Whimsical Word of the Week

Piebald - (adj.)
when an animal has patches of black and white fur or plumage.
Example: The magpie may well be the original example of a piebald creature.

 

Bibliophile's Corner

The Lost Spells
written by Robert MacFarlane
illustrated by Jackie Morris

Goodreads Description:

Since its publication in 2017, The Lost Words has enchanted readers with its poetry and illustrations of the natural world. Now, The Lost Spells, a book of kindred in spirit and tone, continues to re-wild the lives of children and adults.

The Lost Spells evokes the wonder of everyday nature, conjuring up red foxes, birch trees, jackdaws, and more in poems and illustrations that flow between the pages and into readers' minds. Robert MacFarlane's spell-poems and Jackie Morris's watercolour illustrations are musical and magical: these are summoning spells, words of recollection, charms of protection. To read The Lost Spells is to see the natural world within our grasp and to be reminded of what happens when we allow it to slip away.

My Thoughts:

Since I'm a big fan of illustrations created by Jackie Morris, I was anxious to read The Lost Spells. Not only is her artwork exquisite, the poetry of Robert MacFarlane is beautiful. This book is one that I'll read again and again. If you're conservation-minded, a lover of poetry, and enjoy lovely illustrations, The Lost Spells is a book not to miss! 
 

Storyteller's Journey

My NaNoWriMo Update!

When you get in a groove of writing between 1,500-2,500 words a day, it's both gratifying and depressing. It's depressing because you wonder why you don't attain those wordcounts everyday! As of Wednesday night my total was 48,747 words; only 1,253 more to go! With four days left in November, I'm fairly confident I'll make it. Thankfully, I "put words in the bank," so I was able to take a couple of days off this week. 😀

Whimsical Word of the Week

Hireath (n.)
homesickness for a home to which you can't return.

Example: The citizens of the country all felt a sense of hireath, since the pandemic had wreaked havoc within the society.

Bibliophile's Corner

The Polar Bear Explorers' Club

written by Alex Bell and

illustrated by Tomislav Tomic

 

Flap Copy Description:

Stella Starflake Pearl knows without a doubt that she was born to be an adventurer. It's too bad girls are forbidden from becoming explorers. But Stella's father, Felix, has never been one to play by the rules.

Leaving behind her pet polar bear, Gruff, and beloved unicorn, Magic, Stells sets off with Felix on an expedition to the snowy Icelands. There, Stella plans to prove herself as a junior explorer, worthy of membership to the Polar Bear Explorers' Club. So when Stella and three other junior explorers are separated from the rest of their expedition, she has the perfect opportunity. Can they explore the frozen wilderness and live to tell the tale?

My Thoughts:

I discovered this wonderful book while perusing Twitter and I'm so glad I did! It was published in 2017 by Simon and Schuster, and written by the British author Alex Bell. Since I enjoy fantasy novels (and polar bears!) I expected to enjoy the read. However, what I didn't expect was the creative characters and stunning settings created by Bell. When I did a bit more researching, I discovered it's the first book in the fantasy series; there are two more published books already available. I anxiously look forward to reading the entire series. I highly recommend The Polar Bear Explorers' Club to readers aged eight to fourteen!

Click here to learn about the author, Alex Bell.

Storyteller's Journey

My NaNoWriMo Update!

While I'm thrilled with my progress (I'm at 35,801 words), it's taken a toll on my reading, my housework, and my time in the out of doors. Thankfully, I pre-posted for this blog! 😉 It feels good to have Thanksgiving coming up next week, even though we'll be home alone this year complying with Washington State pandemic regulations. 
Wishing each of you a very Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

Whimsical Word of the Week

Ombudsman (n.)
someone who researches complaints about an organization or government.

Example: The ombudsman was much less busy since the new president had taken office.