Maw Books

Maw Books – book reviews, book recommendations, book lists, author interviews and more!

What is it like to experience colors if you are blind?  This is the question that The Black Book of Colors by Menena Cottin and Rosana Faria asks and attempts to answer.  This book of colors is lacking in the color department and that’s a good thing.  Instead, it is completely black with white text and raised black line drawing which are  meant to be deciphered by touch.  The text is also translated into braille, so that the sighted reader can begin to imagine what it is like to read by touch.

From the criticisms that I’ve read of the book and a discussion that we had at book club is the fact that the braille text is virtually unreadable as braille.  The raised dots simply are not raised high enough off of the paper.  I’d be curious to know if a blind individual could actually read the book.

But the book isn’t intended for the blind but rather those with sight and it’s very cool.  I enjoyed feeling the raised line art.  I knew what I was feeling for as I could see the image that the line art created but I would often close my eyes to see if I could figure out what I was feeling.

Thomas thinks that without the sun, water, doesn’t amount to much.
It has no color, no taste, no smell.
He says that green tastes like lemon ice cream and smells like grass that’s just been cut.
But black is the king of all the colors.  It is as soft as silk when his mother hugs him and her hair falls in his face.

How does one describe a color?  A very creative book that would be a welcome addition and a different type of reading experience for any children’s library.

Links of interest:  More book blogger reviews.
Genre:  Picture Book, approx ages 4-8.
Publisher: Groundwood Books.   June 28, 2008.
Hardcover, 24 pages. ISBN 0888998732
The Black Book of Colors is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

In Standing Still by Kelly Simmons, Claire trades in the life of a journalist for that of a stay-at-home mom.  Late one night Claire hears a noise on the roof, goes upstairs and discovers an intruder in her daughters room trying to abduct her.  Claire utters three words which would change her life forever, “Take me instead.”

Her husband is out of town and as she leaves with the kidnapper her only thought is with her children who are now left home alone.  Taken to a hotel and tied to a bed for the better part of a week, Claire – as the title suggests – has time to be still.  She has time to think.  To evaluate.

Ironically, her kidnapper is kind (but she fears his boss) and they spend a lot of time talking.  As she begins to understand him and the reasons for his actions, she sympathizes with him and forms a special bond.  As the negotiations take place for her return, Claire discovers that her husband might not be who she thinks he is.  She  reevaluates her marriage, family, and motherhood.  If she makes it home, she will not be the same person that she was before.

The few reviews that I’ve read of Standing Still all mention  Claire’s irrational anxieties and now that I read the back cover, I see that it mentions it as well.  How could I have read the entire book and not put a label on Claire’s behavior as anxiety, panic attacks or acute panic disorder?  Sometimes I wonder if I’m a good reader at all.  Do you sometimes feel like this after reading a book?  That you missed the obvious and wonder how you managed that?

I thought Claire was a bit “off” but I wasn’t able to label it.  I certainly questioned some of  Claire’s behavior.  She seemed overly nervous but yet maintained an incredible degree of calm while being held hostage.  There is also a certain element of mystery as Claire alludes to a possible reason for her abduction but we don’t know the circumstances behind it.   I didn’t relate to Claire at all despite the commonality of both being mothers.  But we don’t always need to relate to the main character and this case I liked getting into the head of someone I didn’t understand.

The strength of this novel is definitely the writing and the style.  In alternating chapters between the present and the past, we gradually learn more about Claire and her past as she is coming to grip with her future.   I particularly liked the style of the chapters set in the past.  Each begins with a photograph description and Claire reminisces about the circumstances surrounding the photograph.

A taste of the writing:

Fear doesn’t always serve you in life.  It lives on your surface, visible as your skin.  People can take advantage of your weakness.  Dogs can smell it on you, and so can children.  But when  you turn it outward, and fear for the lives of the world, you can warn someone.  You can save someone.  You can see the potential for destruction around us all.  It’s what makes me certain I’m a good journalist.  But a very bad seatmate on an airplane.

A great book which kept me hooked and I’d recommend for all readers.  The writing was poetic.  Fantastic prose.  The premise and story were intriguing.  Characters were engaging.   But ultimately, I fear that it’s one that I could also easily forget.  And I hate it when that happens.

Links of interest:  More book blogger reviews, Kelly Simmons website.
Genre:  Fiction.
Publisher: Washington Square Press.  February 10, 2009  (Hardcover by Atria in Feb. 2008)
Paperback, 288 pages. ISBN 0743289730
Standing Still is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

In The Next Thing On My List by Jill Smolinksi June Parker attends a Weight Watchers meeting that will change her life – but not how you would think.  She gives a ride home to Marissa whom she’s only met for the first time that night.  As Marissa reaches behind her for a taco soup recipe (which our host made for our book club – yum!), a dresser comes off a truck in front of them causing the car to roll and killing Marissa.  Yep, what a way to start off the book and what a guilt trip for June.

June does go into a downward spiral but the book really begins as she’s starting to get on with her life by deciding to complete Marissa’s list of twenty things that she wanted to do before her next birthday.  A list which June found and took from Marissa’s purse the night of the accident.  Some of the things are seemingly silly, like go braless for a day or kiss a total stranger and others are more difficult like change somebody’s life and show your brother how grateful you are him.

The Next Thing On My List is June’s journey as she attempts to complete each item.  Along the way she finds romance, career fulfillment and how to live again.  It’s a fun, quick read that while it has a great message – live your life instead of watching somebody else live theirs – doesn’t take itself too seriously.

I did find some of the book unbelievable.  Like June’s relationship with Marissa’s brother, mother and grandmother.  I would think that it would be very awkward to be friendly with the person who killed their family member despite that it was an accident.  In the aftermath of the accident, they don’t take the time to find out more about each other or details about the accident, which I found odd.  When June comes back into their life with this list of Marissa’s they are curious of course but act as more casual bystanders.  I think something needed to be done slightly differently with that aspect of the book but what that solution is I honestly don’t know.

Overall, a quick read that doesn’t leave me feeling heavy afterwards.  And with some of the heavy hitting issues that I like to read about it’s nice every once in a while to read something that doesn’t get me down. It’s not a book that I’m running out and telling everybody that they HAVE to read it because it’s SO good but I enjoyed my time with it.

And of course, one can’t help thinking about their own life lists.  I’m a list maker.  My husband’s a list maker.  Making lists are just plain fun.   My lists would be different if I were to put time limits on them like one year, 5 years, 20 years or a lifetime.  So I came up with something that seemed reasonable for the next 10-15 years. And from the looks of it I need to also come by a cash load somehow as my list involves spending a lot of money!

• Go on a cruise.
• Vacation in Thailand.
• Take the Advanced Master Gardener class (a four year program).
• Read all the Newbery books.
• Remember every Birthday for a year.
• Decorate a tree for the Festival of Trees as a family.
• Take out my large 4×5 camera and start shooting again.
• Vacation with the family to Yellowstone, Redwoods, Southern Utah.
• Go to Disneyland and stay in a nice hotel instead of cheapest we can find.
• In fact, don’t let the cheapest always be the deciding factor.  Allow myself to treat myself well without feeling guilty about it.
• Buy a bed.
• Take family to Hawaii to visit the family.
• Have another baby (or two).
• Snorkel but be brave enough to go more than twenty feet out from the shore.
• Digitize all of my negatives.
• Get a massage.
• Go on an African safari.
• Do volunteer work in Africa.
• Get involved with helping refugees here.
• Go skinny dipping (yikes my parents & in-laws read my blog!)
• Book a flight last minute and just go!
• Take my boys fishing.
• Learn sign language.
• Cook a turkey.

Now, it’s your turn!  What are five things that you would like to do in the next ten years?  Spill it!

Links of interest:  Jill Smolinksi website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre:  Fiction, Chick-lit
Publisher: Three Rivers Press.  March 25, 2008
Paperback , 304 pages. ISBN 0307351297
The Next Thing On My List is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

How can I not love All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon when it’s illustrated by Marla Frazee? I adore Frazee.  And All the World is no exception.  How does Frazee do it?  I discovered Frazee last year (links to other reviews at end of post) and am still in shock with how much I just love her illustrations.  If  a book has her name on it, it’s pretty much guaranteed a winner.

But first let’s talk about the story.  The text by Liz Garton Scanlon flows from one page to the next with a thoughtful tone that makes the reader pause to let the words sink in.  The story follows the day of a family beginning with a morning on the beach and their daily routine until the evening which is spent with family and friends.  The words are simple but convey that each moment is to be savored and is special.  That each of us have a place in this world and that simply by being a part of the world we are all connected.

All the world can hold quite still.
Nanas, papas, cousins, kin
Piano, harp, and violin
Babies passed from neck to knee
All the world is you and me
Everything you hear, smell, see
All the world is everything
Everything is you and me
Hope and peace and love and trust
All the world is all of us.

The illustrations add so much to the beautiful text.  Frazee shows the  young, the old, and different cultures.  I love how she also included a nursing mother.  It was the little touches like that that made me stop and linger over the pages.   This book is beautiful.  Simply beautiful.  The illustrations are visually stunning, cute, humorous, and breathtaking all in one roll.  It’s hard to pick a favorite spread but I remember gasping a little at this one:

Oh  my.  I’ve fallen in love again . . .

Links of interest:  Liz Barton Scanlon website and blog,  Marla Frazee website, more book blogger reviews,  Maw Books reviews of  Santa Claus, The World’s Number One Toy Expert, Walk On! A Guide for Babies both by Marla Frazee and  the Clementine Series by Sara Pennypacker illustrated by Marla Frazee.   All the World is nominated for a Cybils award in the Fiction Picture Book category for which I’m a panelist.
Genre:  Fiction Picture Book, approx ages 4-8.
Publisher:  Beach Lane Books.  September 8, 2009.
Hardcover, 40 pages. ISBN 1416985808
All the World is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

So a few discussion questions for you readers out there because that’s why you’re here right?  Because you love to read.  Have you always read?  Have you read since before you could remember or did reading come to you later in life?  And are there periods in your life where reading takes a back burner?

For me, I’ve always read.  I don’t remember  a time where I didn’t read.  My memory doesn’t go that far back.  One of the first lines of my journal is, “I’m eight years old and I’ve read all the Little House on the Prairie Books.”  I remember staying up late reading books, getting excited about the book fairs, begging my mom to buy me another Archie comic at the grocery store (which she always let me do), and going through the entire Steinbeck shelf at my local library in high school.  And then college.  Ah, college.  For six years (yes, I just said six years) I didn’t pick up any books for pleasure.  Oh, I lusted over my photography books that’s for sure.  But fiction didn’t get read at all.  And then graduation day.  It’s like I gave myself permission to read again.  So many books out there!  But I didn’t read then like I do now.  Blogging changed my reading habits a lot.  I’m reading WAY more than I did before and the variety of books which I’m reading has changed as well.  It’s been amazing.

So, have you always read since you were little or did it come later to you in life?  My dad hated reading until he was in his fifties while I always remember my mom reading.  Is reading such a big part of your life that you can’t remember a time where you’ve put them aside?  Or can you go months or even years where it’s not a top priority.  To tell  you the truth, I don’t think I’ll be able to keep the pace that I’m reading now without serious burnout in the future.  And I have a lot of other projects being neglected.  While I’ll always be a reader I suspect that I’ll continue to have my ups and downs of interest.

So what about you?  What type of reader are you?