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Author Archives: jenny
What would you do if your parent left you and your siblings in the car and never came back? That’s the start of Homecoming, a classic YA novel by Cynthia Voigt
The first in the Tillerman series, Homecoming follows the four Tillerman children after they are abandoned by their mentally ill mother in a car park. When she doesn’t come back they set out to find other relatives several states away. … Continue reading
Posted in 11 years and up, 20th Century YA, Young Adult
Tagged 1980s, adoption, American, boats, camping, character-driven, coming-of-age, courage, family, fiction, hardship, learning difficulties, mental illness, north-eastern United States, overcoming adversity, resourcefulness, siblings, single mothers, survival, Tillerman series, well written, YA classic
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Radio plays that were The Mark Drama of the 1940s: The Man Born to Be King by Dorothy L. Sayers
As I read The Man Born to be King I found myself thinking, this was the Mark Drama of the 1940s! A series of twelve radio plays about the life of Jesus Christ, they were written by Dorothy L. Sayers … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Century, Biography/Autobiography, Christian, Christian Non-fiction, General adult audience, Nonfiction, Script/Play
Tagged 20th Century, ascension, British, character-driven, Christianity, Christmas, crucifixion, disciples, Dorothy L. Sayers, drama, Easter, good for spiritual health, good out loud, Gospels, historical, holiday reading, Jesus' ministry, radio plays, resurrection, The Inklings, wartime
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A book that argues the indispensable value of spinsters: Excellent Women by Barbara Pym
Excellent Women by Barbara Pym is about capable spinsters – truly excellent women capable of dealing with any sort of drama – observant, helpful, available and overlooked. Mildred, the protagonist, is just one of these women, pondering her life and … Continue reading
An alphabet book that keeps adults interested: Animalia by Graeme Base
Animalia is a classic Australian picture book by Graeme Base. I have delightful memories of eating gelato with my sister after buying this book as a gift for the children of some friends I was about to visit. K and … Continue reading
A book doing justice to a complex place: Darwin by Tess Lea
Darwin by Tess Lea is an intriguing, beautifully written exploration of the unique history, geography, beauties, tensions and contradictions of Australia’s smallest and remotest capital city. It’s been on my bookshelf for awhile, read, recommended and bequeathed by my father … Continue reading
Posted in Australian, Contemporary, General adult audience, Nonfiction, Travel and Geography Non-Fiction
Tagged 21st Century, Aboriginal history, Australian, Australian Armed Forces, Australian history, colonialism, crocodiles, Cyclone Tracy, Darwin, geography, history, insects, modern Australia, Northern Territory, social policy, Top End, White Australia Policy, WWII
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Capturing childhood: Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace
I recently discovered Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy series doing a literature-map search of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Similarly, Lovelace’s series draws on her own American childhood and the target audience ages with the protagonists. In the first book, Betsy-Tacy, the girls … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Century Children's, 5 years and up, American, Children's Classics, Coming of Age/Rites of Passage
Tagged 20th Century, 5 and up, American, Betsy-Tacy books, childhood, children's classic, early 20th century, fiction, friendship, good out loud, growing up in America, historical, humour, illustrated, imagination, Maud Hart Lovelace, mid-western United States, play, semi-autobiographical, siblings, society, starting school, under 7s, whimsical
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A nonsensical tale for grown-ups: Once On a Time by A.A. Milne
A little known story by A.A. Milne, Once On a Time is an absurd and whimsical fairy story. It starts when one king takes exception to another king taking a morning walk over his battlements during breakfast time while wearing … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Century, Fantasy, General adult audience
Tagged 20th Century, adventure, British, fantasy, fiction, food and fighting, good out loud, humour, seven league boots, whimsical
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Spending time with a delightful dead guy: The Essays of Elia by Charles Lamb
I was curious about Charles Lamb after references to him in Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and I was surprised at how enjoyable The Essays of Elia and The Last Essays of Elia actually were. Published in magazines … Continue reading
Posted in 18th Century, Arts Criticism, Biography/Autobiography, Essays, General adult audience, Miscellaneous Non-Fiction, Social Commentary/Analysis, Travel and Geography Non-Fiction
Tagged 19th Century, authors with day jobs, British, character sketches, classic, criticism, essays, exam period friendly, humour, semi-autobiographical, society
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Take themes of bureaucracy and greed, add non-stop word-wit and shellfish-references, throw in the waning of magic and a very old dragon and you have The Last Dragonslayer: teen fantasy Jasper Fforde-style
The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde is a story about magic, dragons and red tape. After reading it I concluded that my ideal pet would be a quarkbeast (no fur, funny-looking, loyal and affectionate, not exactly huggable but still better … Continue reading
Is it possible to have a high powered job and a functioning family? It’s a lot easier if you have a ‘Wife’, according to discussion-provoking book, The Wife Drought by Annabel Crabb
The Wife Drought by Annabel Crabb is an intriguing look at work, home, family balance and gender in modern Australia. Why do men, on average, work an extra four hours a week after the birth of their first child? Why … Continue reading →