Showing posts with label Non-Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Non-Fiction. Show all posts

Friday, March 9, 2018

Review: Walk With Me by Debra Schoenberger with Giveaway

Today's book is not necessarily intended for an younger audience, but children will be just as fascinated by this as adults. Maybe more so. This is a book of photographs from various moments of life around the world. There are no words, making this a wonderful journey for every age group to dive into. I, as a kid, and my own children enjoy flipping through these type of books and discovering what the world holds. So, I wanted to include it here on Bookworm for Kids.



WALK WITH ME
by Debra Schoenberger
Adult non-fiction / Photography
Documentary / Street Photography / Travel
Blurb
104 pages

Tour dates: March 5 to 23, 2018
Content Rating: G


Whenever I'm asked "which is the best camera?" I pretty much respond: "the one you have on you." In fact, most of the images in this book were taken with my cell phone simply because I always have it with me.

This is not only a book about street photography but a visual diary, or collection of quirky, unusual and sometimes just plain weird photos I've taken over the course of the last decade.

As a street photographer, I need to be an assiduous walker. My sneakers often take me to little known, hidden corners, seaweed strewn (and sometimes stinky) beaches and really cool back alleys of my rather small island city of Victoria, BC.

I've also included images of curiosities I've seen throughout my travels.
​​
Everyone sees the world differently and this is my collection of the quirkiness that I call life.

To read reviews, please visit Debra Schoenberger's page on iRead Book Tours.



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MY TIDBITS

This is a quick journey through several countries from the view of a street photographer. Debra Schoenberger has captured glimpses of moments, which range from curious to interesting, and combined them into a book which induces emotions and thoughts.

The photographer offers a few short words, where she explains the general background behind the collection as well as a brief explanation of her style. But she is a photographer and lets the pictures speak for themselves.

A world of color, human quirkiness, oddities and simple, every day emotions open up in the following pages. The locations where the photographs were taken hold as much variety as the subjects themselves. Everything from shoes to people to shops to animals are captured as unaware and natural as daily life alone can provide. The photographs are not organized in any recognizable fashion, but flow as unexpected as life itself. Some provoke thought and draw out emotions, while others leave a smirk and a smile. 

Most of the pages hold four photographs, none related to the other. This supports the entire idea of seeing the unexpected and witnessing life's variety. There is something for everyone, and moments which will evoke different reactions in different people. The book is as living as its material. This, however, is not something that can be enjoyed in one sitting, but invites to be thumbed through time and again. And each visit is guaranteed to reveal something new.



One Question for Debra Schoenberger!


Can you tell us about any female photographers that inspire you?

Dorothea ​Lange was an American documentary photographer and photojournalist, best known for her Depression-era work for the Farm Security Administration (FSA). Lange's photographs humanized the consequences of the Great Depression and influenced the development of documentary photography.
During World War II, Lange photographed the evacuation and internment of Japanese Americans in camps. Her photos captured life in the internment camps and the often raw emotions displayed by the people who were uprooted from their homes and forced to live in the camps.



















Desiree Dolron - Dutch photographer and filmmaker



Her oeuvre ranges from documentary photography and still lifes to portraiture and film.








Vivian Maier - street photographer


Vivian was a nanny for most of her life and on her days off she would walk around Chicago snapping shots of people and things of interest.  She consistently took photos over the course of 50 years and put together one of the most fascinating collections of American life in the second half of the 20th century.










​These women all have very unique styles.  Studying their respective portfolios ​opens my eyes to new possibilities and ways of seeing the world.  How I would have loved to been able to work side-by-side with them!  Vivian Maier had a cheeky sense of humour and it shows through in her photographs.



And here she is. . .

Debra Schoenberger aka #girlwithcamera

"My dad always carried a camera under the seat of his car and was constantly taking pictures. I think that his example, together with pouring over National Geographic magazines as a child fuelled my curiosity for the world around me.

I am a documentary photographer and street photography is my passion. Some of my images have been chosen by National Geographic as editor's favourites and are on display in the National Geographic museum in Washington, DC. I also have an off-kilter sense of humour so I'm always looking for the unusual.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest



Other photo books you may want to add to your collection:

Montreal by Debra Schoenberger


To Be A Child by Debra Schoenberger


India by Debra Schoenberger

Enter the Giveaway!!!
Ends March 31, 2018


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Monday, March 6, 2017

Review: India by Debra Schoenberger with Giveaway

Today, I have a lovely non-fiction book, which is actually classified for adults, but I see this one as a treasure for children as well. Growing up, I loved to grab the National Geographic magazines from my parents' shelves to gaze at the pictures--all the amazing things and far off, exotic places. And I know my own kids can't get enough of this type of knowledge either. Since this book is exactly about these sort of pictures (and pictures only), I highly recommend it for audiences ages 4 to 120 or even above.



INDIA
by Debra Schoenberger
Blurb
Non-Fiction





I have always been fascinated by the sheer beauty and diversity in Indian culture. "Sensory overload in a glance" is an apt description of a country that is always in movement. To be able to stand still in the middle of all that movement allows me to really "see" her people and absorb the flow of life from birth to death.

From learning how to make yellow ink from cow urine to watching funeral pyres burn in Varanasi, I realized that I would have to spend a lifetime here to grasp the immense value of her art, stunning architecture, fascinating food and love of all that is beautiful.

Buy the book:   Amazon   Blurb   iTunes   Website

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MY TIDBITS

Through these captured moments, India comes to life in an amazing intensity, variety and beauty which can't be captured by written descriptions.

Not only are the photographs taken from various places in India--which is shown on a map toward the end of the book--but they depict a vast array of motives. Although there are several breath-taking 'landscape' pictures, most photographs grab real life moments in a simple but meaningful way. The culture, people and daily life circumstances are brought across in a pure form, allowing the reality of life in India to seep through. Many photographs invite for thought, although they portray sometimes the simplest situations.

The wide variety of emotions and circumstances surrounding the photographs make each one a treat to discover. There are always new details to discover, making this a book that can be taken in time and again. It's easy to get lost in each moment, and see the pain as well as the beauty--often more subtle than not.

While some photographs draw attention to concerning circumstances (electric wire spaghetti), most concentrate on the more simple life without rise of opinions or thoughts. The images allow the 'reader' to suck them in as they will. The collection comes across as a set of wonderfully well done travel pictures from the photographer/author. This gives it a more personal flair, and avoids the impression of having any sort of agenda. The photographs can be enjoyed in all their emotions and variety.

This is a book for all ages, since there are basically no descriptions. Even children can get lost in the reality of the pictures and gain a good feel for India and the people who live there.






And here she is. . .



Debra Schoenberger aka #girlwithcamera

"My dad always carried a camera under the seat of his car and was constantly taking pictures. I think that his example, together with pouring over National Geographic magazines as a child fuelled my curiosity for the world around me.

I am a documentary photographer and street photography is my passion. Some of my images have been chosen by National Geographic as editor's favourites and are on display in the National Geographic museum in Washington, DC.  I also have an off-kilter sense of humour so I'm always looking for the unusual.

​Connect with the author:    Website ~  Facebook ​~ Instagram ~  Pinterest



GIVEAWAY!!!

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Saturday, May 14, 2016

Review of Two Books by Kim Bogren Owen: Art Parts and Orchids


ART PARTS
A Child's Introduction to the Elements of Art
by Kim Bogren Owen
Words Reflected
Picture/Art Book
ages 1+
36 pages




A Book that Introduces the Elements of Art to Children


Using simple text and children's art, Art Parts: A Child's Introduction to the Elements of Art introduces children to 6 elements of art.  Designed for children between the ages of 2 and 8, it includes blank pages after each element where children can experiment with the concepts of line, color, shape, texture, space, and emotion. 

These blank pages allow children to personalize the book making it a keepsake to treasure, and a wonderful gift for a special child in your life.  It would, also, be a great asset to any classroom to add to the art center with materials that allow children to investigate the elements of art.

In addition, Art Parts includes an activities page to expand on concepts in the book for parents and teachers to use.  These activities include suggestions for special projects, as well as things parents and teachers can do during everyday routines.




EXCERPT

 "Art is Lines.
Straight lines, Curvy lines, Narrow lines,  Wide lines.
Use this page to draw your own lines.
Art is Shapes.
Circle shapes, Rectangle shapes, Triangle shapes, Odd shapes.
Use this page to draw your own shapes."


MY TIDBITS


Kids and art seem to go hand in hand--at least, my kids have always loved to draw, color, sketch and paste until they've used every piece of blank paper they can find in the house.

This book is a celebration of exactly that. Through simple themes, kids are introduced to the basics of art. The wording is easy enough for even the youngest artists to understand, and it encourages them to try their hand at making art as well. After each basic structure is introduced, a blank page awaits for kids to fill themselves.

Much of the artwork is done by children, giving young artists the opportunity to see the examples at a level they can relate to. The pictures are sweet, colorful and bring out exactly that which the explanations are trying to point out. They invite kids to gaze through them again and again, and try to make an artwork all on their own.

Summed up: this is a great way to introduce the very basic structures of art to kids ages 3 and up.






ORCHIDS
by Kim Bogren Owen
Photos by Amber Owen, Ron Hanko and Mike Pearson
Words Reflected
Picture Book
Non-Fiction
ages 3+




The perfect book for a young orchid or flower enthusiast, as well as for the parent who is a  lover of orchids, Orchids features beautiful photographs that bring the beauty and appeal of orchids to life. In addition to introducing children to the diversity of orchids, this book introduces simple science concepts.  Developed for children between the ages of 2 and 8, the concepts  in this books include opposites, diversity, pollination, and symmetry. 

This book includes a page with ideas for activities that expand on the concepts introduced in Orchids.  These activities include simple art projects, as well as conversation starters to make the concepts meaningful to young children. 






EXCERPT

"Like people, orchids come in all shapes and sizes,
Some have leaves that reach for the sun,
Others have leaves that hug the ground . . . "



MY TIDBITS


Not being a guru on orchids myself, I wondered how a book could take a topic, which seems so specific, and present it in a way kids would enjoy. Now, I know.

Orchids are as varied as fish in the sea, and the pictures and text in this book prove it. Young readers are shown through lovely examples, exactly how special and different orchids can be. It might sound like a technical thing, but the author does a marvelous job bring the flowers to life in a way kids will not only understand, but grasp and head out to see if they see these same traits on flowers they run across themselves. This takes education and makes it into a type of discovery game, letting kids learn and discover in a way they know best--through fun.

The photos are gorgeous. Not only do they clearly represent the traits the author wants to show, but they are simply a treat to thumb through and look at. The vast array of flowers comes to life, illustrating how varied and interesting orchids really are.

Summed up: This is a wonderful book which introduces kids to a realm they normally wouldn't have a chance to discover much about, and it does so in a fun and interesting way. Young listeners will never see orchids and flowers the same, and will probably want to try growing some of their own.


And here she is. . .
KIM BOGREN OWEN!!!



Kim Bogren Owen has worked in Early Childhood Education since 1988 in a variety of programs and roles. Her background includes a Bachelor degree in Cultural Anthropology along with several ECE courses, and she has worked with diverse cultures.She began writing after reading the Lord of the Rings Trilogy in junior high, and began storytelling as a teacher of preschoolers.  

In her spare time, she enjoys reading, hiking, and spending time with her husband, children, and 3 dogs. 


The links for sales are 

Words Reflected's website: http://www.wordsreflected.com/#!shop/avjqe