Review + Author Interview Talking is Not my Thing by Rose Robbins (Children's, Picture book,10E/10E)

 February 2020, Scallywag Press, 32 pages, Hardback, Review copy

Summary from Scallywag Press

 The autistic sister of this delightful sibling duo knows what she wants to say, but can’t say it out loud. However, there is plenty of fun she and her brother can have together without verbal communication, and she is often one step ahead of him!

Nayu's thoughts

I am not sure if it is Rose's other book that I've read, but I have read books with non-verbal siblings, but never from the view of the sibling in question. Having an insight into what the non-verbal sister is thinking was extremely interesting. It must be so hard not to be able to communicate easily with others, especially when something is wrong, which happens for the sister when a beloved toy goes missing. All that is on her mind is finding the toy, but because she is so focused on that she doesn't even use her flashcards when her family try and work out what is going on. It doesn't matter as the toy is found safe and well, and love transcends words 

I loved how cute the illustrations are, the bright colours work with the story and I definitely will reread this book in the future (it is being donated to a local school a friend works at, so will hopefully help many children understand non-verbal friends easier.) 

Find out more on Rose's website and in the interview below! 

Question and Answer with Rose Robbins

Meet Rose!

Nayu: Here are a few questions which Rose kindly answered about Talking Is Not My Thing

 

What made you decide to tell the story from the girl’s point of view, and to have her brother echo her thoughts by his words?

I already had a book from the brothers perspective, and I was curious about what his sister thought about everything, and how she managed being non-verbal. I suppose I exercised my curiosity by writing a book about it! The sister communicates with the reader through her thought bubbles, but I wanted to make it clear that the brother and other characters were not able to read those thoughts.

What kind of research did you have to do for the book to make it accurate?

I read a lot about speech and language therapy, as well as running a few drafts by people with lived experience of being non-verbal. Research for me is vitally important, as I want to be accurate and relatable wherever possible. 

What would you like readers to take away from the book?

That all forms of communication are equal.

Will there be more books about the siblings exploring other areas of life?

I hope so! There is a lot more to explore, maybe a wordless picture book next?

What is your favourite snack and drink when writing?

I love crackers with dips and cheese, and I will usually drink tea… But if I could have anything, then I love a banana milkshake!

Blog Tour: Review + Q&A for I Have No Secrets by Penny Joelson (Young Adult, Thriller, 10E/10E)

4th May 2017, Electric Monkey, 336 pages, Paperback, Review copy

Summary from Egmont

Jemma knows who did the murder. She knows because he told her. And she can't tell anyone. 

Fourteen-year-old Jemma has severe cerebral palsy. Unable to communicate or move, she relies on her family and carer for everything. She has a sharp brain and inquisitive nature, and knows all sorts of things about everyone. But when she is confronted with this terrible secret, she is utterly powerless to do anything. Though that might be about to change...

Nayu's thoughts

This book reached me in a magical way. Rather the publicist Nina is magical. We were exchanging emails about the blog tour one day and I mentioned I hadn't got a copy. After discussing what I'd do for content as I was after an alternate to divulging small secrets, the post came. I went to check amd the book appeared! I hastily emailed Nina back explaining how magical she is after she said we magicked the book to my door. Publicists are extremely fun people to be around!

As for the book...it's spectacularly epic. I know a friend with cerebal palsy, she can walk with sticks so unlike Jemma can move around and communicate just fine. I was intrigued by how Jemma's clearly more severe CP affected her, and was quite humbled by her life. I live with several medical issues including severe chronic pain and fatigue issues, so my life can be rather restrictive in what I can do. Jemma's life made me realise while there is a lot I can't do, what I can do has me mostly independant, able to share my views with you and anyone else in the world, something Jemma wants ever so badly.

 I think because I'm not a normal average healthy person (who in reality probably doesn't exist) I connected deeper than I expected with Jemma. Her need to share her likes and dislikes are clear, with the stakes getting higher when she knows about the murderer's identity. It's very much an edge of your seat read, with lots of learning what life is like for severely disabled people. Carers range from the amazing kind to the absolutely rubbish ones (minor spoiler when I say oh my word what was Rosie thinking!) I felt desperately sorry for all who are treated poorly because people mistakenly think because they can't speak they aren't intelligent. Not so. Jemma is the one who figures out the murderer and how to find them, something that people in power overlooked. 

Jemma and her new best friend was a touching storyline. I liked reading about the other foster children - I'm a big fan of the BBC Tracey Beaker spin-off The Dumping Ground about a care home with children of varying issues, so I was used to Finn and Olivia's behaviour. The taste of freedom Jemma got when she was able to communicate is palpable, and I can relate it to when I realised I'd be able to drive & not rely on my family to take me places since public transport is out of the question for me to use frequently. 

Jemma had many frustrations with the limitations of her body, but her patience is massive too, and I truly realised that I'm extremely blessed by what I can do, even when mundane activities take forever and requires an insane amount of rest after. A lot of readers may be shocked by how much care Jemma needs, which is why it's vital for carers to have compassion and understanding that no matter their capabilities everyone is human and should be treated with respect and dignity. I hope that everyone one day can communicate, as it's a vital part of life which everyone deserves, regardless of their limitations. May technology always improve! 

Keep up to date with Penny on Twitter. 

Questions and Answers with Penny Joelson

Here's Penny!

Nayu: Penny kindly answered my questions which were from before I'd read the book instead of partaking in the sharing secrets part of the tour! 

1) Cerebal palsy affects people in different ways: I’ve got a friend with it but she can speak, unlike Jemma. What gave you the idea to make Jemma struggle to communicate with people as a key part to the plot?

Penny: I didn’t start by thinking I’d write a story about a character with cerebral palsy. I started with the idea that the one person who knew the identity of a murderer was not able to say anything. Having met, and worked with, people with severe cerebral palsy Jemma’s character appeared in my head fully formed and she seemed a great person to tell this story.

2)  Most of us take the ability to speak without realising how blessed we are with being able to communicate with people. What are you hoping readers will take away from Jemma’s story?

I hope that readers will have more empathy with people who have communication difficulties and also will not make an assumption that lack of communication equals a lack of intelligence. I hope readers will be  more sensitive and less afraid of trying to engage with disabled people.

3)  Without giving away spoilers what were the easiest and hardest parts of the book to write?

Jemma’s inner voice came to life very easily and Dan was also easy to write. I think developing the characters, including Sarah, Mum, Dad, Olivia and Finn was the easiest part. The harder parts were those that required more in depth research and needed to be accurate rather than from my imagination. It was also hard to get the structure right as the story is quite complex.

4)  Will there be more books about Jemma in the future?

I didn’t imagine writing another book about Jemma but I wouldn’t rule it out entirely! 

5)  Where's your favourite place to write? Do you have a favourite drink to write with?

I do most of my writing in the corner of my bedroom – not very glamorous. Occasionally I will write in the garden or go to a café but very rarely. I don’t usually drink anything while I’m writing though I do stop for coffee breaks!

Suggested read 

This book is about another teen with mental health issues that make her life really hard:Under Rose Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall (Young Adult, 10E/10E, short 'n' sweet review)

Blog Tour Review and Q&A: Little Bell and the Moon by Giles Paley-Phillips and Iris Deppe (Children's, Picture book, 10E/10E, short 'n' sweet review)

May 2015, Fat Fox, , Review copy 

Content: tissues needed

Summary from Fat Fox

Little Bell loves the Moon and the Moon loves Little Bell. Every night the Moon takes Little Bell’s hand and together they cross the oceans and the mountains on their adventures. Little Bell grows old and frail but one last flight with the Moon makes something very special happen to Little Bell. A wonderful rhyming tale of a little girl who grows up, gets old and turns into a bright star in the sky.

Nayu's thoughts

This book is one which will become a classic for so many readers. The style of illustration makes it feel like the kind of tale where anything can happen, even though Little Bell lives in an ordinary house and looks like any other child. . I love how the moon has a face and arms, making it look friendly, and how much fun Little Bell has on her journeys with the moon. I love almost all the backgrounds (not the one with a snake) as they expand on the journeys which Little Bell and the Moon take, making me wonder where I'd like to go and whether Little Bell went there. Random point which is slightly out of place I love the cute toy on Little Bell's bed, and how her cat appears in relevant pictures.

I knew the book was about death so I expected to need tissues and wasn't disappointed. However, I had a vague expectation in my mind of where and how the death might occur, and I turned out to be very wrong, which made me cry more. The issue of death really is talked about in a sensitive way, and approached so gently that at first I didn't realise what was happening. Little Bell's tale cleverly uses a few key features of death, without going into detail, and explores what could happen next after death. 

This is definitely a book which inspires discussion about death. I loved having my theory proved wrong, I loved being surprised by what happened, and how that makes me look at the rest of the book (which I have and will). I look at Little Bell's story in a different light - in daylight, but this is a good night read. I don't think there's a risk readers will think they die in their sleep as it's made clear that that character has other factors which made her weak. Now, it's time for me to go read it one more time...

Find out more on Gile's website.

Suggested read

Check out another book by Giles, The Fearsome Beastie (Children's, Picture book, 10E/10E)

Question and Answer with Giles Paley-Phillips

Nayu here! It's with great delight that I had the opportunity to ask Giles a few questions about his powerful read, Little Bell and the Moon. Thanks for such an extraordinary read! 

  

Nayu 1) What sparked off the idea for Little Bell’s tale?  

Giles It was one night when my wife and I were walking to with a children and it was getting dark and I pointed out the moon and then the stars to my youngest son, who just said "When you look at a star it touches your heart' I found it such a profound thing for a 4 year old to say and that is what first inspired the story.

2) Yours is one of few picture books I’ve seen about dying, what do you hope readers gain after reading Little Bell and the Moon? 

I think death in general is a very taboo subject, understandably of course, but my wife and I have always tried to talk openly about death, because we have both lost parents when we were young and we've always tried to be honest with our own children about it. So I hope that the book will maybe allow for a discussion to happen.

3) While working with Iris did any of the story change in response to her vision of the tale?  

No, the text stayed pretty much the same, Iris has done an amazing job, her work is truly beautiful, I'm very lucky to have had her to illustrate this book, I can't thank the publisher enough for matching us on this book.

4) Can you give us a hint about what your next book is like? Will you write similar themed books? 

My next book is a sequel to my book Things You Never Knew About Dinosaurs, this one is about Santa Claus!

Where’s your favourite place to write? What do you like to eat/drink while writing?  

I mainly write at home, but I do try to keep a notebook with me, in case an idea strikes. I mainly drink fruit teas and water, although I am partial to a Fentiman's Ginger Beer! 

Blog Tour: Galactic Hot Dogs: Cosmoe's Wiener Getaway by Max Brallier and Rachel Maguire (Children's, 7 years +, 10/10E)

 

May 2015, Simon and Schuster Children's, 300 pages, Paperback, Review copy 

Content: oodles of humour, tissue needed 

Summary from Simon and Schuster

 Captain Underpants meets Star Wars in this hilariously funny new series.

Cosmoe was just your average, adventure-seeking 13-year-old orphan back on Earth, until the strange night he was yanked into space. Now he's got all the adventure he craved and more aboard the Neon Wiener ~ part spaceship, part food truck ~ selling their trademarked dish of 'Galactic Hot Dogs'.

Cosmoe and friends run into trouble when Princess Dagger, a half-evil, half-awesome princess manages to kidnap herself onto their ship and suddenly her evil mother is gunning for the Neon Wiener…

Nayu's thoughts

I almost passed on reviewing this book as it screamed 'boy book' to me, but I'm heartily glad I didn't. I guess it is a boy book, with a boy as one of the main characters, robots, things so gross I had to squint through my mostly clothed fingers as I couldn't bear to look at the vivid and large illustrations, and illogical boy logic, and yet it's not. Want to know why? Two words. 

Princess Dagger!

She caught my eye initially because in the ace video game Final Fantasy 9 one of the main characters is a princess, Princess Garnet, who names herself Dagger when she's on the run from her evil mother, the Queen (who turns out not to be her mother, thank goodness!). 

Like how many princess plead to be kidnapped? Only the plucky ones...

The game version of Dagger is cool. This Princess Dagger is equally cool!

Princess Dagger. Her hair is purple!!!

Her attitude shines brightly from every page that she's on - and all those that she isn't, which isn't a lot. By attitude I mean attitude - she knows what she wants, won't rest until she has it, won't leave others in peace until she's happy, and with evil running through her veins she is responsible for a fair few plot twists. She uses evil for good (really!), being expected to be evil means that she has to work even harder to show she is good, but it also works to her advantage. 

Princess Dagger is awesome! She made me want to reread the book straight away just for her (I didn't, I constantly have a stack of books to read for review so rereads take a long time to happen). Not only is she a daredevil but her character is larger than life thanks to Rachel's funky illustration style. I squee-d every time I saw her. Yes I'm a Princess Dagger fangirl & proud! I'm sure you will be too ^o^

Find out how and why Galactic Hot Dogs is more than just a book on the dedicated website.

Suggested read

Check out another atypical princess in Frog The Barbarian by Guy Bass (Children's, 7 years +, 10/10E)

The princess is on the lower left

Q&A with Max

Isn't Princess Dagger ace?!! & the others too, I suppose

It was a real pleasure to ask Max, the creator of the fun, stylish, and inspiring Princess Dagger (& Cosmoe) a bunch of questions about the book - including some about Dagger! Since she is the true heroine of the tale. Thank you Max for revealing more with your answers! 

 

Nayu: You probably get asked this a lot buy why use hot dogs? Why not use a different food?

Max Good question! There are two reasons. First, hot dogs are pretty much my favorite food. My father is also a writer and he even wrote a book about how to cook hot dogs. It was full of all sorts of crazy hot dog recipes — like super, nutso weird ones. Bonkers stuff. I used to come home after school in, like, 6^th grade – and there would be all this insane hot dog cooking going on in the kitchen. That’s actually where a lot of the ideas for the official Galactic Hot Dogs menu in the back of the book came from. 

And I also liked the idea that Cosmoe is sort of the ultimate "hot dog" — always showing off —  so I thought it was sort of funny that he would sell hot dogs. I liked the little pun there, around "hot dogs” and hot doggin’ it.

Cosmoe is the main character but the lead in my eyes is Princess Dagger, who for me makes this book appealing for those of us who prefer female main characters. Had she always been part of the story, or was she absent at all in the early drafts?

I agree – It’s really Princess Dagger that drives the story forward. She’s the one that changes and evolves in this book — whereas Cosmoe is just sort of a radical, goofy hero throughout.

Princess Dagger was 100% a major part of the story from the very beginning. Early on, I knew I wanted to have two best buds (Cosmoe and Humphree) whose sort of perfect, lackadaisical life is interrupted by this sudden outside force - a princess. And when we as readers think of a “princess,” I think we often think Cinderella or something old fashioned like that — so I wanted to flip the idea of the classic “princess” on it’s head as much as possible. I wanted to make the Princess the most emotionally complicated character, the most gung-ho, the most ready for action.

When you’re a kid or a young teenager, there are really moments when you clash with your parents — it’s natural. So I thought it would be fun to take that idea and push it to the extreme — y’know, what if your parent was the ruler of this Dark Kingdom of Evil and you were expected to take over the throne but didn’t want to? What’s more extreme than that?

Princess Dagger is my favorite character to write – her voice is a combination of my sister Ruby and a few friends of mine. I get excited whenever I know I have a big Princess Dagger scene to write. I’m glad you like her so much!

Half the fun of the book is that there are so much graphics to look at. My favourite was Princess Dagger (no surprise considering question 2). Was there a reason why you opted for this style of book, rather than less illustrations or having it more like a comic book?

I tend to think in terms of pictures and images, even when writing. Before I write a scene, I close my eyes and picture what happens – sort of like I’m watching a movie. And then I write down quick bullet points, showing all the big images that I’d want see in that “movie.”

So that’s whey there’s such great emphasis on illustrations in Galactic Hot Dogs. But at the same time, I like writing “prose.” I like writing the stuff inside Cosmoe’s head and I like playing with language. So I didn’t want it to be a straight/traditional comic book or graphic novel.

Originally, there was going to be less of a focus on the art — but when I saw Rachel’s work I was just so blown away by her talent and what she was able to do — both with illustrations and with text — that it seemed silly not to just unleash her abilities to the fullest. 

Can you give us any information on what the next book in the series holds for Princess Dagger (& the rest…)

I can give you just a little peak…  ;) Cosmoe and Dagger and friends run into something called The Cosmic Carnival & Wonder Circus — it’s a space circus, full of huge, strange beasts. The circus’s ring master discovers Cosmoe’s skill at dealing with big beasts — and the adventure takes off from there. We’ll learn more about Cosmoe’s past, his life on Earth, and what he feels is his “destiny.”

Princess Dagger, meanwhile, is focused on continuing to live a radical life, free from her evil mom — and doing as many awesome things as she can. She has a big list of adventures she wants to get into and she checks them off as she goes. Plus, she gets to kick some serious bad guy behind.

Where’s your favourite writing spot, and is there any particular food/drink you like to munch on while writing?

I have a few! I have to switch up spots every now and then or else I kind of lose my mojo. When it’s warm out, I walk to a coffee shop about a mile from my apartment – it’s called Think Coffee. I’ll get there early and write, write, write until I run out of steam. If it’s really nice, I’ll write on the roof of my apartment building — there’s a little table beneath a tree that gives me some shade. In the winter, when I’m less inclined to go out (AKA when I’m cold and lazy), I do a lot of my writing in a little workspace in my apartment. Not very exciting, I know.

There’s not one particular food I lie to munch on while writing — if there were no consequences, I’d probably have a big bowl of peanut M&Ms and chocolate covered espresso beans. But once I start eating that stuff, I can’t stop — and I’d end up eating literally like 649 peanut M&Ms a day, every day. So I try not to eat too much while writing. I drink lots and lots and lots of coffee while I’m writing. Iced coffee in the spring and summer, hot coffee in the winter and fall. And whenever I finish a big tough chapter, I’ll have a milkshake… :)