Book Review: The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.

Collins, Suzanne. TheHunger Games. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2008. [Science Fiction, 12-18]

The Hunger Games is a dystopian novel for young adults, set in the future nation of Panem, where a decadent Capitol holds the rest of North America – divided into twelve Districts – in an iron grip. The eponymous Games are a brutal gladiatorial contest where, every year, two children from each district are chosen by lottery to fight to the death in a grand melee; the winner is elevated to national stardom and wealth, and the winner's district is rationed extra food and resources.

The book takes our protagonist, Katniss Everdean, through the pomp and circumstance surrounding the contest's preliminaries, before plunging her into the horrors of the arena.

Parents may find the blood-thirsty nature of the premise off-putting, but the emphasis throughout the book is on the struggle to preserve a measure of humanity and grace through extraordinary circumstances. The violence is never gratuitous, and never dwelt on excessively.

The fast pace, engaging language, and compelling plot make this a good choice for readers just starting to tackle longer-form stories; Katniss is a sympathetic protagonist, whose emotional journey should resonate with teenagers trying to find their way in the world.

Book Review: The Kincaid's Book of Witches, Goblins, Ogres, and Fantasy, by Lucy Kincaid

Kincaid, Lucy (1984): The Kincaid's Book of Witches, Goblins, Ogres, and Fantasy..London, College Books. [Fairy tales, 7-12]

This lavishly illustrated volume of fairy tales collects thirteen tales, several of which are not commonly found in other collections.

The prose is serviceable, rendering tales such as “Raiko and the Goblin,” “Yellery Brown,”and “The Queen's Revenge” in a simple, orderly fashion; occasionally a tale will end abruptly or seem stilted, perhaps a result of compressing them into the available page count.

The illustrations, however, are the real draw of this book. Each page has a lovingly rendered fairy-tale scene; from grotesque ogres menacing stout farm boys, to wicked witches or dancing, flame-shrouded imps, the lush fantasy world will draw in readers young and old alike.

Most suitable for children who have read through more traditional collections of fairy- and folk-tale, such as Grimm's Fairy Tales or Hans Christian Anderson, and are looking for more.

Book Review: Dinosaur vs Bedtime, written and illustrated by Bob Shea

Shea, Bob (2008) Dinosaur vs Bedtime New York: Hyperion Books for Children [Picture book, 0-6 years]

Dinosaur vs Bedtime is a very loud, very noisy book for very loud children. The simple, childish drawings lead the readers through the many, many things that Dinosaur can best – a big slide, talking grown-ups, even a bowl of spaghetti – yet, what will happen when Dinosaur faces his biggest challenge – bedtime?

Children and adults alike will delight in the clean, breezy visual design and short, punchy captions that invite audience participation. The bright, vivid colour palette jumps off the page and gives a bold punch to the narrative. Dinosaur vs Bedtime will appeal to children who like dinosaurs, but also provides a light satire on the expectations and norms of a child's everyday routine. Highly recommended.

Welcome

Hello, and welcome to my Writer's Bloq.

This is where I'll be posting all my creative writing and book reviews for the forseeable future. I also have an old fandom blog and a political blog lying about the place which you're welcome to read as well.

I'm hoping to take my writing Seriously this year, and you're welcome to read along with me as I write.

Thanks for reading,
Arthur.