Category: Book Reviews

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.

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: True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh

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.

Good Luck Duck

Timothy and his father and mother live in a quiet valley. It’s too far away from the woods to hear the crows calling all day, too far from the bigger valley to hear the trains rolling by, and streetcars and buses don’t go that far.  The little family loves their quiet valley, but sometimes Timothy…

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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.

Snow Treasure

I just finished reading Snow Treasure to my literature class of eight- and nine-year-old homeschooled students. I only see them for forty minutes once a week, and the timing just happened to work out that I had to leave the kids hanging for a whole week with the hero captured by Nazis and with only…

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Mr. Hermit Miser and the Neighborly Pumpkin

A Plumfield Kids Book Review by Elsa, age 11

In a day when pumpkin pies are bought from the store, this book made me wish I knew how to make a “rich, spicy, luscious, crisp pumpkin pie.” I am not the greatest judge of children’s books but I’d say this one is a great story. The illustrations are simply stupendous. For instance, in the pictures on pages 18, and 31, the pumpkins look somewhat like they have faces. Also on the cover you can vaguely see a face on the pumpkin in the lower right corner. This seems to allow the child the opportunity to imagine the pumpkins as characters.

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?

Virginia Hall, an Extraordinary Woman

Whether they loved her or hated her, everyone who knew her considered her an amazing and memorable woman. Klaus Barbie, the infamous Butcher of Lyon became obsessed with finding the “Limping Lady of Lyon.” He had posters made and offered a huge reward for information leading to the arrest of “The Enemy’s Most Dangerous Spy.”

Let’s All Keep Chickens

This book has a delightful story-teller quality to it while being paired with the kind of point of view that we at Plumfield love and appreciate. Dalia is very knowledgeable and experienced with chicken keeping. She has done it on a small scale and on a large scale. She has a real passion for the birds themselves and the culture and traditions of chicken keeping throughout history.  In this completely practical book, she shows you how to enter into chicken keeping in a variety of different ways so that you can choose the best possible option for your situation.