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killing brumbies
Sue Andrews’ Killing Brumbies is a strange, moving, and very Australian book. It weaves fact and fiction into a story that roams from love and art to politics and moral outrage. It opens with a stark scene of wild horses and government men with guns, then slows down into something tender and tragic. The novel moves through time and memory, past and present blurring, anchored by the wildness of the land and the cruelty that sometimes hides beneath good intentions. It’s about freedom, loss, and the quiet grief of watching something beautiful be destroyed.
Reading it, I felt pulled between admiration and sadness. Andrews writes like she paints, with color and feeling, though her brush can be rough. The book drifts at times, focusing on history or other digressions, but when it hits its mark, it’s powerful. Her prose is visual and sensual. You can smell the dust, hear the flies, and feel the chill of mountain air. I could sense her anger at bureaucracy and her love for horses, and I respected both. There’s a sort of fury under her words, an old wound that never healed, and she lets it bleed across the page without apology. I liked that.
There are moments of brilliance, lines that hum with truth. Some parts meander, but through it all, there’s heart. Andrews writes with conviction. She cares deeply about what she’s saying, and that matters more to me. By the end, I felt like I’d lived through something hard and necessary, like stepping out of a storm.
I’d recommend Killing Brumbies to readers who love the Australian landscape, who want stories with grit and spirit rather than tidy conclusions. If you’re drawn to tales of rebellion, of art and nature and moral courage, this book will speak to you.
Pages: 406 | ASIN : B0FM191NQM
Soar: A Soul’s Quest
Fables possess a unique charm and elegance in storytelling, artfully weaving narratives that resonate with our lives through inventive and personality-rich characters. SOAR: A Soul’s Quest exemplifies this tradition. Authored by Christopher Morris, Ketan Kulkarni, and Francis Yoo, the book delves into the classic fable format with a contemporary touch. Centering on a young eagle grappling with a pivotal choice — the comfort of its familiar home versus the allure and dangers of the wider world — this tale echoes the thematic depth found in classics like “The Little Prince.” While its narrative can be seen as a journey of self-discovery and growth, its universal appeal lies in the personal interpretations it invites from each reader.
What elevates SOAR further is its visual storytelling. Reeva Kulkarni’s illustrations are not merely complementary; they are integral, bringing the story’s fantastical elements to life in a way that is both accessible and enchanting. This synergy of text and image enhances the reader’s engagement, allowing them to immerse themselves fully in the world of the fable. The prose is poignant, balancing emotional depth and the whimsical charm intrinsic to fables. Its appeal is broad, capable of touching readers across age groups with equal profundity.
For those who find themselves at life’s crossroads, uncertain of their choices, this book offers a reflective journey, reminding us that insights often come from the most unexpected sources. Despite its brevity, SOAR is a book to be savored. Readers are encouraged to take their time, allowing each chapter to resonate and reveal its impact. This is a story that stays with the reader long after the last page is turned, a testament to the enduring power of a well-crafted fable.
SOAR: A Soul’s Quest is a beautifully crafted fable that weaves meaningful storytelling with captivating illustrations. Its universal themes, coupled with the emotional depth of its narrative, make it a timeless read for an audience of any age. This book doesn’t just tell a story; it invites reflection and self-discovery.
Pages: 192 | ISBN : 1990137393
The Dog Who Wanted to be a Bird
The Dog Who Wanted to be a Bird is a creative work of fiction in the form of a satirical beast fable. Written by Giuseppe Scarpine, this fable follows the incredibly tragic life of Dog, who desperately wanted to be free to experience life. The story opens seen through the lens of Dog, who is the runt of her litter. She is instinctively aware of her relationships with her mother and siblings and the dynamics that come with that knowledge. She is purchased by her owner and taken home. As time progresses, we see the deterioration of not just Dog’s environment but also her physical well-being.
Dog’s unrelenting hope literally kept me as a reader not only intrigued by the idea of her being able to forgive, in a sense, her owner’s neglect but that being the driving force of her living another day. She clings to the idea that her owner will one day express the temporary kindness she once showed Dog in the past. Dog is extremely lonely, but she is not without friends. She has befriended three different birds with varying personalities and perspectives on the world outside of Dog’s desolate backyard. They frequently visit her to clue her in on society’s workings and how humans choose to treat canines as well as the world they live in.
The author does an interesting job of including lots of societal aspects in this story. It includes animal rights in quite an abundance and hits emotionally on every page. As the reader, I couldn’t help but want to reach into the story and just bear hug Dog and steal her away from that backyard, mostly due to the author’s incredible visceral writing skills. Other topics such as history, racism, faith, and friendship also play integral roles in the telling of Dog’s story through her lens. I found Dog’s perspective to be so in line with how I would imagine a canine’s mind would work. The dialogue just worked for me, and the writing made the story easy to follow and made this chapter book a fast read. Definitely a fascinating read.
The Dog Who Wanted to be a Bird is a fascinating fable surrounding the life of Dog. Touching on many sensitive topics, this novelette will leave readers with much to think about and look at in their own lives. As fables do, this story will also teach a lesson that readers can hold onto long after they have finished this thought-provoking tale.
Pages: 40 | ISBN: 979-8-218-05650-6
The Garden and the Glen – Trailer
“You are all different and all perfect, just as you are. Lately, you have become more than that. Now, you reach beyond yourselves, using your differences to help your friends. That is the magic of belonging.”
A tiny blue butterfly is chased out of a yellow garden because she does not blend in.
She flees to the nearby forest glen, where she encounters a colorful band of woodland creatures-all of them expelled from the garden for the same reason-being different. The glen provides safety, friendship, and acceptance. However, it’s the garden that holds the blue butterfly’s true destiny.
A Queen, a mystical potion, and the fate of their natural world hang in the balance. The blue butterfly, and what makes her different, holds the key.
The Garden and the Glen is about the magic that finds us when we’re brave enough to be our unique selves.
The Garden And The Glen
Elizabeth Moseley’s The Garden and the Glen is a delightful fable with a timeless feel. The story, which follows a blue butterfly exiled from her home for being different, is simple yet poignant. With the help of her charming woodland friends, who take her in with gracious, open arms, blue butterfly finds the strength to overcome the tyranny of the bossy butterfly and once again turn the forest into a safe haven for all to inhabit without fear of discrimination.
The book is divided into sixteen chapters, including the epilogue. Each chapter is bite-sized and easily digestible by younger readers, while still remaining enjoyable and engaging to older readers. The delivery of this fantastic story is similar in style to Aesop’s Fables.
Maggie Green, the illustrator, does a superb job at capturing the idyllic imagery of the garden and the glen. Her use of soft pastel watercolors throughout makes both the woodland creatures and the scenery of their home appear magical and precious. The illustrations also help the reader follow along with the dialogue and happenings of the story.
The content is just as welcome in an elementary school classroom as it is to a contemporary adult audience. The author’s ageless message about the value of embracing our own differences, as well as the uniqueness of those around us, is particularly relevant at this current juncture of 2020. This is a read I would gladly pick up over and over again when I feel that I need the inspiration it provides.
LITERARY TITAN 