First of all, a little about the book's author:
Gail Carson Levine was born in New York in 1947. She never wanted to be a writer until, as an adult, her interest in painting led her to take a class on writing and illustrating children’s books. Her first book for children, Ella Enchanted, won a Newberry Honor in 1998. (And eventually became a movie, though the book is very different from the movie script.)
She has since written a series of “Princess Tales” books, some “Fractured Fairy Tales,” and now a fairy book series. (The sequel to this book, “Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand,” is the story of fulfilling Rani’s promise to bring a fairy wand to Soop the mermaid.)
After last month’s heavy, thought-provoking book, I thought we could use some light fiction. And, light this definitely was! I even read part of it to my 4 year old daughter, although she just wanted to see more pictures. Weren’t the illustrations beautiful? I hope someone out there is a Tinkerbell fan and was excited to read this book. I personally never liked her attitude in “Peter Pan,” but enjoyed seeing a new side of her character.
I thought the author was pretty creative with her details, such as the fairies wiped their noses with ‘leafkerchiefs’ and the mean fairy, Vidia, had her home in the sour plum tree.
This book didn’t feel like a typical “book club” book and probably won’t spark a deep philosophical debate. So, I provide just one discussion question:
All the fairies in “Fairy Haven” were born with a talent—something that they were very good at which brought them joy. (I loved reading about all the random talents: mending pots and pans, cricket whistling, drying toadstools, etc.) Tell about a “talent” you have discovered in yourself or someone else OR a talent you WISH you had—something that maybe isn’t always appreciated as a “talent.”
You can also comment about whether or not you enjoyed the book and which other books by Gail Carson Levine you have read. Thanks for commenting! It will be worth the time when that chocolate arrives in the mailbox! :)
Here's my answer:
My mother has many noticeable talents, but one of my favorite things about her is her talent to “make-do-and-enjoy-it.” I wish I had more of this. I always want to know exactly how things are going to happen and sometimes stress out when they don’t go according to plan. But, not my mom. She’s spontaneous, flexible, ready with an impromptu activity to fill extra time, making everything fun, even if it wasn’t “Plan A.”
My 6-year-old son has a “sparrow man” talent for remembering everything! His brain picks up on the smallest details and he never forgets things he has seen and heard. He loves learning new things and somehow stores them all in his memory. If I want to know how fast a cheetah can run, how a certain chess piece can move, or how old the oldest person living in the world currently is, he can tell me. A good memory is a talent I have always wished for!
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4 comments:
Kami and bookworm friends~!
I LOVED this book. It WAS light and just about what my brain was in the mood to handle this month. Thanks so much for the pick, Kam. In Relief Society lessons and Sunday School lessons this past month we've discussed the subject of gifts of the spirit as outlined in the scriptures. We all have at least one gift. I'm so grateful for the talents that I've been blessed with. Even though I look at my friends and neighbors, my husband, my children and even my grandchildren with such awe when I discover their talents in such abundance, I am glad He reserved one or two just for me. I'm glad the fairies were allowed to be pleased with their talents. It's okay to admit we do something well, as long as we don't gloat and that we share the benefits of our talent with others. Having talents does classify us a little, just like in the story, but I hope we won't ever be so exclusive that we can't find the talents in others and accept each person as our equal. Some of my talents I didn't appreciate until I lost them due to aging or lack of use. I'm so proud of my elderly parents who in their growing old years have discovered some talents they never had time or interest in before. My mom is a marble puzzle game champion! Who knew? They are my teachers since I am right behind on the time line!
Okay...I'm not going to lie. This wasn't my favorite book. I was a little surprised, since I really liked "Ella Enchanted." I thought the writing was a little "clumsy" to steal a word from Levine herself. That being said, I still think it I would recommend it to a younger reader (especially a girl), and I appreciate the moral messages Levine put into this book. (That was one thing I really liked about Ella Enchanted, too).
Thanks, Kami, for the insight into gifts and talents. I have always kind of dreaded the Sunday school lessons on talents, as it is easy to compare yourself with others and wish you were someone else. But, I agree with Fay (wise Mom that she is) when she said she was glad the fairies could rejoice in their talents. That is sometimes the hardest part about having a talent is recognizing it, embracing it, and using it wisely.
Thanks for the pick, Kami!
Better late then never I guess (I have to for the chocolate). I found this to be a quick easy read which was great for for me. There are 2 talents that came to mind that I would like to have. The first one is to be the kind of person that always makes other feel good about themselves. I think we all know someone that we just love to be around because they are always building others up. Not just someone that others like to be around but someone that actually makes someone feel better about who they are as a person, genuinely . The other talent I wish I had that my husband has-he always knows how to handle things the right way. Even when he gets upset or ripped off or yelled at he always knows the right things to say or how to handle it. When he needs to complain to a manager or there are rude kids at church he just always says things in the right way. I really wish I could remember to say things nicely, in the right way and not get upset about it. So, those are the talents on my wish list.....
Those of you who have commented have amazing skills and talents of finding the delightful joys among such a book. I'm afraid this wasn't one of my top choice to recommend for kids. I must have been looking at this book through the eyes of a literature critic. I guess I found myself not so keen on fairies and fantasy.
It was a delightful little story. But, this book confused me as to the audience it was written for. The content seemed appropriate for a very young child, yet the reading vocabulary seemed more difficult. There was a great message at the end which is perfect for young readers.
Glad to know about these new authors in children's literature. Thanks for the selection.
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