Author: Sara Masarik

Curators of things Good, True, and Beautiful

Blackout and All Clear

I read this 1,400-page story last summer and then again this winter. I missed my friends in WWII England, and I needed to visit them again. I am sure I will revisit once more before the year is out. This story really was that wonderful for me. 

The Mark of the Thief Series

The Mark of the Thief series is a clear example of fantasy, and it is very enjoyable. I particularly appreciate it because it is clean, the story is well-built and doesn’t go on too long, it has both strong male and female teen characters, it has a lovely historical flavor, and it is a great tool I can use to wean my patrons off of series I loathe like Keeper of the Lost Cities. It is written in first person (which I do not love) but Nic is re-telling his story from the other side of it, so it is less whiny than Nielsen’s first-person stories usually are. 

The Fifth of March

I am frustrated. And disappointed. Some may call me a pearl clutcher for this review, but I think it is important that I share my thoughts on this historical fiction novel as honestly and directly as possible so that mothers and librarians can decide whether or not to consider this story for their particular readers. 

The Shakespeare Stealer

One day, a dark stranger arrives and interviews Widge carefully. At the end of his inquiries and tests, the stranger pays Dr. Bright £10 for the transfer of Widge’s apprenticeship to his own master, Simon Bass. Widge soon discovers that Mr. Bass wants him to steal William Shakespeare’s new play, Hamlet. 

Because Barbara

There are many kinds of wonderful picture books. But my favorite, has always been the kind that invites me into a beautiful world that is lush with color, alive with whimsy, and still grounded in something substantial and firm. Because Barbara by Sarah Mackenzie and illustrated by Eileen Ryan Ewen is just such a book.

The Wonders of Donal O’Donnell

Any storyteller who tells folktales looks for ways to show how such tales speak powerfully to new listeners. Sometimes they speak powerfully when several of them come together and, in coming together, show something that any one of them alone might not have shown. – Gary D. Schmidt

Finding Winnie

Recently, I reviewed a delightful picture book about the true story behind Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally Walker. I love that book and think that every fan of Winnie-the-Pooh would appreciate it. Shortly after discovering that book, I learned of this book by Lindsay Mattick (the great-great-granddaughter of Harry Colebourn) and illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Like Winnie, Finding Winnie is absolutely charming. And, for older readers, there is a rich chapter book also by Mattick and Blackall.

A Packet of Seeds

Why is this book out of print!? I just cannot fathom how this beautiful and heartwarming prairie story was allowed to slip out of print.

A Packet of Seeds by Deborah Hopkinson is a tender tale of a family who moved West because as Pa told Momma, “folks around here are getting as close as kernels on a cob.” Momma is grieved by the decision and does not want to leave her sister and friends.

Life Story

This book is a marvel. It is the very definition of a living book. It invites our children (and ourselves) into the wonder and awe of life. And it does it with beautiful, thoughtful, teaching illustration and exceptional storytelling. It is science the way science should be taught.

Winnie

In 1914, Army Veterinarian, Harry Colebourn, was on a train traveling through Ontario, Canada when he saw a man sitting at the train station with a bear cub. Harry bought the cub from the man for $20 and named her Winnipeg after his company’s hometown. Winnie, as she came to be called, quickly became a mascot for the entire section. This is a must-have for all Winnie-the-Pooh fans.

John Brown: His Fight For Freedom

Written and illustrated in that unique style that John Hendrix is famous for, John Brown: His Fight For Freedom is a powerful and exciting (while also tragic) picturebook biography of the 1850’s abolitionist John Brown. Published on the 150th anniversary of John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry, this picture book tells the tragic tale of John Brown’s attempt to make slavery economically untenable.

While Everyone is Sleeping

Oh, how beautiful this book is! While Everyone Is Sleeping is a brand new book written by Sarah Mackenzie and illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard that has all of the charm and beauty of the older books that we love so much. This delightful picture book is a joy to read and a delight to behold.

Jade

And, here’s where I struggle with this book: the people and prejudices that Jade is raging against deserve her wrath and our scorn. The racism of her family is vile. The English laws regarding women as little more than property are equally vile. She is right to be outraged by these things. And so, I have a hard time objecting to her war against all of society.

I am, however, left reading this with a key question: what good will my readers find in this story?