New Growth Press here . . (at a great discount, plus books 1 and 2 on sale) . . or the normal price on
Amazon here.
This is the third Rwendigo Tales book, written a decade ago as a Christmas present for my own kids and now in print with illustrations by our very own Acacia Masso, for all to enjoy. It was a rare treat to BE WITH two of our kids on the release date, so Julia gamely posed for the promo photo. A decade ago I didn't know how much she would embrace some of the themes in these stories, and in this one in particular about justice and poverty and the environment and courage and hope.
It's a solid page-turner read, not too long, opens your eyes to a corner of the world few get to see, appropriate for ages 10 to adult (some younger readers too but parents can decide). One of the highest compliments I received about book two came when visiting with a Kenyan friend a month ago, who said that as she read it with her daughter she relived her own childhood in a Kenyan boarding school and they talked about it. That gives me hope that these stories can capture a period and place, and generate discussion for families. This one opens real majority-world issues, in ways kids and the rest of us can relate to. There is a strong theme of what it means to forgive, that I still am learning about! And all the books honor the resilience of the real people who are bravely engaging in their own way with a world marked by both suffering and beauty.
As with the other books, half the royalties feed back to help real kids in similar situations.
Today our focus in America is on tragedy, loss, horror in another mass shooting. The focus in our family is on mourning as we prepare for a memorial service. The release of a kids' book can seem trivial in comparison. However I know that stories that make sense of loss are more important than ever in times like these, so I do not hesitate to offer this one on a hard day.
IF YOU READ it please please please write a review on Amazon or NGP. The more page-views, orders, and reviews, the more likely you will get to see book four! If everyone who reads this blog bought five copies to give as Christmas gifts we'd be well on the way. There is nothing preachy or offensive in these books; they are more like magical realism in blending deep topics into life adventures.
Celebrating a new book, mourning a loss, this is life.
No comments:
Post a Comment