No.77 - The Sheep Pig

This is my last catch up post from 2017, after this we can get on with all the books 2018 has to offer!

I am aiming to read more books from the list than last year, 15 is my 2018 target! I'm looking forward to Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield, as the TV adaptation starring Emma Watson is just lovely! And one of my all time favourite books is coming up too, The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy! Alongside those beauties are offerings from Oliver Jeffers, Michael Rosen, J.M Barrie, and Anne Fine to look forward to. For now though, here are my thoughts on one of the loveliest books i've ever read!

I'm sure everyone has seen the film 'Babe', and even it's ridiculous sequel 'Babe: Pig in the City', so you'll all familiar with the little pig, raised by a sheep dog, who has affinity with sheep. Well let me tell you this, the film is lovely, but the book is even more wonderful!

Babe, so called because that's what his mother called him, is such a cutie! Won by Farmer Hogget in a 'guess the pig's weight' competition, he is taken home and adopted by loving sheep dog mummy Fly. Fly and her pups raise Babe as one of their own and soon Babe is convinced his raison d'etre is to heard sheep just like them!

This book oozes charm. Dick King-Smith knew how to write about animals, and about the unconditional love that exists between man and beast. In The Sheep Pig the most moving character development is most certainly the bond that builds between Farmer Hogget and Babe. To start with there is talk of eating the pig, which would have been the most obvious thing to do, yet the farmer can't quite bring himself to agree with his wife. As Babe becomes more and more 'dog-like' Farmer Hogget becomes quite fond of him, until eventually they have formed a bond as strong as a man and his dog. Farmer Hogget sees that Babe is more than just a pig, he is special.

Flowing through this book there is a strong message about believing and trusting in others. Fly and Farmer Hogget believe in Babe, and encourage him to become a sheep-pig. At no point is he told that he shouldn't. This is an important message that can be transferred into so many different situations. Just because he is a pig, doesn't mean he can't do a dog's job, especially if he is good at it. Take that sentence and replace it with sexist or racist connotations and you've got a life message for children everywhere; you can be whatever you want to be, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

Reading this book was an unexpected revelation. I knew the story, but I wasn't at all prepared for the emotional impact it would have on me. By the end I was almost in tears! There are certainly ups and downs in this book, high points and low points, but in just 135 pages this book says more than you could ever imagine when looking at the cover.

Thanks for reading, L x

No.78 - Chrestomanci - Charmed Life

It seems an awfully long time since I sat down to do this, and to be honest, it has been! My last proper post was in August!! Anyway, I have welcomed in the New Year and The Little Bookworm's 2nd birthday, and have a few loose blog ends to tie.

I have two books hanging over from 2017 that are yet to be reviewed, mainly because I squeezed reading them into the last few weeks of the year, and then Christmas came along.

So, first up, at number 78 on the list, is the 'Chrestomanci' series by the British fantasy and sci-fi queen Diana Wynne Jones. For those of you who have never heard of her, she wrote Howl's Moving Castle, on which the very famous Studio Ghibli film is based (albeit loosely). Anyway, the list called for 'Chrestomanci: The Lives of Christopher Chant', but as I couldn't get hold of that one, I read the first book in the Chrestomanci series 'Charmed Life'.

Who's the dapper chap on the cover I hear you ask? Well that would be Chrestomanci himself, extremely powerful enchanter, ruler of his very own magical kingdom, and owner of a glorious amount of flamboyant dressing gowns! But the story's not really about him. Instead, the story follows the lives of orphaned brother and sister Cat and Gwendolen Chant. Cat and Gwendolyn are very different. Cat, or Eric as he is really called, is a timid boy with low expectations of his magical powers, always eclipsed by his bossy, and rather vile, sister Gwendolen. She appears to have all the magical talent in the family. However, when she starts taking extra magic lessons from a slightly dodgy wizard their lives take an interesting turn. 

Published in 1977, this book sits among some of the classics of children's fantasy literature, in particular the magical school genre, which was popular at the time, and that J.K Rowling so wonderfully revisited in the Harry Potter series. In my opinion, if done well this genre never gets old! For children it allows a level of escapism, through an already very familiar setting of school. Unlike something like Ursula Le Guin's 'A Wizard of Earthsea' however, the story is set in a domestic setting rather than a boarding school. However, the school room and the things the children get up to still very much sit within that genre. 

Cat and Gwendolen are sent to live at Chrestomanci Castle, with the great enchanter and his family. Gwendolen is convinced that the move is down to her amazing talents, and that she will be rich and spoilt forever, but that is not quite the case. I might not have anything to do with her at all.... 

When no one takes any notice of her magical abilities Gwendolen begins to wages war on Chrestomanci Castle and it's inhabitants. Determined to show the powerful enchanter what she can do she begins using her magic in dangerous and selfish ways, causing all kinds of nasty spectacles and horrid apparitions. As ever, cool and calm Chrestomanci ignores everything she does, no matter how vile, so Gwendolen decided she's had enough and disappears into a parallel world. However, she doesn't go without leaving something for Cat, a replacement sister! Enter poor old Janet, a non-magical (we could call her a muggle) girl from another parallel world. She is identical to Gwendolyn in looks but luckily not in temperament. She is a kind girl, who is totally confused by the whole thing, and frankly slightly annoyed that she's been dragged from her nice cosy life into Cat's world. 

As you probably know by now, I hate a plot line where the children don't tell the adults what's gone wrong. Honesty is the best policy I was always told, but it clearly doesn't spin a good yarn! 

Cat and Janet don't tell anyone that Janet is not Gwendolen! But what a mess the real Gwendolen has left for them to clear up! There is the issue of Cat's life for starters, but I won't spoil that for you as it's a nice twist. And then there is the very angry boyfriend of the maid who challenges Cat to a magical duel for something that Gwendolen did! Plus the whole story climaxes in a massive magical mutiny! I shan't give you all the details, but hopefully these events, plus a whole range of slightly bizarre, and even villainous characters, will entice you dip your toe into the World of Chrestomanci. 

Thanks for reading, L x

Next up another catch up post about Dick King Smith's classic story 'The Sheep Pig'

Happy 2nd Birthday Little Bookworm!

Can you believe it, The Little Bookworm Blog is 2! Hooray!

In 2017 I slowed down slightly on the reading front due to other commitments, but i'm still well and truly committed to this project, and can't wait to get back on it this year. 2017 saw me read 11 books from the list (2 of which i've not yet reviewed so watch this space!), and in total I am nearly a quarter of the way through! I know that doesn't sound like much, but out of 100 I don't think that's too bad!

It's been really hard to pick a favourite from the 9 i've read and reviewed, so here are my top 3, along with the reviews for you read again.

1. Carrie's War by Nina Bawden, because of it's slightly Dickensian nature, and its touching themes.
2. Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kastner, because it was full of childhood fun, intrigue and excitement, despite appearing boring to begin with.
3. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken, because frankly it was downright bizarre at times!

I've got to catch up with the reviews for 'Chresomanci: A Charmed Life' by Dianna Wynne Jones, and 'The Sheep Pig' by Dick King Smith, but i'm off to work on them now, so it wont be long.

This is just a short post, but I had to mark the blog's 2nd birthday somehow! Oh, and Happy New Year!

Thanks for reading, L x