Review: The Carnival of the Animals by Elizabeth Varadan

THE CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS

by Elizabeth Varadan

Illustrated by Peter Fraser and

Susan Fraser

Belanger Books

Children's Myths / Fairy Tales / Fantasy

Once upon a musical score, Camille Saint-Saëns was stumped. He was composing a piece of music to entertain his friends. An idea twinkled in his mind. A musical fantasy. Animals in a parade. 
A tune beckoned. Camille inked in some quarter notes. The melody slipped away. 
I must let this idea bloom, Camille thought. 
He sat in the stuffed chair by the door and closed his eyes. Music and pictures swirled in his head: A tortoise waltzed. A peacock called. A lion stomped into a forest. 
Soon Camille was fast asleep. He dreamed of animals in the zoo. He dreamed of animals far away. 
Once upon a time, he dreamed…

MY TIDBITS

Every page holds an exotic, adventurous and, at times, even whimsical tale surrounding the world of animals.

Camille Saint-Saëns loves music, and he wants to compose a piece for his friends, but inspiration can be hard to find. Then, it hits him—a parade of animals. Soon, the tune dances through his mind. Sitting back to let it develop in his head, he soon drifts away into a fantastical world.

This is a lovely collection of tales which centers around the French composer, Camille Saint-Saëns, well-known piece The Carnival of the Animals. To say that the author has done a fantastic job at bringing across the atmosphere of the composition while creating a collection of tales children are sure to adore is an understatement. This is one of those books which is a treat on any shelf and can be visited over and over again across generations and years.

The first chapter sets a very short scene which then allows the rest of the over dozen tales to unfold. Each story holds its own chapter, making it easy to locate favorites thanks to the table of contents. A fitting illustration starts off the chapter along with a corresponding phrase, and then the adventure begins. Everything from peacocks to tortoises, lions to elephants, and many other types of animals take center stage. The tales greet from all around the world, incorporating various cultures and themes. It's a colorful parade which opens up the imagination in so many ways.

While sure readers can tackle these pages on their own, this book works very well as a read-aloud for bedtime dreams as well as larger groups of children. The tales hold just the right amount of adventure and humor to keep each one interesting from beginning to end. Each one has its own flair and readers/listeners are sure to find their personal favorites.

I'm adding this book to my list of favorites for the year.


And here she is...

Elizabeth Varadan is a former elementary school teacher who retired a few years ago to write full time. Her work has appeared in Story Friends, Ladybug, and Skipping Stones Magazine, and her poems and picture books have won honorable mention in contests. She is the author of The Fourth Wish, a middle grade fantasy, Imogene and the Case of the Missing Pearls (Book One of a mystery series starring Sherlock Holmes), Dragonella, a picture book (both English and Spanish editions), and The Carnival of the Animals, a story collection for children of all ages.

http://elizabethvaradansfourthwish.blogspot.com/ 
http://victorianscribbles.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @4thWishVaradan on Twitter
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/elizabethvaradan

Amazon author page:

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003VOTCFG

Review: Dragonella by Elizabeth Varadan

DRAGONELLA

by Elizabeth Varadan

Illustrated by Brian Belanger

Children's Fantasy

48 pages

Dragonella is the only dragon at her new school. Other students - trolls, griffins and ogres - are frightened when she breathes fire. The teacher isn't happy when Dragonella's laughter melts the filing cabinet. But when Dragonella's flames save the day during the class party on Legend Day, the teacher and other students learn they shouldn't be quick to judge someone who is different. 

MY TIDBITS

Dragonella is a sweet dragon with tons of heart and a character kids are sure to love.

Dragonella has started school, but things are so exciting that she has a hard time controlling her flame. Not only does this cause mishaps in the classroom, but the others are a little frightened. To make matters worse, some of the students start picking on her. It's a lot for Dragonella to handle.

This is a quick, fun adventure with a lot of imagination and heart. Dragonella is a sweet, little dragon who couldn't hurt a fly, and her determination to fit in and enjoy school makes her easy to like from the very first page. As her first mishap occurs, it's hard not to feel sorry for her, especially since her parents are contacted by the school as well. Young readers and listeners will feel for Dragonella, and sympathize with her situation. When the bullying and teasing starts, it's hard not to root for her and wish she makes it through.

Imagination flows freely as not only Dragonella comes to life, but an entire classroom full of trolls, griffins and other fantastical creatures. They are familiar enough for readers to relate to but packed full of fun fantasy to help dreams take flight. The author does a great job at keeping the tale and writing simple enough for readers to follow, while introducing them to a rich world. The important message of bullying weaves into the story nicely, and the ending packs a treat.

It's a great book as either a read-a-loud or for readers who are hitting chapter book stage. I can only hope to see more of Dragonella and her classmates in the future.

And here she is. . .

I have always loved the written word. I can never leave a library or book store empty-handed and have been scribbling stories all my life.  

     My work for children has been published in Story Friends and Ladybug Magazine, and Skipping Stones Magazine. Even though I write mainly for young people, I’ve also had short stories and flash fiction for adults published in various magazines.

     I self-published a middle grade fantasy in 2008, The Fourth wish. (You can learn more about it at my primary blog: Elizabeth Varadan’s Fourth Wish.) My MG mystery — Imogene and the Case of the Missing Pearls —  set in Victorian England and involving Sherlock Holmes, was published in 2015 by MX Publishing.  My current picture book, Dragonella, was just released by Belanger Books.

Visit my blogs:    

                     http://elizabethvaradansfourthwish.blogspot.com/

                     http://victorianscribbles.blogspot.com/

Visit my picture book, Dragonella, at: Amazon  

Visit my MG mystery, Imogene and the Case of the Missing Pearls,  The Strand Magazine   Book Depository   Amazon   Kobo