Surprise! By Karen Andrews and Illustrated by Kim Fleming – a book review
This is a thoroughly delightful read but I can’t tell you what it is about, as that will give the game away.
Suffice to say that my own children are extremely picky about books. Although they can all read, their tastes run the gamut. As I stagger back with sacks full of books from the library each week, I can never guess which ones they will warm to and which will be kicked to the curb.
Here, the “illustrations” are in warm, muted colours with touching personal details for the sharp eyed. The pictures are sequenced in such a manner that non-readers may easily follow along. Inferences, which are always tricky in my household, are clarified by these sequential images.
I particularly like the name choices for the different characters and the variety of their respective home lives. The traditional nuclear family is such a rarity these days that hopefully more books will begin to reflect the diversity of modern reality, so that more children will see their own circumstances mirrored back in their everyday reading.
However, it seems daft for an adult to review a children’s book, so instead I offer you a junior opinion, or two:-
“U-Tube.”
‘Surprise!’ is just my kind of book, a “pay it forward,” kind of a book without the “soppy.”
The author mentions that the book was ‘inspired by a true story,’ to which I would reply, ‘capturing the minutiae of life, could prove inspirational to us all.’
You may buy a copy for yourself over here at “Miscpress.”
I shall buy the book myself. When it arrives, it is destined for the library, together with an insert of our own. If you’ve read the book, then that won’t be a Surprise! to you.
You can catch up with Karen on “Twitter” or on her blog called “Miscmum” and I’m sure she’d love to hear from you.
Please note that whilst I am more than happy to read just about anything, I only ever post positive reviews of books that I have genuinely enjoyed, as there are more than enough critical critics elsewhere.
Cheers dears
January 16th, 2009 at 7:28 am
hadn’t heard of this book, i’ll have to give it a spin with my little ones, we love reading!
January 16th, 2009 at 8:20 am
I too don’t usually review books unless I truly dislike them and can say why. Just a “I don’t like that”, doesn’t work.
I started putting books on Goodreads a couple of days ago. Usually I just post on my “haunts”.
January 16th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
How is this fair?
http://www.amazon.com/Surprise-Karen-Andrews/dp/0646487736/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232136592&sr=8-1
January 16th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
You are such a sweetie. Thanks for this and again I’m so pleased you liked it. I particularly like you noticed the non-nuclear-familyness – that was something I was going for
Love ya xx
p.s Bonnie – I haven’ explored the potential of selling on Amazon yet. I have deliberately stuck to traditional shop means, although you can buy it off my website. On the plus side, American publishers are looking at Surprise! now, so it may be available there beflore long, fingers crossed.
January 16th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
The cover looks really cute!
January 17th, 2009 at 2:03 am
Excellent review of an excellent book.
We borrowed it from the library and Annie has put a surprise in it for the next child who borrows the book.
January 17th, 2009 at 9:24 am
[...] Maddy wrote a great review of Surprise! Then, as an extra special treat, she did this: [...]
January 24th, 2009 at 12:12 am
[...] persons, such as myself are incapable of such feats. Meanwhile, it maybe that someone is due for a “surprise,” and perhaps you might “Surprise” someone too, as there’s nothing like curling up [...]
February 22nd, 2009 at 12:02 am
[...] to happen. I am thunderstruck when my son tells me that he would like to share his new book, “Surprise,” with other children. Moreover, he is keen to draw a picture to put in the back of the book to share [...]