Real Reads Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility by Gill Tavner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I kind of love that those classics that can be hard for adults to get through, are adapted and shortened for children to enjoy. I purchased the whole collection of Jane Austen Real Reads last summer I believe, hoping my daughters would get a glimpse into the world of Miss Austen.

I decided to give Sense and Sensibility a read this afternoon. It read very quickly, being only 54 pages long. The copy is made very sturdy. It isn't softcover, but isn't hardcover either. It is that weird in-between version. There is a dust jacket with a beautiful illustration of distraught Marianne being comforted by her older sister Elinor. There are similar colored illustrations throughout the book, with the pages being much thicker than normal pages.

I love the story of Sense and Sensibility, the newer BBC version of the movie is one of my favorite movies of all time. I thought this version of the story was well done. There is obviously a lot of the story details left out, considering its length. This version is told from the point of view of Margaret, the younger sister (who really has a very minor roll in the original). There was also a couple of times where events were kind of smushed together, and even characters (such as Ann and Lucy Steele becoming simply, Lucy Steele). I know some Austen fans might gasp in shock, but I don't think it hurts the story at all. I just think, a little condensed Jane Austen for young ones is better than no Jane Austen. My only complaint about the shortening and adapting in this specific novel is that the scene with Colonel Brandon finding Marianne in the rain was left out (although I have never fully completed the novel, so maybe that is just in the movies?). That is kind of one of my favorite parts, as it is the moment that Marianne begins to view Colonel Brandon in a different light, knowing how he rescued her.

I especially love how when the story ends, the book does not. At the back of the book, there is a bunch of information for budding minds! They explain how things were condensed and changed for space, and describe in detail how they were in the original novel. There is also a Back in Time section that explains what is was like to live in Miss Austen's time. Another section gives lists of more books and websites to further your Jane Austen interest, along with a few pages of discussion questions that leave your mind reviewing and really putting your thoughts together about what you just read. What more could a parent or teacher ask for in a Jane Austen introduction novel for young ones?

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Vikings of Legend and Lore Paper Dolls

Vikings of Legend and Lore Paper Dolls by Kiri Ostergaard Leonard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After digging into this book, I decided to give a review on here. The book contains a paper doll based around Viking Legends, which includes a total of seven paper dolls (Thyra Danebood, Tove of Venden, Kraka the Shieldmaiden, Gorm the Sleepy, Harold Bluetooth, Ragnar "Hairy-breeks" Lothbrok, and the dragon, Lindwyrm). Each doll has a different pose, so their clothing can not be shared between them. Along with each paper doll, there is a short summary of the legend dealing with each person. I do wish that the book explained the legends a little more deeply, but I suppose I can't complain. The style of the paper dolls and clothes are beautifully done, and the colors chosen compliment the era of the Vikings well. The pages are all pretty thick, though not thick enough for the paper dolls to stand upright (even using the provided stands). The tabs for the clothing were placed very awkwardly. I was surprised to see parts of the clothing printed out onto the tabs, so that once folded behind the doll, it distorted the appearance of the clothes. Tabs were placed on a curved part of the body (such as the shoulder), so that you couldn't fold the tab over without really messing up the look of the clothing on the front. There was even a pair of pants where a tab was actually placed too far into the pants, so that folding the tab would over would still leave a large chunk of the bright white tab visible on the doll. I don't use tabs, and general snip them off, however, that specific tab even posed a problem for me, as I had to actually cut into the pants to remove the tab.

Aside from the tabs, I really liked this paper doll book. I love how the characters from Viking legends are depicted more as children rather than adults. Their faces are so detailed and original on each doll, it really makes for a set of fun paper dolls. Especially if you are someone that has an interest in Vikings. I think that this paper doll book and a book that further explains these legends would be a great gift for a child interested in this culture.


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My Storybook Paper Dolls

My Storybook Paper Dolls by Maggie Swanson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a cute paper doll book filled with characters from well known fairytales. This book includes Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, the three bears, the big bad wolf, the three little pigs, and Puss in Boots. Each doll and all the clothing is printed on thick cardstock type paper, which is very sturdy. Each doll has different body types, so they cannot share clothing between them. The illustrations and style of these dolls are very adorable and would catch they eye of any young child. The colors are bright, and their is plenty of clothing for even the animal characters. This is a great paper doll book for any fairytale lover.

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Thrift Store Diva Paper Dolls

Thrift Store Diva Paper Dolls by Charlotte Whatley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This paper doll book contains two diva dolls (Morgan and Sofia), which are present on the front cover. Both dolls are have the same body shape and size, so all the clothes provided within can be used for either doll. The clothing throughout the book show a thrift store price, along with where the piece was purchased (such as a garage sale, a charity thrift store, a discount department store). The dolls are printed on the inside flap of the covers of the book, so they are extra sturdy. The rest of the clothing is printed on pages that are thick enough for the clothing to hold up well. Tab placements are appropriate and useful. This book surprisingly has a ton of clothing for the two dolls provided, and would make a great gift for the little girls in your life that are interested in fashion and design.

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collecting your memories quote from Inkheart

'"If you take a book with you on a journey," Mo had said when he put the first one in her box, "and odd thing happens: The book begins collecting your memories. And forever after you have only to open that book to be back where you first read it. It will all come into your mind with the very first words: the sights you saw in that place, what it smelled like, the ice cream you ate while you were reading it... yes, books are like flypaper- memories cling to the printed page better than anything else."'

I especially loved this quote from the book, as I have always wondered if others felt this exact same way, that many times you associate a book you read with what was going on around you (or what was going on in your life) while you read it. Cornelia Funke describes this feeling so perfectly that it makes me widen my eyes in excitement to find that Meggie from within these pages is just like me. After 12 years of marriage, I can still remember sitting in bed at night reading Great Expectations, with my husband beside me thinking he was besting me by knowing who the benefactor was (however I had guessed correctly). I remember listening to an audio book on My Antonia, hearing about such a fascinating character that kept my mind distracted and unfocused when my daughter was very ill and in the hospital. I believe that Cornelia Funke must be correct, that memories cling to the printed pages of a book.

favorite fairytale or folkatale

What is my favorite fairytale or folktale? Does it say something about my life?

This is a tough one for me to answer, as I love just about any fairytale, folktale, and fable alike. I have always been drawn to these stories that have been around longer than any of us, tales that have been told by the mouths of ancestors throughout generations. Tales that have been told so many times that they have twisted and turned, changed and adapted, but are still told by mouth or through books to this very day. What an amazing journey! My overall love of these stories I think very openly displays my love for the connectedness we all have, whether with someone standing beside us in the now, or someone that has stood on the same ground so long ago. It amazes me that their hearts and lives still live on through the sharing of these tales. What more proof could you ask for that shows how we all leave a mark upon this beautiful planet?

Now, more deeply, I have to say I utterly adore fables. I am in my 30's, and can sit down and enjoy Aesop's Fables better than any novel out there on the market today. I love the messages, and how cryptic they can sometimes be, and how they are shared through such a medium that anyone at any age can be drawn in. Pure wisdom of what it means to be human. My favorite fable is probably The Tree and the Reed. I love that the idea of needing to be flexible in our lives, whether it is being unexpectedly late for an appointment, to something more severe as having to adjust your life for a chronic illness, is shared so simply.

As for fairytales, I really loved Once Upon a Winter's Night, which is a retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon. The descriptions of the wintry lands in this novel are so beautifully written, they have been imprinted on my mind. I did not, however, like some parts near the end of the book that left me feeling I will never reread it. I have never read the original tales that this book is based off, but I think maybe I would like that tale the most. Otherwise, I really just love all fairytales. Old versions, new versions, creative retellings. Any and all I find so fascinating and brilliant. I really love creativity in written form, especially when it is to continue on such a tradition as fairytales.

* I got this prompt from The One-Minute Writer. Please click here to see the post.

the cookie

She carefully crept down the stairs, her bare feet gently pressing against the floorboards. She grasped the bannister as she maneuvered her body awkwardly, avoiding the creaking spots that would sound off an alarm. Her breath quickened as she grew anxious, nervous to being caught. She blew a stray strand of hair off her eyes so that she might better concentrate on her task at hand. A soft whistling sound wafted through the air as she accidentally used her newfound talent. She paused, alert, listening for her own betrayal, then continued until she was finally at the bottom of the staircase. She walked cautiously to the kitchen, running her hands along the countertop in the darkness, feeling for the slick cold feel of the jar. Her fingertips grazed it, sending goose bumps up her arm as she quietly fumbled for the lid. Her free hand was immediately inside the jar, retrieving her most longed for treasure. She pressed it to her lips and breathed deeply through her nose to smell the wondrous scent before swiftly biting into it. Crumbs rolled down the front of her shirt and onto the floor, waiting to be found in the morning.  

Written by K, Copyright 2014  

* I initially started this flash fiction from Velvet Verbosity's writing prompt (stairs), but of course it ended up much too long to add it to their listing. You can check out the post from that blog here.