book numerous times to my own children and have passed it along as a gift to others. To me, The Story of Ferdinand is one of the acceptance, to recognize differences and value what each of us has to offer. 

Artist Robert Lawson beautifully illustrates The Story of Ferdinand. His eye catching black- and- white drawings capture the minutest details, expressions and emotions, all of which work in harmony with the story.  

Munro Leaf 1905- 1976

 
 Stories by Munro Leaf:

The Story of Ferdinand
Wee Gilles
Noodle
How to Behave and Why
Brushing Your Teeth can be Fun
How to Speak Politely



Illustrations by artist Robert Lawson 1892-1957

            






    





 I would recommend The Story of Ferdinand for ages 3-5  

THE WOLVES IN THE WALLS BY NEIL GAIMAN

Hi welcome back,

I wanted to share with you a book I recently read. The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman, a wonderful fun imaginative read, a picture book for early readers and lower middle grades.


 The Wolves in the Walls
 by Neil Gaiman                                                Illustrator Dave McKean

              



Do you ever feel like you’re being watched, that possibly something is hidden behind the walls of your house? Lucy does. She hears their sounds, the low howls and growls, the pattering of paws and the soft scratching of whispers. She’s sure their wolves living behind the walls.  Not only does she hear, but sees the glittering of their golden eyes staring at her from behind the cracks in the walls and through the eyes of paintings. 

The first person she tells of this is her mother, who dismisses the idea trying to calm her fears. Surely, it’s a mouse making all that noise.

The next person Lucy tells is her father. He too hears the noise, but tries to convince her that it’s rats. If its wolves, and they break free of the walls, we will all have to flee.

The third-person  Lucy tells is her brother, who is sure they are bats that she hears, and that she too is batty.

Nobody will listen.

Lucy goes to bed that night still somewhat fearful, but the noise has quietened for now. During the middle of the night the wolves break free, and burst through the walls. The family flees safely outside, but stares in disbelief as their home is no longer.

The biggest challenge Lucy and her family face is to return to the house. Not an easy task, for the wolves have made themselves very at home.


 Neil Gaiman

 













Neil Gaiman is a master of literature, the author of the well-known Coraline, and many other titles for both children and adults. The Wolves in the walls is a collaboration of ideas, based from a dream his daughter had as a young child and the Aesop’s fable, Never Cry Wolf.  Like his other children’s novels,  The Wolves in the Walls is a fun exciting story, cleverly crafted with an unexpected ending.


Dave McKean 




The Wolves in the Walls is not only well written, but filled with eye-popping illustrations, created by artist Dave McKean. The drawings combined with the story make for a very exciting read. 


Illustrations: 





        


 I would recommend this book for ages 6+
 
Titles by Neil Gaiman for children: 

Coraline
Instructions
Crazy Hair
Blueberry Girl
The Day I Swapped my Dad for Two Goldfish
The Dangerous Alphabet
Odd and the Frost
M is for Magic

FOUND BY MARGARET PETERSON HADDIX

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Could you imagine being able to travel anywhere in time with just the press of a button? Return thousands of years back, or visit the unknown future? All these questions arise in the novel Found the first in the Missing series.


Margaret Peterson Haddix (1964-)
 
Margaret Peterson Haddix is an American author, who has written 25 books for both kids and teens.  

   FOUND
      
 A jam packed adventure ride that will keep the reader guessing at every turn. 


Jonah Skidmore, thirteen, lives a happy well-adjusted life in Ohio, with his parents and younger sister Katherine. Jonah knows of his past, all except the first three months of his life. His adoption papers remain sealed under the strict code of a closed adoption. Neither he, nor his parents, has any knowledge of his birthplace or birth mother.

Never has it occurred to Jonah to investigate his past, until now. Jonah holds an envelope with no return address, one in which its contents will forever change his life. His sister Katherine and friend Chip anxiously waits to see what’s inside the envelope. Jonah removes the letter with only one sentence, “You are one of the missing.”  Jonah is angry by what he reads for unexplainable reasons, and immediately shreds the note.  

Jonah and Chip are one of thirty-six children who receive the strange letter.  Unknown to either families, both boys were aboard a flight that mysteriously landed thirteen years ago, without any crew or adults.  The FBI stepped in, collected the babies and placed them for adoption across the country. Their arrival remains a mystery, one hidden by the FBI. 

With the help of Katherine and Chip, Jonah begins to investigate the mystery behind the letters. He soon learns of a commonality he shares with Chip, aside from only age and friendship. 

Both adopted at three months from different agencies. More importantly, Jonah discovers a list of names all that were aboard that flight, hidden by the FBI.  The more Jonah digs into his past the weirder things become. He finds out that all thirty-six names on the list live within the same vicinity.

Strangers begin to appear in Jonah’s life, some coming and going in a ghostly fashion, others offering him snippets of information. One common thread they all share is the message of time travel. Jonah begins to question the possibility. Could that be the common theme between him and the others on the list? He has so many questions, and very few answers. With a sense of urgency, Jonah needs to find the answer before time runs out and warn the others before it’s too late.

Found is the first book in the new series Missing by Margaret Peterson Haddix.  She explores the fascinating world of time travel, taking the reader on a wild adventure ride. Found will leave you questioning the possibility of time travel. With the advancement of technology, anything is possible. 

An exciting read, with soft undertones throughout the book, of camaraderie and family unity.

Found is a story that will appeal to both boys and girls.

I would recommend this book for ages 8+

Series by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Missing: Found, Sent, Sabotaged and Torn

The Shadow Children Series