determined to help conquer the approaching Spanish Armada. He also wants to seek vengeance against the enemy for his father's death at sea a year ago. But conditions on board ship are far worse than he could have imagined. GLOSSARY Edition NEW ED (Paperback)
racing pigeons - much to her mother's disapproval. But then her father has to leave home in search of work and, during the difficult summer that follows, Mary and her mother find themselves in ever greater conflict. Edition NEW ED (Paperback)
Ives. It takes him the whole day, and all the beach people admire it. But when everyone goes in at the end of the day, the Sand Horse can hear the white horses in the surf calling to him and he longs to join them. COLOUR ILLUSTRATIONS Edition NEW ED (Paperback)
Advantages: evocative, haunting, magical Disadvantages: might make a more blubby mum (or dad) shed a tear or two
...is a perfect complement for AnnTurnbull's text, fairly realistic but grown up, with washed-out colours subtly accentuating the mood of the story, sandy and pink during the day, darker and more foreboding during the night and again, full of colour after the sunrise the next day. But the artwork, however good, is, in this case, just a supporting tool for the text, fairly important but by no means vital.
AnnTurnbull is a novelist who writes for older children/teenagers and this is her first picture book. I am not familiar with her other work, but 'The Sand Horse' is a brilliant accomplishment. Not a very long read (just under 30 pages, formatted as hardly more than captions under the full page illustrations), the story is told in a language which is at the same time simple and rich and poetic. Turnbull is not afraid of slightly more difficult...
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...of laughter and music.
So enamoured was Colin Turnbull, the would-be musician/philosopher that when he stumbled across the Pygmies he would conclude his anthropological studies and return to live among them for three years. He shared their laughter, their purity, their hopes, their dreams and their magical and mysterious forest.
Throughout his time with the Pygmies, Turnbull was gradiently accepted into their culture. He was welcomed into their village, shared their food, spoke their language and joined in their constant and hearty laughter, even being allowed witness to the haunting beauty of their secret and sacred music. He basked in their society - developed over thousands of years and of which is unique to them. There is no need of leaders here: this is a society based on democracy and individual accountability. The harshest punishment...
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Advantages: Impossible to put down Disadvantages: None
...The Dwelling Place tells the story of 15 year old Cissie Brodie.
When her parents die from "the fever" and she and her 9 brothers and sisters, the youngest still a baby, are turned out of their home by the farmer who employed her father, everybody assumes they will go to the workhouse. Cissie is determined to keep the family together but with no husband and no income it is impossible for her to rent a house. Filled with desperation she finds a cave on the fells that will provide shelter for her and her family, "The Dwelling Place", and moves them all there on the day following the funeral. She attracts the attention of the wheelwright,Matthew Turnbull who also makes coffins. Horrified by the conditions in which they plan to live, he befriends Cissie and at great personal cost, helps her wherever possible, including providing...
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