Thursday, April 25, 2024
The Write Reads Ultimate Blog Tour: Takeout Sushi by Christopher Green
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
The Write Reads Ultimate Blog Tour: Guns&Almond Milk by Mustafa Marwan
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Palamedes PR: Bloggers are instrumental in the success of books
Book bloggers are no longer considered ‘fringe media’ but important vehicles to promote new titles, authors and publishers. Unlike mainstream news and feature outlets, which reach a wide but less targeted audience, blogs like WILDWRITINGWORLD are the go-to destination of choice for engaged consumers who return time and time again for expert reviews and advice.
According to Palamedes PR, the UK’s market-leading book marketing agency, bloggers can be instrumental in shaping the overall success of a new release and are an indispensable force in the public relations industry. As a long-time PR executive myself, I can only appreciate this switch of perception, as for a long time, bloggers, particularly in the bookish field, were rather considered as purely hobby writers, without getting the praise and appreciation that any written word made public usually deserves.
Here, we speak to one of its publicists, Anthony Harvison, to find out why book blogs are reshaping the literary marketing and sales landscape, and how they are an increasingly important advocate for underrepresented voices and genres. (material provided by Palamedes PR, the intertitles are mine - WWW)
´...a powerful force in book marketing´
Q: How has the landscape of book marketing evolved with the rise of book blogging, and what role does it play in promoting books?
Book blogging has become a powerful force in book marketing, offering a dynamic platform for readers to share their thoughts and recommendations. It plays a crucial role in creating buzz around books, reaching niche audiences, and influencing purchasing decisions.
Q: In what ways do book bloggers contribute to building a book's online presence and visibility?
Book bloggers contribute significantly to a book's online presence by writing reviews, hosting blog tours, and participating in social media discussions. Their authentic and personal recommendations can enhance a book's visibility and attract a diverse readership.
How to get in touch with bloggers
Q: How do book publicists identify and collaborate with book bloggers to promote specific titles?
Book publicists often research and reach out to book bloggers whose content aligns with the target audience and genre of a particular book. Collaboration may involve sending review copies, organizing blog tours, or facilitating author interviews to generate interest among the blogger's followers.
Q: Can you share examples of successful book marketing campaigns that heavily leveraged book blogging?
Successful campaigns often involve strategic partnerships with influential book bloggers. For instance, organizing blog tours with well-established bloggers, hosting giveaways, or encouraging book discussions on popular platforms can generate substantial online buzz and drive book sales.
´...unique ability to champion diverse voices´
Q: How do book bloggers contribute to the diversity and inclusivity of book promotion, particularly in highlighting underrepresented voices or genres?
Book bloggers have a unique ability to champion diverse voices and genres that might be overlooked in mainstream media. They can bring attention to underrepresented authors and stories, fostering a more inclusive literary landscape and broadening the range of books available to readers.
Q: With the prevalence of social media, how do book bloggers use platforms like Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube to enhance their book reviews and recommendations?
Many book bloggers utilize social media platforms to share visually appealing book recommendations, snippets of reviews, and engage in real-time conversations with their followers. Platforms like Instagram and YouTube, in particular, provide a multimedia approach to book promotion, enhancing the overall impact of their reviews.
´Building genuine relationships is key´
Q: How can book publicists and authors effectively engage with book bloggers to ensure a mutually beneficial collaboration?
Building genuine relationships is key. Publicists and authors can engage with book bloggers by offering personalized pitches, providing relevant content, respecting their schedules, and acknowledging their contributions. It's essential to approach collaborations as a partnership that benefits both parties and their audiences.
Q: Looking forward, do you see any emerging trends or changes in the relationship between book blogging and book marketing?
As technology evolves, immersive experiences like virtual book clubs, interactive content, and multimedia reviews may gain prominence in book blogging. The relationship between book bloggers and marketing may deepen as influencers continue to shape literary conversations and bridge the gap between authors, publishers, and readers.
For more information about Palamedes PR and its book marketing services, go to www.palamedes.co.uk or call 0208 1036883
Monday, April 22, 2024
Rachel´s Random Resources: The Upper Crush by Evie Alexander
Country girl meet city boy in this enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy by Evie Alexander. Usually, when I am really overwhelmed by daily schedule and way too much work, this genre always helps me to overcome the overcrowded to-do-list. The Upper Crush is hilarious and hot romantic, therefore, guarantees a happy ending to a busy day.
James Hunter-Savage, the worse enemy of the twin brother of Lady Estelle Foxbrooke loves the buzz of London and its attractions. Lady Estelle is rather the introvert type, but in any case, she does not have too much time anyway, as she is busy to save her family estate. James just had a dramatic business failure and retiring to his parents far away from London may save not only this honor, but also the high cost of a life it seems he cannot afford any more. Lady Estelle would love to keep the estate, too long neglected by her messy parents, but the only solution may be to work together with James. Would they be adult enough to be able to follow their business objective?
I loved how the relationship between the two evolves - spoiler: not straightforward - and this part kept me very focused until the very end. The upper class kind of setting sounds genuine and creates that world that enables the interactions and relationship between the characters.
If you are looking for an entertaining romantic comedy, The Upper Crush is a recommended to start the week with. It promises a lot of noble entertainment in a very special social and ambiental surrounding.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
Sunday, April 21, 2024
Rachel´s Random Resources Blog Tour: Invitation to Italy by Victoria Springfield
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Random Things Tours: A Sicilian Affair by Susan Lewis
Blog Tour: Reinventing Democracy by David Kauders
There is no secret that many old traditional democracies, particularly in Europe, are going through a process of re-consideration and re-evaluation. ´Huge economic disparities, the increasing disatisfaction of a large category of population with social and economic policies, corruption and lack of efficiency of institutions and political authorities, as well as their representatives are topics frequently discussed, no matter the system of government and the democratic age of the political system.
Particularly in the UK, the political establishment is often criticized for incoherent policies and weak politicians, The public, the voters are more and more disappointed and such attitudes are in general dangerous for democracies in general.
Based on carefully crafted financial and economic assessments, David Kauders is suggesting a dramatic but much awaited change of the British system. Reinventing Democracy. Improving British Political Governance is an analysis, a manifesto and a generous invitation to dialogue about burning questions such as the need of changing deeply the government system and the structure of the state as such. He suggests, among others, the switch to a written Constitution, as well as a re-organisation of the territory based on the federal system and devolution principles.
Definitely, each theoretical suggestion always needs a serious nationwide discussion, but the ideas are here and deserve a larger analysis. The reinvention of democracy is a long process, but the final result needs to consider the diversity of opinions and regional requirements.
I consider the book a good contribution to this debate and I can only hope to hear more about this project.
Rating: 4 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Calling Ukraine by Johannes Lichtman
Mourning his late father, in the afterwards of a long-term relationship, a failed journalist, John accepts without second thoughts the offer of an old acquaintances to re-train a group of call center employees based in the Western part of Ukraine. With a good salary, one year contract and a native command of English, he is ready to help the team improve their innate knowledge and pronunciation of the English language.
John is an overthinker, with a penchant for self-deprectiation. However, as he (apparently) kills an abusive husband whose wife he was in love with, except some nightmares that may stop after a while, there are no terrible negative effects.
I was very curious about the book, covering 2018-2019, including the moment when the current Ukrainian president, Zelenskyy, was elected. The book is categorized under the sub-genre of ´Americans abroad´, and it does include some usual stereotypes associated with such endeavours. There are some interesting observations about language - the one we speak, we use, we learn as a second language, mispronounce and mistreat, as well as some nonfictional details about the recent history of Ukraine. There are also one or two twists that may have the effect on the reader of waking you up from a deep sleep when nothing really noteworthy happens in terms of plot.
But except those small details, I was left after around three hours of reading largely disappointed. I would have expect a lot of developments and a story, that is just killed due to an apparent lack of plot directions. I wanted to like it and I was almost tempted to do it due to the intelligent remarks on language, but I simply couldn´t.
Rating: 2 stars
Monday, April 15, 2024
Random Things Tours: Clickbait by L.C.North
´Living with the Lancasters has something for everyone. You´re going to love us, and if you don´t, then you´re going to love hating us´.
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Rachel´s Random Resources: Summer at the Santorini Bookshop by Rebecca Raisin
Rachel´s Random Resources: A Kiss in Kashmir by Monica Saigal
Her latest book, A Kiss in Kashmir is a romance of second chances. Sharmila, a talented artist, is back to Kashmir after many years of absence, following dramatic political events that lead to the disappearance of the love of her life. While busy preparing the wedding of her daughter, Alina, she gets to know George, a retired art historian, slowly recovering following the death if his beloved wife.
Two broken hearts who lost their soulmates. Would they be given a second chance? Are there second chances, second soulmates? After all, love is just love. Love in itself is a chance to live, no matter when it happens or how many times in life it happens.
What I really loved about this book is that it covers so many separate aspects - local Kashmir history, art history, love and romance - while creating a coherent beautiful story. This is how one recognizes a great storyteller and Monica Saigal is definitely one of them. Only if she will share with the world more of her beautiful stories.
A recommended read to anyone looking for an emotional story of love, with relatable characters set in an unique surrounding. It leaves the reader with a soothing feeling that love is such a simple, rare and genuine feeling, we must always cheerish, every time it really happens.
Rating: 5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
The Last Exiles by Ann Shin
Book set in North Korea or with a North-Korean inspiration are rare those days. The secretive repressive nature of the regime that turned the country into a prison hard to escape from deter some people from finding freedom. Those who did, probably are rather interested in sharing their stories as nonfiction, in memoirs or movies.
Hence, my high interest in reading The Last Exiles, by movie maker and author Ann Shin. A love story set on the background of an unlikely couple caught in the everyday life absurdities of the repressive system, it resonates with every other stories of people growing up in dictatorships. The repressive system controlling the lives and content of the cupboards of the citizens is nurtured by abuse and corruption that will stay for a long time in the soul of the people, independenlty of their will.
Jin and Suja met at the university where they are studying together journalism. He is on a scholarship from people with modest background, she is the only daughter of a powerful media owner, close to the establishment. While on vacation visiting his parents, there is a raid taking place, during which the food rations of his parents are stolen. Jin will try to make justice on his own, but no one is on his own in a totalitarian regime. He ends up in a penitentiary colony but he will escape to China.
Driven by love, Suja will escape using a complicated network of smugglers only to end up as a victim of human trafficking. After many unhappy adventures, the two of them will meet again and will leave behind China and North Korea, hoping to start a new life abroad.
Inspired by true events, The Last Exiles is an emotional story of random human cruelty but also of empathy and hope. Although I felt that som, e moments that I expected to be highly tensed as the escape through the river of both of the main characters were treated too fast - personally I was really curious how they did it, being fed many stories of escaping dictatorships by the way of swimming as well - the book is well and empathically written.
I would be curious to read more - also in nonfiction - about the human trafficking stories at the border with China, but first and foremost, would love to hear more stories about everyday life in North Korea and the escape stories. The Last Exiles just arose my curiosity to discover more, although it is not always easy for me to carry to weight of all those broken destinies only because born in the wrong moment, under the worse political regime.
Rating: 4 stars
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Random Things Tours: The Rabbits by A.A.Milne
As promised, I am back with a new review of a book by A.A.Milne, the iconic author of the equally famous children book Winnie the Pooh and his friends. Milne was a prolific author who tried his hand of different genres and his short stories are intelligent sketches of various human characters and their stories.
The Rabbits - the self-given name for a group of friends in pre-war Britain - has the same deep sociological and psychological appeal, but it´s also witty and easygoing when it comes to the passions of the youth. The interactions, the game of language and the adventures of the group reflects at a certain level - middle class level, anyway - the society of the time, living carelessly in the shadows of a war in the making.
This book is matching the long trend of British literature of the early 20th, late 19th century, focused on fine and smart observations about society and it´s middle class representatives, therefore, The Rabbits can be also read as a sociological testimony as well as a literary episode of a long list of British authors.
The book reads easily but has a charm that will definitely keep you interested for the long run and at a certain literary level connected with the characters. They may stay with you for a while and keep you buy trying to figure out their motivations and behavior.
A recommended read and a welcomed initiative to bring back to the literary life such an intelligent writer.
Rating: 4 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
Orenda Books Tour: The Kitchen by Simone Buchholz translated by Rachel Ward
It is my great pleasure and honor to have been given again the chance of reviewing the newest book by Simone Buchholz, translated into English from German by Rachel Ward, published by the one and only Orenda Books.
Hamburg State Prosecutor Chastity Riley is back with a very delicate and complicated case, trying to trace down the murderer(s) of men with history of abusive behavior towards women. A story with an unexpected end, it is marked by the tension between the law and justice: should one make justice trying to prevent further abuse, or just follow the letter of the law and judge accordingly?
I personally love books based on such presumptions, particularly crime books, as they reveal important mechanisms of decision making within the act of justice and therefore are throwing more light into the human behavior as such.
German crime writing - Krimi, as it is called here - is a largely underrated category of crime novels nowadays as it is usually available to the outside world only through translations. Authors like Buchholz are really worth getting to know and I wish the list of talented German crime writers is much longer.
What I particularly love about the Chastity Riley series as well is the atmospheric descriptions of Hamburg, one of my favorite cities in Germany and in Europe in general.
The Kitchen is a really challenging novel, with an important contemporary touch dealing with violence against women while raising relevant moral and ethical questions. This read is a feast for any serious crime novels lover.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
Monday, April 8, 2024
Der Hausmann by Wlada Kolosowa, illustrated by Raúl Soria
An illustrated novel of a contemporary couple - and a hard working German learning refugee from Ukraine - Der Hausmann (the masculine version of the Hausfrau) by Wlada Kolosowa is an ironic view on an unlikely couple. Enmeshed in accidental neighbouring relationships, the characters are entertaining and very much relatable, at least for the Berlin crowd.
My main attraction for reading the book was the mixture between story, illustrations - by Berlin-based Spanish graphic artist Raúl Soria - and some social media fragments - as some of the characters do engage in social media activities. Given the contemporaneity of the topic, it was a happy choice and the different narrative layers only made the reading diverse and entertaining.
In some respects, the book reads as a comic book. Thea and Tim do challenge the patriarchy: she is from a rich family living in Dahlem, working hard in a start-up, he is the son of a single cleaning lady, whom he often accompanied to JobCenter meetings in-between jobs. He is an artist - working hard to finish a graphic novel with an ecological topic - and when the inspiration left him, taking care of the household. Does this story have a happy ending? Or/Oder...?
I enjoyed the irony of the book and it has some funny turns of phrase that makes it a recommended read for students trying to improve their contemporary German knowledge - B1 to B2 level. Although I felt sometimes that the story has too many creative turns - of the kind that just add more and more text to the story without necessarily flowing into the story, I´ve found the story entertaining and worth reading it.
Der Hausmann recommended read if you are looking for some easy weekend read with a rich German vocabulary.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Saturday, April 6, 2024
Rachel´s Random Resources: How to Start a Riot in a Brothelin Thailand...by Simon Yeats
Thursday, April 4, 2024
Random Things Tours: The Doctor of Hiroshima by Dr. Michihiko Hachiya
First published in the US in 1955, The Doctor of Hiroshima, translated and edited by Warner Wells M.D., himself a surgeon dispatched on the front during the war, is the diary of following the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Dr. Michihiko Hachiya was at the time the director of the Hiroshima Communications Hospital, situated less than a mile from the center of the atomic bomb.
From 6th of August onwards, he will document, through daily entries that were not originally intended to be published, the circumstances of the event, but also the medical follow-up of the symptms and overall medical effects of the tragic events. In a way, it may operate as a self-defence mechanism: in the face of the human tragedy, looking for patterns and logical/scientific explanations is part of the tremendous efforts to bring order and logic into this floating world.
Therefore, the book may be used both by historians of the WWII and anyone interested in medical histories, especially visible medical effects of exposure to nuclear incidents.
The diary belongs to the so-called hibakusha genre, which refers to the testimonies of people who survived the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. The style is dense and very descriptive, with reference to stories of individuals he may have known or got to know only as victims of the attacks. The fact that those writings were never aimed to be published, give a certain genuine taste to the writing in general.
The Doctor of Hiroshima is an important memorialistic contribution to war narratives about nuclear power and the effects of nuclear bombing on the life of everyday people. The cover, both the picture chosen to illustrate it, and the colour range, do add visual information to this terrific memorialistic account.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
Das Paradies Meines Nachbarn by Nava Ebrahimi
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck
Every year, I am doing my best to follow various longlists, particularly International Booker Prize and the German-speaking equivalent, but obviously, I always succeed few titles a year. I usually keep the TBR for the next years, with more and more titles added on every year.
For this year longlist, I succeeded to acquire at least half of it, and although not all of them will make it into the short list to be announced on the 9th of April. However, my one of only until now, was a book by a German author, Jenny Erpenbeck - Kairos, that Í´ve listened to read by the author herself, in the original German language version.
Set on the changing political and social landscape of the end of the German Democratic Republic, Kairos is a story told through the voice of Katharina. At 19, she met a relatively famous writer in his 50s, Hans, and for years they secretly date. There are ups and downs, social pressure and psychoanalitical dependencies in a world in turmoil.
I noticed lately a certain temptation outside Germany to love and appreciate exactly such novels, with a strange love story and some rich German-German history details. Especially when one may be new to such encounters - historical ones, I mean - such a plot may make the love story tensed and mysterious. However, although the historical details were interesting, but the love story horizontally developed and very much mundane, uninteresting - I could not find any literary attraction in the story.
Kairos is for me one of those novels that I may like the writing and the voice - and its echoes - of the characters, nevertheless I´ve found the story itself completely unappealing. Definitely not my kind of love story as well.
I hope until the 9th of April to have the chance to read at least another book from the longlist and hopefully my feelings about this exquisite literary event will also change.
Rating: 3 stars
Monday, April 1, 2024
All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Matthews
Saturday, March 30, 2024
Rachel´s Random Resources: The Mistress by Valerie Keogh
A crime novel built around a strong character, Hannah Parker, The Mistress by Valerie Keogh, an author I had the chance to feature before more than once, is a story of greed and ambition at any price.
The many lies of Hannah´s life ended up his otherwise happy marriage. But she needs a new aim, a new target, a new man. Call it fate, but as she randomly sees the photo of an old crush, Max Shepherd, her interest in him is lit. Hence, her determination to get him, ignoring some simple detail that he may be married in between with Susan, the complete opposite of Hannah.
Hannah is a fascinating character, displaying a maniacal motivation. I didn´t like her particularly, but she is one of a kind and following her steps was an interesting experience, although would not be so keen to meet someone like her in real life.
The plot is bold, playing mind games with us, helping us to gasp for light and truth out of the web of lies and deceit.
I´ve read this book in one sitting, as the other books by Keogh. On one side, I was dying to see what happened in the end, on the other side was curious about the characters themselves: how far they can get and at what price.
The Mistress is a recommended psychological thriller to anyone looking for some unique human insights and inspiration.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
Friday, March 29, 2024
Random Things Tours: The Complete Short Stories of A.A.Milne
The brilliance of a writer is often displayed when he or she is writing short stories and/or children books. Both genres do require exquisite skills of concision and require special attention for detail and clear yet eventful plot.
A.A.Milne - Alan Alexander - is worldwide famous for creating the iconic character Winnie-the-Pooh and his lovely friends. But it is less known that until his death, in 1956, he was a prolific writer of journalistic articles, short stories and theatre.
His first collection of The Complete Short Stories by A.A.Milne reveal not only his fine art of writing, but also his constant interest in observing feelings and situations. The topics cover a wide range of topics and contexts, from family interactions and love, to everyday life interactions. As in some insightful episodes from Winnie-the-Pooh, the plot ends up always in displaying samples of deep human longing, friendship and bonding. The scenes are word sketches of life and
The complete collection of short stories do justice to the talent of A.A.Milne and his literary achievements. It is an act of literary restitution that delights the readers with beautiful stories.
Rating: 5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
Rachel´s Random Resources: Dying to Bake by Helen Golden
I am more and more interested in exploring mystery books with a taste of...everything, therefore I was very curious about Dying to Bake by Helen Golden.
A tasty mystery, with a touch of royal gossips, it shares an intricated story built around the sudden death of a popular judge of a baking show Bake Off, stabbed at heart. As the top suspect is the king´s royl girlfriend, smart Lady Beatrice turns into an amateur sleuth, trying to save the honor of the family. Meanwhile, she may also develop a love interest into a handsome DCI.
We are dealing with a crime, and I may assure that solving it is approached with the highest seriosity, which does not exclude adding a lot of good humour into the cozyness of the story. The story has a right balance between action - alert and taking mysterious turns - and the characters, interesting and not always what you seem they are.
Overall, the inquiry takes place in a delicious background, where dying to bake is really taken literally. At least by the main culprit. I liked particularly the combination between mystery and humor, as it helps to make the investigation more bearable and less tensed.
As for the cover, it is simply deliciously iconic, with the high exposure of deliciously decorated cakes. Good for my diet that they are so far away, and just pictures.
A recommended read, especially for the coming long weekend and holidys days. It will make the reader both hungry and curious to follow up the story.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Random Things Tours: Hotel Arcadia by Sunny Singh
Sam, a talented journalist, famous for her outstanding pictures of dead people, is checking in a luxury hotel for spending some relaxing time. The manager of the hotel, Abhi, is a young man who struggled hard to comply to his parents expectations. The peace and relaxation of the five-star hotel is broken by a terrorist attack, that will challenge everyone to act differently. During those terrible times, Sam together with Abhi, will bond with a third person, a small boy, found alive under a heap of corpses, including his parents´.
Hotel Arcadia by journalist and author Sunny Singh touches upon a terrible topic of our times: human solidarity in the eve of horrible events. Placed in an unnamed city, the events, as horrible as they are, serve as background for forging human bonds and solidarity, reconsidering questions without answers about human condition and humanity in general.
Terrorism is an ubiquous reality of our modern times. Almost every society may have at least within one generation the memory of a terrorist attack. But humans can go beyond the inhumanity of some. They can raise questions and help each other, work together to bring more sense to a world that some want to annihilate.
Hotel Arcadia is a sad lesson of humanity and resilience, bringing meaning and hope for the future. A book that will for sure think about for a long time in the next days and weeks.
Rating: 4 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Random Things Tours: Assimilation by Sophie Buchaillard
Rachel´s Random Resources: Kookaburas, Cuppas&Kangaroos by S. Bavey
Kookaburras, Cuppas&Kangaroos. Adventures of a Yorkshire Lass Down Under in the 1960s by S. Bavey is an example in this respect. Bavey, a British living in the US with her family since the beginning of 2000s wrote the story of her late mother travels through letters, diary entry and other travel notes. Those materials were re-written in her mother´s voice, creating a coherent enticing collage that is both informative in terms of everyday life in Australia and travel inspiration, but also rememorates important personal moments from her lifetime.
Based on an immigration scheme in the 1960s, used by the Australian government to attract qualified workforce, Elizabeth Mary Rogers, in her 20s at the time, embarked on a three-week voyage that also included Cairo and Aden, going on a temporary work visa for two years.
The book is tracing her story finding herself, a handsome husband and getting to discover this part of the world - there is also a part of the memoir dedicated to her journey to New Zealand. Black-and-white photographs are adding more atmospheric details to the stories.
I´ve also found interesting the memorialistic style and special art of focusing on recreating the original voice through a variety of documents, as well as the writer´s own familiarity with the subject of the memoir. The style is very lively, witty while keeping the right graps on the informative part.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
La Filla Estrangera by Najat El Hachmi
Thursday, March 21, 2024
The Write Reads Ultimate Blog Tour: The Swift Return by Fiona Barker, illustrated by Howard Gray
A beautiful picture book written by Fiona Barker and equally beautifully illustrated by Howard Gray, A Swift Return is a story of friendship and love for nature and its creatures.
Aria, a young little girl with her head in the clouds and the heart keen for stories, made the friendship of Yusuf, a young boy in her neighbourhood as he was trying to help a wounded swift. The sweet story of the two little kids extends its wings towards the nature and the ways in which we, as humans, we can peacefully co-exist with nature and its elements.
I was delighted by the pastels as well as by the story, that has such an important ecologically-oriented message, transmitted in a very genuine way.
Last but not least, the book also includes translation into Arabic, which makes the book a recommended read to bilingual children and their parents, as well as a helpful tool for anyone trying to learn or improve her or his Arabic skills.
A Swift Return is a recommended book for preschool children, learners of English and/or Arabic, as well as children educational institutions, such as kindergarten, aimed at offering good stories about nature and friendship.
A beautiful book with a beautiful message.
Rating: 5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own