I have particulalyity enjoyed a children's book for fluent readers:
This is a complmentary story to Wind in the Willows and take place mainly whilst Mr Toadiss in priso. ait takesmem back to the second year of junior school when our teacher read The Wind in the Willows over a series of das ;such ahappy time. This is one of the things that led to my love of story,?
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This month I've chosen Under Fire-red Sky by Geraldine McCaughrean
Four hildn escp bin evacuated duding War II. This isn't one of McCaugherean's usual feel-good stories; it is much more or brutal. In every paragraph something bad happens. This gives a real sense of what it might be like living in a war zone. Perhaps a warning about the times we're in now.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Under-Fire-Red-Sky-Geraldine-McCaughrean/dp/1836040776/ref=sr_1_1?crid=AXMA5XLO7CHB&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Ssq6flPGUu2
Love and romance can be tough for a compulsive fibber
Archie has quite a reputation as a practised fibber. Normally his lies are
harmless but as time goes by they begin to get him into more and more trouble.
They lose him his girlfriend, and bizarrely, his hearing as his ears begin to
react in a very strange way every time he is less than truthful. Giving honest
opinions isn’t enough. Deep truth is called for. But finding that isn’t easy.
Some truths are very hard to face. Then numbers become interesting, too.
Fibbin’ Archie, is, however, more than the story of a disenchanted young man.
It is also a writing experiment based on a fascinating number series
(Fibonacci!) It is a piece of experimental writing, a humorous story of love
and sex, an examination of social issues affecting young adults and a story of
coming of age.
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This month I've chosen The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory.
This is the story of Katherine of Aragon from a child until she begins to suspect Henry VIII of having an affair with Anne Boleyn.
Philippa Gregory shows us what it is like for a young girl who has been brought up to be a princess. We get insights too into the Spain of Isabella and Ferdinand and how the Spanish royals enjoyed the delights of the Alhambra Place after the Moors had been chased away.
We see a young woman who falls in love with the young husband of her arranged marriage. We witness her grief when that young man dies prematurely.
We gain some understanding of how Henry became the way that he was. He was never meant to be king. That should have been his older brother Arthur, to whom Katherine was first married.
Because of Gregory's skilful writing we gain useful insight into this brave young woman.
An interesting issue arises. Can Muslims, Jews and Christians live together in peace and harmony? Katherine believes ardently that Christianity is the true faith but admires the culture, science and education of the Muslims. The Jews too have their qualities.
They win one war but then there could be another and yet another. Isn't it peace they should be working towards?
Some modern day questions arise here for us.
We all know the story doesn't end well for Katherine. Gregory really helps us to see it from the young queen's point of view.
