What moves me……..continuing

Posted on 07/05/2011 by Diane Tulloch

 

I decided to clean up some of my files that seem to be accumulating on our dinning room table of late. Amongst them I found three half written book reviews so thought I had better do some catching up. One of them is on a book I had read over the summer (Christmas) period. Remember I had said I love books that move me, make me cry or laugh. This one would have me doubled up in laughter and often in the car during my lunch hours or while waiting for my hubby to finish work, when I was picking him up. The title is interesting and sure to bring a smile of curiosity at least…

“Short Fat chick in Paris”    

 written my Kerre Woodham with Gareth Brown.

Kerre is a well-known New Zealand Talkback radio host, Television presenter and magazine columnist, (I love listening to her talkback radio). I had picked up her book, while browsing in a bookshop waiting for someone, and flipped through the first few pages until I came across the second chapter, “Looking Back”. What caught my eye were her frank, hilarious, misconceptions on being a first time published writer. This was indeed her second book, having been approached by HarperCollins to write her first one about her venture into marathon running.

Brutally honest, she tells of wrestling with  HarperCollins Publishers over the title of her first book “Short Fat Chick to Marathon Runner”, to waking at 4am in the morning wondering if she would have to mortgage the house to buy back all the books that weren’t bought, to nearly missing deadlines.

The description on the back of the book reads:….

A book for chicks of all ages who sometimes get it wrong but keep on trying anyway…

When celebrity broadcaster and columnist Kerre Woodham becomes the Short Fat Chick who runs marathons, she changed lives. Hugely successful, her first book is now followed by a funny, inspiring and devastatingly honest continuation of her personal story. This time Kerre shares more of her physical and emotional journey through a life lived out loud – the highs and lows of a woman who has privately battled flab, the piss fairy and midlife crises behind a public life of glitz and glamour.

One piece that comes to mind is Kerre giving a rendition of “Guantanamera” a party trick she used to do, and as she attempted to stand on the bar and her sense of equilibrium had deserted her, she toppled forward into the fruit bowl on the servery behind the bar. You will have to read the book to find out what she said next… but her friends managed to get her upright albeit with their eyes closed….ha-ha

The description continues…

After the euphoria of the New York Marathon, Kerre set her sights on London – and failed miserably. Did that stop her? Hell, no. With a training programme designed for her by long-term trainer, friend and co-author Gareth (aka “Gaz”) Brown, the Short Fat Chick decided to go French. With a group of friends and fellow runners, Kerre went to Paris.. And rediscovered her joie de vivre.

Kerre mentions that as she had heard from so many women who had said because of her and her book they thought that if an “old boiler” like Kerre can do it, then I can too. But it also confirmed her belief that she was obliged to be doing the hard yards alongside them. She owed it to them!

The book is dotted with excerpts from Gaz, his thoughts on Kerre and her approach not only to marathon running but life in general. There is also a section on exercise and diet for the would be runner, as well as excerpts from women who have found Kerre’s book to have changed their way of thinking towards a healthier life. What I love about this book is that through all the humour, she shows us that she is human, with faults, and fears, with friends who accept her for who she is and not for what they think she should be and love her anyway.  This is a laugh out loud read to inspire you to…. well,….move you!,

　

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Writing Prompt: Colour only my Soul can understand

Posted on 29/04/2011 by Diane Tulloch

I have just joined “The Writers Magazine” and received my first copy online.  I came across this interesting article and while I am not one to just write-up a post straight off the cuff as I am doing now, nor am I one for on the spot quiz sessions, this was very interesting and reminded me of  a topic that was part of a wonderful picture book course I completed last year “Just Write for Kids!” by Emma Walton Hamilton, (see my blogroll).  It’s actually a writing exercise for 8 – 12 year olds about Colour (color -as spelt the American way).

Paul Klee, a famous artist explains that “Colour is the place where our brain and the universe meet.” I agree Colours are amazing— they show our moods, feelings, memories; describe physical surfaces like mountain tops and swimming pools, old barns, summer mornings, and baseball fields before dark  He invites us to…  pick a colour. It might be your favorite colour, or it might be a colour you haven’t worn or given much thought to in a while, you could even make one up.

Then take a walk. Take your time to see and feel all the things that are this colour. Imagine your entire body as this colour—inside and out—acting like a magnet, drawing everything that is this same “shade frequency” to you.

Then he asks you to try to answer as many of the questions you wish below. …. 

How does your color move?

In what season was it born?

What place(s) does it take you?

What time of day or night does it like?

What does your color wish for?

What is hidden behind it?

What sound isn’t your color?

What three other things aren’t your color?

What is it a box of?

What is it a song of?

What is it the shape of?

Who are its friends?

There were a couple of inspiring examples…… one being the colour Em-a-plo-va-zar, which the person made up and they explained how it was made up and what it meant to them, how it influenced them etc…  Another was the colour blue which I instantly related to…  Both provided a wonderful short play of creative writing and imagination.  

So I wondered, why not have a go, … join me and post your answers or a paragraph answering as many of the questions listed as you wish below.  I will be back to post mine later.  Have fun!

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Okay here is my colour that I have chosen:

“Burgundy”

Pink is my favourite colour, but Burgundy I love to wear and have around me.  I can team it up with soft and pretty shades of pink,  or cream, which pleases me.  It is like a warm fireside in the evenings, soft music and candles, burning flame deep in colour, romance.  It’s creamy, smooth, and moves like poured wine, rich and elegant.  Born in the autumn, the colour of fallen leaves,  with browns to reds, (remembering Sag Harbour on Long Island, New York ).  One can also imagine a Paris evening or the French Rivera, a rainbow ringed in pink.  Always it loves the evening, dress to-the-nines (as we say)in long evening wear, and possibly decorated with touches of gold, exquisite and elegant.  What is hidden behind it – mystery, the unknown.  It isn’t any loud noise, or music, nor is it cold like the ocean, or found in any green meadow.  It is a box of extremely expensive creamy chocolates and sounds like the “Blue Danube” by the Viennese Philharmonic Orchestra. It is the shape of a ripe plum or a smooth vintage red wine.  It is a woman warm, caring, elegant, sophisticated, smart and in love. 

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Okay now!  what’s Yours?

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“What moves me…”

Posted on 22/04/2011 by Diane Tulloch

I am a romantic and dreamer at heart.  So when reading for pleasure I can be found curled up with a story that will make me laugh, or cry, will draw me in and make me dream. It will be a tender, sweet love story, or a griping adventure, a roll on the ground-double up laughter, or a biographical heart stopping honesty I felt I had to read, but always you will find me tucked away from everyone, in my bedroom, in the car, outside alone on a quiet bench in the sun, or curled up on the couch, engrossed and absorbed into another world.  I have just finished one such book I would love to share with you…

“This Time Together – Laughter and Reflection ”    – By Carol Burnett.

For Christmas this year I received  from a very dear friend this beautifully written book of antidotes and reminiscences.  Carol shares her thoughts and feelings, from the hilarious to the heartbreaking, and special moments during her career.  I was surprised to find how moved I was, and only wish I now, had read her first book “One More Time, a memoir which is more like a letter to her daughters telling them of her life growing up in a dysfunctional family (she says), before she became famous.

In “This Time  Together” each chapter, though brief, introduces us to the people Carol worked with, or had met, that made an impact on her during her career.  From the first chapter, I had the feeling I was sitting on the couch with her, telling me some of the things I knew, and a lot I didn’t know, from her first hilarious meeting with her idol, Jimmy Stewart, her early days in Hollywood with her nanny, and her time on the Garry Moore Show.  She shares her blunders, her successes and all the bits in between.  As a huge fan of her show, “The Carol Burnett Show”,  she is an amazing actress, talented, writer and a legendary comedienne, she is straight up, genuine and daring, spunky, even appearing bolshy.  But there is a very sweet, loving, gentle, tender side to Carol that we rarely see, which she shares with us in this book.  She admits to even being a “chicken”, doesn’t like confrontations, adores her fans, and her friends even more.  One of her dearest friends and my idol, Julie Andrews and Carol made three wonderful television specials together and have been friends for about 50 years.  They joke that if they ever did another special they have decided to call it “A Metamucil Musical with Julie and Carol.”  Other friends she made along the way were Lucille Ball, Joan Crawford, Barbara Stanwyck, and Marlon Brando, to name a few.  She lets us in on tit bits, her reluctance to flying, her learning the computer and dating, having divorced from her first husband, and also husband number two, Joe Hamilton, she eventually met and married Brian Millar in November 2001 and they are still happily married today.  Carol briefly shares the death of her beautiful daughter Carrie from cancer in 2002.  Carrie herself an accomplished actress, writer and musician.  when Carrie died it was just before the completion of a play they were working on together called “Hollywood Arms“, a stage-version of Carol’s memoir “One  More Time”.  It eventually opened on Broadway October 2002 and closed early 2003, winning a Tony Award.

It is her sincere tenderness to a young fan, named Kathy, that moved me the most. Carol had only known of her a short time but felt a connection and compelled to be by the young girl’s bedside, holding her hand as she passed away.  Carol finishes the book with adding up all the gratefuls in her life, her husband, daughters, two grandsons, the time she had with her beautiful daughter Carrie, the people she has had the pleasure of working with, being happy and healthy and living her dream.  She is a remarkable woman, best remembered for her mop and bucket, the Tarzan call and the earlobe pulling, I hope we hear a lot more of her in the future. I sure enjoyed this time together.

As I finish this review, I flipped back through the pages and a passage, “a legacy” if you will, that Carrie left her Mum, stops me, it reads:

“Our legacy is really the lives we touch, the inspiration we give, altering someone’s plan – if even for a moment – and getting them to think, rage, cry, laugh, argue.  More than anything, we are remembered for our smiles; the ones we share with our closest and dearest, and the ones we bestow on a total stranger, who needed it RIGHT THEN, and God put you there to deliver.”

and my tears flowed again.

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Book Reading Challenge: Book No: 19

Posted on 17/04/2011 by Diane Tulloch

“I Can’t Stop!” A story about Tourette Syndrome

by Holly l Niner  and illustrated by Meryl Treatner

Nathan was told off by his parents for continually winking, in class he continually sniffed.  A couple of weeks later his head would snap down to one side and his best friend didn’t understand.  Nathan was scared and confused, sometimes he knew it was happening, other times he didn’t, and it was especially embarrassing when other kids started laughing at him.  When his parents took him eventually to a special doctor it was finally diagnosed as Tourette Syndrome, a mostly genetic disorder.  After it had been clearly explained to them, and how they, and Nathan deal with it,  Nathan became brave enough to tell his friend, and along with his Mum told the class.  Nathan found that once others knew about his condition they understood, even the teacher looked for ways to help Nathan, and when other kids made fun of him he wasn’t worried, because best of all his friend understood.

I was returning some books to the library and as I was talking to the librarian, of all things about “Wild Orchid”, I spotted this on the shelf.  I thought immediately of my Children’s Hub friend, Patricia, her lovely new blog http://childrensbooksheal.com/ with her focus on children and teens with special needs.  Along with her broad range I felt sure she would love to know about Holly and her books.  Holly’s son has OCD obsessive-compulsive disorder – see her book “Mr Worry”.  She not only beautifully explained about Tourette Syndrome but shows children how to be understanding and caring to those who have it.  Her note to parents and teachers in the front of this book educates us.  There is no cure for TS, they appear as tics or jerks or twitches, and they may vary over hours, days or weeks.  Some 20 percent of children have Tic‘s some not even know it, and therefore are never treated, or known. Understanding and accepting  it is a neurologic disorder like migraines, seizures or autism, it does not stop most affected people from having the jobs and life they want.   Her website is http://www.hollyniner.com/index.htm

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Book Reading Challenge: Books Nos: 16,17,18

Posted on 16/04/2011 by Diane Tulloch

“Grandma meets the Queen”

By Helen McKinlay and illustrated by Craig Smith

This book is part of a comical series, about a very overactive, highly imaginative, gutsy, and adorable lady, who has your sides hurting from laughing so much.  Grandma always dusts her wrinkles and dons her glasses and puts in her teeth before leaping out of bed unashamed to wear outrageous clothes.  In this case even shorts is worn to take in the sights of London while she is on holiday to see the Changing of the Guards.  Any type of transport will do for Grandma such as skateboards and tea trolleys to name a few.  With the colourful drawings by Craig Smith I felt like I had leapt into another world , when after having tea together, even the Queen joined Grandma handgliding over the London Bridge.  Each page brought a new day of hilarious adventures, and when the Queen becomes unwell from an overdose of cucumber sandwiches, she bestows the title of Queen on Grandma for a day.  What a sight to behold as Grandma …*clears throat* that is Her Majesty is seen absailing down the palace walls.

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“Grandma joins the All Blacks”

by Helen McKinlay and illustrated by Craig Smith

Once again we are treated to the hilarious daily jaunts of this endearing Grandma who dusts her wrinkles with her feather duster and jumps on a skateboard and heads off with her wonder marmalade jam, that seems to hold a magic potion to solving everything. (mmm I wonder)

I laughed when I read Grandma had donned a wetsuit and flippers and then proceeded to plant her cabbages in her garden.  When the team refuses to get up to play their rugby game and the coach asks for her help she takes the Team white water rafting, not to mention riding the dodgems and walking tight rope in a circus. A day of fun is what is in order says Grandma.  When the Captain has chicken pox on the big day of the test this active lady saves the day and joins in scoring a try.  Like us, the All Black team love her and she is always rewarded with breakfast in bed and a get together.

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“Grandma’s week Off”

by Helen McKinlay and illustrated by Craig Smith

Deciding to take the day off from being a good Grandma (now that can only mean trouble… well, I thought so!), throwing her knitting out the window she decides to spend the day sitting in an oak tree until its time to come in, then parachutes down.

When she climbs the town hall she assures the towns people not to worry as she has bought her portable handglider to use.  Another day finds her climbing Mt Cook (highest peak in NZ) and skiing down it, and going bungy jumping.  Another day sees her pedalling her mountain bike to catch the 12.30 rocket to the moon, arriving back on Sunday in time to get up and make marmalade jam on Monday.  One is totally exhausted with laughter at the antics of this sweet lady and the cleverly painted drawings by Craig, expose so much more. 

Overview

These are 3 of a series of 4, the other one *Grandma’s Kiwi Christmas” are cleverly written by Helen.  With laughter children are lead through some of New Zealand’s  iconic places and culture, never missing a beat she keeps the intrigue of what is happening next with each page turn. Helen has certainly captured a child’s attention and imagination here and no one young or old could put down one of these books without a smile on their face or giggle.   Helen herself enjoys writing besides children’s books, poetry, and enjoys sharing her poetry through performance.  She has a monthly session of live poetry “Poetry for Pudding”, at a Borders Bookshop in Christchurch.  Among her varied activities she also had the opportunity to organize, record and host a community radio program that showcased local writers.  I loved these adorable books and they are available in most NZ Postshops.

The publisher of these books is Harpercollins – http://www.harpercollins.co.nz/   these books are also attainable through the following websites:    http://www.whsmith.co.uk/  ,   http://www.fishpond.co.nz/  , http://http//www.wheelers.co.nz   to name a few.

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Book Reading Challenge : Books No. 14 and 15

Posted on 09/04/2011 by Diane Tulloch

Yes  I am on a roll …. so here are two more.

“Hill and Hole”  by Kyle Newburn and Illustrated by Vasanti Unka.

A quote on the back of this book reads “Hill and Hole is a wonderfully original story about a most unlikely friendship”, which certainly says it all.   Some one line clear text written into the lines of the pictures with repetition and bold colours makes this an easy read for 3 years and upwards.  Both Kyle and Vasanti have won a number of awards for their previous works.  Kyle has among others won both Picture Book Category and Children’s Choice Award at the 2007 NZ Post Book Awards for his book “Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck!” (I must read that one), and his book “Old Hu Hu” won the 2010 NZ Post Children’s Book of the Year Award.  Vasanti has won among others in 2006 the Best Educational Book award from BPANZ for her design and in 2008 Storyline Notable Book for her illustrated book, “The Bean’s Story”.  

Hill and Hole dream of swapping places so they can see and feel what the other sees and feels, and so Mole and Wind try to make their dream a reality.  When reading it I was imagining being turned inside out, and when I finished the book a saying kept springing to mind that I used to get told….. “be careful what you wish for”…. mmm

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“A Dog Like That”  by Janene Cooper and illustrated by Evie Kemp.

Another easy read book for the young from about 2 years up a child will easily identify with the little dog in this story.  Though we are told in one way what dogs should be like and can expect, a young child tells us something different and through her eyes we learn.  I smiled to myself as I notice, after Emma Walton Hamilton our coach and mentor on the Childrens Hub, (that I have mentioned on a previous post), had just instructed us on when writing picture books, to allow for illustrations to tell us something that the text does not.  I notice in this book that we have illustrations of different types of dogs and that the child is a young girl.  I loved the part where she says “My dog loves me, he eats my dinner when no one is looking.”  awww.

I was interested to read this was Evie’s first children’s book and that the pictures were created using collage.  Janene is a Education consultant based here in Auckland.  This book is also a Finalist in the NZ Post Children’s Book Awards for 2011.

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Book Reading Challenge: Book 13

Posted on 09/04/2011 by Diane Tulloch

“Marmaduke Duck and the Marmalade Jam”

I read this book out loud to some work colleagues at work just for fun, and like the write-up on the back says, we laughed our socks off.  Or should  I say they laughed at my attempts to try to say the rhymes faster as the story went along.  Very hard to do as you will discover should you have the joy of reading this delightful book.  Both Juliette MacIver’s fun and quirky text and Sarah  Davis’s lively illustrations will surely keep any young child 4 years and up, entertained.  This is a beautiful story of Farmer Palmer’s farm animals descending on Marmaduke Duck as she is sampling her Marmalade Jam, sending Ilama into the pond, and eating all the jam.  Farmer Palmer saves the day by throwing a party and all the farm animals help out including Ilama and Marmaduke Duck.   Another NZ Post Children’s Book Award finalist for 2011, it deserves to be a winner.  I love the colours in this book.

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Book Reading Challenge : Book 12

Posted on 09/04/2011 by Diane Tulloch

“Baa Baa Smart Sheep”                                                                         

This is an hilarious picture book written by Mark Sommerset and illustrated by his wife Rowan.  I had the pleasure of meeting Mark when he was doing a book signing out at the Coatesville market on the Western outskirts of Auckland, one Sunday a few months ago.  While browsing through his books I noticed they were lyrical and he informed me he was also a songwriter, (no wonder). 

Bored Baa Baa decides to play a trick on Quirky Turkey and the poor bird falls for Baa Baa’s mischief.  Lord knows what is going to happen to Silly Billy……. or do we know already?

I am so pleased to be able to review one of their books, with its clean clear lines, soft colours and cute drawings it will certainly be any childs favourite.  I am also delighted to note that this one aged for 3 years and up, is a finalist in the NZ Post Children’s Book Awards for 2011.  Congratulations Mark and Rowan, their colourful website is attached to my blogroll here on this page.

 

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Book Reading Challenge: Book 11

Posted on 07/04/2011 by Diane Tulloch

“The Life cycle of the Pukeko”

Written by Betty Brownlie and illustrated with colourful full-page photographs this is a lovely introduction to one of New Zealands native birds.  This educational book explains in simple clear text where they originated from, how they live, eat, mate, sound, fly and communicate.  An ugly bird one would think, on first sight, yet its tall legs and bright coloured features make it easy to spot.   I have often seen these birds on the side of the road in the outer areas of the city where I live, and reading of its ungainly way of flying and crash-landing reminds me very much of my early attempts of snow skiing.  Betty has written a number of books with the wildlife in mind and it is a delight to know this one has made the finalist in the NZ Post 2011 Children’s Book Awards.  Due to RSI, Betty’s work has been restricted of late.

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Book Reading Challenge No.10

Posted on 07/04/2011 by Diane Tulloch

“Flower Fairies Secret World“

Ever wondered who lives int he bottom of your flower garden.  Well wonder no more.  Tiny Flower Fairies going about their daily lives helping to look after the countryside.  Camouflaged in petals, pods and leaves of the flowers they are born to.  unlike normal fairies these ones do not have wands or grant wishes, they instead dance and play and tend to their plants and each other, living in gardens, parks and country lanes.

A beautifully illustrated book by Cicely Mary Barker, I am drawn to the dreamlike nature of it.  This is one of a series and is very intriguing as it as some rhyme and cunningly it teaches its young reader name and descriptions of the all the flowers one would expect to find in such a delightful garden.  Reading about Cicely we find she used young children to model her fairies from and kept true to all the plant life.   

30 years after her death these books still entrance and  delight us all.

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