Happy Holidays!

Hello fellow bookworms!

The holiday season is upon us! Between binge-watching Sugar Rush: Christmas, trying out new recipes, and beginning my holiday cards this year, I have been trying to catch up on my reading. I have a fun paranormal book to share with you in my next post! It is called Fingerprints and Phantoms: True Tales of Law Enforcement Encounters with the Paranormal and the Strange, by Paul Rimmasch (in case you want to read ahead, I've linked the Amazon page).

Photo by Ylanite Koppens from Pexels

In the meantime, since it is the holiday season, I thought I would share with you some book-related gift ideas:

• Litographs has a collection of shirts, bags, scarfs, and more consisting of a variety of much-loved books from over the years. If you don't see your favorite book, you can always request it! They have added quite a few books over time, as well as a variety of designs per book. 

• If someone you know likes to collect signed books, Barnes & Noble has released a collection of books that you can pick-up at your local bookstore, you can check out the options here.
  

• FlyPaperProduct's candle, called The Library, has been quite popular for bookworms. It smells like old books, lavender, and eucalyptus. For only $20.00 from the Etsy shop, your home can smell like it, too! 
  

• Speaking of candles, another popular Etsy favorite is Frostbeard's Bookstore. For only $5.67 for a wax melt, your home can smell like mahogany, leather, and coffee.
  

• Miniature chocolate books, anyone? Another Etsy product, by ChoconCho this time, features a selection of mini books made out of white and milk chocolate that will be temptation to eat, yet not want to, because they're so cute!
  

• What would a book lover's gift list be without a mention of Out of Print? My favorite area to shop from the company is their library collection, one I was introduced to by the New York Public Library gift shop. It was the first time visiting a gift shop in a library and the first time I was able to buy a lovely book-themed bag from the brand! 
  

• Speaking of the New York Public Library, if you would like to buy something from their gift shop, but cannot due to travel restrictions or do not live close enough to stop over, you can buy gifts online! Check out the gift shop here, which has puzzles, apparel, jewelry, and more.
  

• If you are particularly crafty, you can create a book necklace or bracelet using a necklace chain and book charms, such as the ones at Hobby Lobby. They even have a fairy tale section, so you could make a fairy tale book necklace! If you are not crafty, that's okay! There are a variety of options on Etsy and eBay that you can choose from!
  

• Speaking of necklaces, Sullivan Entertainment has the nicest present for fans of Anne of Green Gables: Anne Shirley's pearl necklace! Similar to the one Matthew gave Anne, the necklace even has Anne's initials inscribed on the clasp. There are also other gift ideas in their shop, if you are not looking for jewelry, such as dolls and tea.
  

• How about pins? I love them! If you do, too, or know someone who does, check out Ideal Bookshelf's collection of book pins, $11.00 each, which range from children's literature to adult literature. 
  

• Are you more of a tea or coffee person? I love both! However, if you are more into tea, Noveltea sells book-shaped tins of tea based on books! Delicious and thoughtful!

Do you have a suggestion you would like to share? Please let me know in the comments - I would love to hear from you! 

As always, stay safe and healthy. Happy reading! Until next time!

Melody Finch by Ian Boyd and Gary Luck (On Sale This Friday, October 9, 2020!)

(c) 2020 Spirit of the Earth Books, Ian Boyd, Gary Luck

 

 

"Adventure begins with a need for change." This quote is found on the book's website, Spirit of the Earth Books, promoting a new middle school aged book, Melody Finch, by authors Ian Boyd and Gary Luck. What a great quote to start off an adventure story! You can view the book trailer here.

 

With all the climate change we have faced in the recent years, there comes a need to explain such occurrences to younger audiences, who may not understand what is happening or why it is happening. This can be tough to explain, as we are figuring out these things in detail as adults ourselves. Mr. Boyd and Mr. Luck make this easier to explain, specifically what is happening in Australia and how the wildlife are affected. Here in the United States, we have heard about the devastating wildfires this year alone that have scorched the land due to persistent heat and drought. Melody Finch discusses the hardship of drought in a way that younger audiences can understand and enjoy an adventure in the process.

"The hardest part of growing up is to keep believing in things that you know are very important, even when nobody else does." - Melody Finch

We begin our story with Melody Klomp, a twelve-year old girl whose family drives down from their home in Charleville, Queensland (Australia), to visit her grandmother, Nanna Bell, in Goolwa, South Australia. Nanna Bell owns a riverboat called The Isabella, on which she takes tourists up and down the Coorong. The Coorong is a wetland that is home to much wildlife, migratory birds, and a large coastal range. As the authors mention, the name itself comes from the Ngarrindjeri, the local indigenous people, meaning "narrow neck." But, with the recent drought conditions, tourists are becoming sparse. During Melody's visit, Nanna Bell mentions to Melody about the magic of changing from a human to an animal, and never knowing when it is going to happen. Melody replies back that she no longer believes in little kids' stories anymore.

Little does she know, soon after her return home, Melody finds herself in the body of her favorite bird, the diamond firetail finch! Not knowing how to turn back into a human, she realizes that the only way to try and turn back is to go talk to her grandmother. But, birds can't make a call on the phone. Melody must travel the long distance herself, and in the process, finds that the drought has had numerous disastrous effects on the animals and wildlife around her. She meets many new friends, including a rainbow bee-eater, silver gulls, Australian pelicans, a white goshawk, and quite a few different frogs and toads!

Melody's journey is one where she learns about life on the river and how the lack of water during a drought can hurt the plants and animals, and in turn, hurt us humans. While reading Melody Finch, I learned quite a bit about Australia and some of the wildlife in Melody's area, including some Australian slang terms I was unfamiliar with (being in the United States). Besides the lovely message and thrilling tale, another great part of the book is the map at the front and the drawings of the animals mentioned in the story at the back. These two pieces of information were very helpful to someone like me, as I was unfamiliar with many of the animals and places mentioned. Even so, I was very caught up in the story and did not realize how much I was learning in the process. Curiosity sparked, I even went as far as to conduct online searches and read more about the animals mentioned. Melody Finch is geared towards middle school aged children, but if someone younger who can read at that stage wants to read it (or anyone older for that matter), the story is a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed readying Melody Finch and highly recommend reading it for yourself!

Additionally, if you are interested in covering Melody Finch in a classroom setting, Mr. Boyd and Mr. Luck have complied a list for teachers to reference in their lesson plans. The list covers the various themes in the novel, including: drought and water management, animal movements, managing human-wildlife conflicts, invasive animals, and climate change. You can buy a copy of Melody Finch for yourself directly on their website, Spirit of the Earth Books, or a multiple pack for a classroom!

About the Authors

Ian Boyd's previous career as a gardener and landscape designer instilled in him a passion for everything outside beneath the sun. His strange obsession for seeing life through an animal's eyes began with a copy of Watership Down which sat on his bedside table through much of his youth. 

 

 

 

Gary Luck is a wildlife ecologist with nearly 30 years experience studying Australian native animals. He and his partner, Gayle, now own a farm in Tasmania which combines forest conversation with sustainable food production of homemade breads, jams and fruit pastes.