|
|
|||
|
||||
OverviewAzin and his nomadic family rely upon the Moonflowers to keep them alive. When his elders are taken ill, young Azin is left to guide the bees to these rare flowers and return with their precious honey, but he is not the only one seeking out their magic The fifth in a series of six illustrated folk tales for children which explore the supernatural world, inspired by ancient folk tales and a love of nature. Be ready to feel a little bit of magic, and perhaps a few shivers down the spine. Books in the Shadows & Light series: . 9781913733476 The White Hare . 9781910862476 Mother Cary's Butter Knife . 9781913733483 The Selkie's Mate . 9781910862506 Elias Martin . 9781910862513 Bee Boy and the Moonflowers . 9781910862520 The Eel Question AGES: 9 to 12 AUTHOR: Nicola Davies is an award-winning author, whose many books for children include The Promise (Green Earth Book Award 2015, Greenaway Shortlist 2015), Tiny (AAAS Subaru Prize 2015), and A First Book of Nature. She graduated in zoology, studied whales and bats and then worked for the BBC Natural History Unit. Her other titles from Graffeg include Perfect and The Pond, nominated for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Awards for 2017 and 2018 respectively. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Nicola Davies , Max LowPublisher: Graffeg Limited Imprint: Graffeg Limited Volume: 5 Dimensions: Width: 15.00cm , Height: 0.50cm , Length: 20.00cm ISBN: 9781910862513ISBN 10: 1910862517 Pages: 40 Publication Date: 10 October 2018 Recommended Age: From 9 to 12 years Audience: Children/juvenile , Children/juvenile , Children / Juvenile , Preschool (0-5) Format: Hardback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: Out of stock The supplier is temporarily out of stock of this item. It will be ordered for you on backorder and shipped when it becomes available. Table of ContentsReviewsKey Stage: KS2 Subject area: Health and Wellbeing, Key themes: Myth and Legend, nomadic life, responsibility -- Publisher: Graffeg “One in a series of tales that explore the deeper, darker side of our connection with the natural world. Be ready to feel a little bit of magic, and perhaps a few shivers down the spine,” the back cover promises its readers. This is a story about the power of the sea. Two of the fishermen brothers are found in the opening pages eating and drinking in ‘old Mother Cary’s place, The Butter Knife’. This might well spell trouble, for as every well-read sailor knows, Mother Carey (or Cary) is a supernatural figure who personifies the cruel and dangerous sea, upon which his livelihood depends. And trouble there is – for out of the night appears a swanky car ‘with paint as pale and neat as a scallop shell’, and out of this low-slung car appears a tall ancient man,‘with eyes ‘blue-green, like a backlit wave’. He brings a warning, and advice to Keenan, the third and youngest brother in this tale with its traditional twists. For here we have a quest motif. Here we meet three brothers, so often found in fairy tales (the youngest being the most sensible, as always). Here we find, not exactly three wishes, but certainly three objects to take on the seafaring quest, objects which we know must be useful, or necessary for the drama to unfold. The theft of the butter-knife from Mother Carey’s pub, to equate with the silver sword needed, heightens the tension, and sets the dangerous journey moving. What happens subsequently the reader must find out by reading – but it’s unexpected, unpredictable as the sea itself, with an unusual twist of young romance – a strange happily-ever-after ending. The haunting illustrations, in a restricted palette of sea-green watercolour, do in this instance work well. The endpages in particular, which betray the mood of the story in the faces of the three brothers, will capture the imagination, and the frequent double-spreads should prove great talking points for young readers sharing the book with others. The cover itself is somewhat confusing, however – the face doesn’t match the story, which brings to mind that old adage, that you can’t judge a book by its cover! -- Chris Stevens @ www.gwales.com Author InformationNicola Davies is an award-winning author whose many books for children include Animal Surprises, Perfect, The Word Bird, and Whale Boy. Her 2014 book The Promise was named one of the best picture books of the year by the New York Times. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |