Quest the First... One More Time
Quest the First:
Quest the First:
Quest the First:
Read at least 5 books that fit somewhere within the Once Upon a Time II criteria. They might all be fantasy, or folklore, or fairy tales, or mythology…or your five books might be a combination from the four genres.
Book 1: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Hardcover: 228 pages
Publisher: Candlewick (February 14, 2006)
ISBN-10: 0763625892
Amazon:
This achingly beautiful story shows a true master of writing at her very best. Edward Tulane is an exceedingly vain, cold-hearted china rabbit owned by 10-year-old Abilene Tulane, who dearly loves him. Her grandmother relates a fairy tale about a princess who never felt love; she then whispers to Edward that he disappoints her. His path to redemption begins when he falls overboard during the family's ocean journey. Sinking to the bottom of the sea where he will spend 297 days, Edward feels his first emotion–fear. Caught in a fisherman's net, he lives with the old man and his wife and begins to care about his humans. Then their adult daughter takes him to the dump, where a dog and a hobo find him. They ride the rails together until Edward is cruelly separated from them. His heart is truly broken when next owner, four-year-old Sarah Ruth, dies. He recalls Abilene's grandmother with a new sense of humility, wishing she knew that he has learned to love. When his head is shattered by an angry man, Edward wants to join Sarah Ruth but those he has loved convince him to live. Repaired by a doll store owner, he closes his heart to love, as it is too painful, until a wise doll tells him that he that he must open his heart for someone to love him. This superb book is beautifully written in spare yet stirring language.
In reality, I couldn't write a better description of the book than Amazon did.
What a fantastic book! I am soooooo glad I didn't miss out on this one. It took me a while, when it sat on my wish list, but I finally sent for it and I couldn't be happier!
It was a "one read session"...but a superbly enjoyable one!
And I couldn't possibly leave without giving as much mention to the illustrator: Bagram Ibatoulline.
Bagram Ibatoulline graduated from the State Academic Institute of Arts in Moscow and has illustrated numerous picture books, including The Nightingale, Hana in the Time of Tulips and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Born in Russia, he now lives in New Jersey, USA. (oooo I wish I knew where in NJ!)
I can find no website for this artist.. but he surely deserves one! Here are a few samples of his work form Edward Tulane...
Even if you don't have a very young child... you should have this book.
Both the writing and the illustrations are just outstanding!
11 Comments:
My husband got me this book for me birthday a few months back, but I have yet to read it. I haven't heard a bad word said about it. I really, really need to move it up the pile. And I couldn't agree more...the illustrations are so gorgeous!
Oh this sounds like a FABULOUS Book! And ILOVE the illustrations you showed us! I don't have any grandchildren, but I think I am going to get the book for me!
It really is an outstanding book. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
My God Pat!! LOL! Are you going for the Guinness book of records this year? lol...I'm so glad that you like Edward Tulane...I think it's my favorite of her books and I couldn't agree more that the illustrations are just perfect. I think he deserves just about as much credit for this one as DiCamillo. If I didn't respect my books so much I would've cut the pictures out and framed them!
Ooh debi you will NOT be disappointed!
Naomi! lol this is such a delighful, insighful and beautiful story and the illos are just fabulous!!
Nymeth: I'm smiling lol I've wanted the book for a while now, and really glad I finally got it!
Oh get real Chris lol.. you know a few of these books are small! This one I read in one sitting!
and Once Upon a time in the North in one day...that speeds the count up a bit lol I am really curious now though that the artist lives right here in NJ, but has no website and he's soooooo good!
This is one that I really think I need to read!! Sounds wonderful!
Blown away by illustrations. Never heard of this book before, it sounds like something I could read with my grandaughter...
stephanie: It is a keeper! It's a story for young kids but told really well and as you can see the illo's are just fantastic!
Ohhh Cath! I remember some posts you did about enjoying books with illustrations in them.. this goes beyond sketches as you can see! It's out in paperback which is what I have but the quality of it is very good. And I'm sure your grandaughter would love this story.
I had a look on Amazon, Pat, and there's another book by Kate DiCamillo that sounds lovely too, The Tale of Despereaux. As my grandaughter has her 8th. birthday next month I think I might both books for her for her present. Thanks for the idea!
Cath: excellent choices!!
how young?? Is it something a kid would read on his/her own or something a parent should read with the child?
ps.
pamela the dust at yahoo dot com
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