#vikki vansickle

[godzilla-reads]

🎀 Into the Goblin Market by Vikki Vansickle & Jensine Eckwall

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Millie loves her quiet life in the farm, but Mina longs for adventure. When the Goblin Market comes to town, Millie knows it’s a bad idea. The sisters have been told stories their whole lives about the dangers of the Goblin Market. But Mina just can’t resist…

This is a beautiful tribute to Christina Rossetti’s classic poem “The Goblin Market”, full of twists, turns, and trickery. I thought the rhymes and the story were great, taking in the themes and feelings of the original poem and making it into something new. The art by Jensine Eckwall was fantastic, the rhymes by Vikki Vansickle were thrilling. Such a fun children’s book!

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Cake & A Book

(Instagram)

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Day 15 of August Maiden Book Photo Challenge: Read Anywhere.

It's normal for me to read in the car on my way to work.

(Instagram)

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Review: The Winnowing by Vikki VanSickle

Age Group: 10+ 

Genres: Science Fiction, Adventure, Mystery

Add it to your TBR on Goodreads here.

My Goodreads Rating: 4/5 Stars

Disclaimer: 

I received a copy via the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This review may or may not contain spoilers.

This is a long text post.

The Winnowing by Vikki VanSickle is a Young Adult/Middle Grade novel that features a past where something called "The Winnowing" occurs--which is basically a stripping of night terrors and side-effects that affect a young person once they hit puberty. Though it admittedly took me a while to get into it, I enjoyed VanSickle's writing and loved the adventure aspect of the novel.

I met VanSickle at a blogger/bookseller event a couple of years back and had the pleasure of reading If I had A Gryphon, so I jumped at the opportunity to share her newest story with my friends and followers. Her novel is timely with the revival of several beloved Science Fiction series and television shows from the 80s and 90s. One of the shows most prominent in my mind when I think about this book is Stranger Things, which you should watch if you haven't yet.

Though not a perfect read, The Winnowing was a lot of fun. I think a lot of readers will enjoy Marivic's journey as she discovers who she is and what her role is in her society. The cast of characters is diverse and at times frustrating with how relatable they can be. The setting is darkly unsettling with a dash of naive optimism (this mainly coming from me hoping that some jerk characters learn to not do such mean things). 

Marivic, the protagonist, is a young girl who lives with her grandfather and has a seemingly normal life until she wakes up from a nightmare with aching legs and feet. The really cool thing about what happens to the children as they change is how original and unique the whole situation is. I loved that VanSickle played with the fear of sleepwalking and added an extra paranormal twist. If anything, learning more about the abilities and the nightmares was my favourite aspect of this novel. I love books that feature kids with superpowers, especially where the kids are rebelling against a common enemy. I'm always up for reading an origin story.

I loved Marivic's character growth. When we first meet her, she seems like the type of teenage girl who has always been dependent on one person or another, but I loved seeing her learn that she can be independent. She learns that she, by herself, has the power to change her situation rather than just waiting for others to change her world for her. One of the things I liked about Marivic was her dedication to her friendship, even if said friendship was flawed. Despite the problematic nature of some of the relationships in her life, Marivic was always true to the people she loved.

What I wasn't a huge fan of is how Marivic herself is treated by those who care for her. I understand that there is complexity in human relationships because nothing is ever black and white, but I felt really uncomfortable with some of the interactions between certain characters, but especially the bullying. While bullying is a big thing in this age group, I guess the optimist in me hoped for a resolution to that particular issue. Sure, there was some admonishment, but for the most part, the bullies got away with the bullying. Again, I may be the victim of optimism on this topic, or just wishful thinking, but I found that that particular thread was left hanging as Marivic continued her journey. 

Though not entirely unpredictable, I did enjoy the twist and turns that VanSickle had in her novel. I was always wondering what would happen next, since by the middle of the book, so many things had changed. I've read some reviews where people have said that this book was a bit spooky or creepy, but I honestly didn't think so. I thought this was just a fun and adventurous read with some dangerous moments that made my heart race just a tad. 

Despite the entertaining twists and turns, I found the pacing to be a bit frustrating. Near the beginning, it was a little hard getting into The Winnowing, but when I got about four or five chapters in, I was hooked...until I hit the final four or so chapters. That's where I thought the story dragged a bit. 

Honestly? I think The Winnowing would benefit from becoming a series. The resolution was a bit too clean and quick for me. There's definitely room for another book or two exploring this same world (or even a companion novel). I feel like there's still a lot more to be said about the situation and a lot more potential for character growth. If VanSickle does decide to write a sequel or a companion novel, I will be all over it.

If you're a fan of The X-Files and Stranger Things then you might enjoy VanSickle's novel! Also, if you enjoyed The Program by Suzanne Young and other books that feature characters surviving a hospital or institution during an epidemic, then you might also want to pick this one up!

Happy reading!

[bookaddict24-7]

BLOG TOUR: GUEST POST! 

The Winnowing by Vikki VanSickle 

Release Date: September 1, 2017

Genres: Science Fiction, Adventure, Mystery

Age Group: 10+

Add it to your TBR on Goodreads here. 

Buy a physical copy: 

Chapters/Indigo | AmazonCA | 

Buy the eBook: 

Kobo 

Synopsis: 

Marivic Stone lives in a small world, and that’s fine with her. Home is with her beloved grandfather in a small town that just happens to be famous for a medical discovery that saved humankind — though not without significant repercussions. Marivic loves her best friend, Saren, and the two of them promise to stick together, through thick and thin, and especially through the uncertain winnowing procedure, a now inevitable — but dangerous — part of adolescence.

But when tragedy separates the two friends, Marivic is thrust into a world of conspiracy, rebellion and revolution. For the first time in her life, Marivic is forced to think and act big. If she is going to right a decade of wrongs, she will need to trust her own frightening new abilities, even when it means turning her back on everything, and everyone, she’s known and loved. A gripping exploration of growing up, love and loss, The Winnowing is a page-turning adventure that will have readers rooting for their new hero, Marivic Stone, as they unravel the horror and intrigue of a world at once familiar but with a chilling strangeness lurking beneath the everyday.

GUEST POST!

GENE RODDENBERRY & STNG

I used to watch Star Trek: Next Generation with my Dad on weeknights. I loved it. Here was a group of people exploring the galaxy and interacting with a wide spectrum of civilizations. My favourite episodes involved witty and careless Q, or episodes in which people worked on their own inner conflicts on the holodeck. I guess you could say I’ve always been interested in psychological drama.

When I got older I became aware of the communities that popped up around Star Trek. I went to a convention (again, with my Dad) and was transfixed by the experience. Here were people who loved the show so much they made their own costumes, collected merch, and took notes during panels. It was my first experience with fandom and was fascinated.

But it wasn’t until I caught the Trek Nation documentary on Netflix that I truly understood how Gene Roddenberry’s universe spoke to viewers who felt different, disenfranchised or marginalized. I was mostly a STNG fan and had little exposure to the original series and therefore I didn’t really understand that under all that campy goodness how ground-breaking and nominal the show was.

The Winnowing takes place thirty years after a fertility crisis has severely hindered the population. The man credited with finding the cure is the revered Doctor Roddenberry. This is a not-so-subtle nod to Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, a man whose legacy spawns seven TV series, 13 movies, and is still going strong.  Star Trek has never been about one man’s journey, but about progress and growth and all the complications along the way. He championed intergalactic cooperation and respectful diplomacy, the latter of which we could really use right now. Live long and prosper, friends!

About the Author: 

“Everything I need to know in life I learned from children's literature. Growing up in Woodstock, Ontario I was a big library kid, burning through the spinner racks and entering every writing contest I was eligible for. My work ranges from contemporary middle grade fiction to magical, storytime-ready picture books. I am currently living in Toronto where I work in children's publishing in addition to writing. All kids' books, all the time!“ 

Source: (Goodreads)

Follow Vikki on Social Media: 

Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

Tomorrow I will be posting my review for The Winnowing! Keep an eye out for it! Thank you Vikki for stopping by and for sharing your awesome new release with us! 

Happy reading!

[bookaddict24-7]

Look at this beauty that I just received in the mail! In September I will be participating in the blog tour for @vikkivansickle’s new book THE WINNOWING! Check it out on Goodreads and add it to your TBR! (How pretty is this cover?!?) thank you Scholastic Canada!

Pic from my Instagram (@daylafm)

[inhernature]

Shake Up Your Writing Routine

January is full of messages about intention setting and challenges. Personally, I do not go in for unwieldy resolutions, but prefer to think of the new ...

[youngmindsbigshelves]

If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki VanSickle

Book Review #2 by Secret Muggle Photographs by Secret Muggle

“If I Had a Gryphon” by Canadian author Vikki VanSickle is a boisterous picture/story book that promotes several child development literacy skills. The book has a simple plot and is about a young person named Sam, who has recently received a hamster for a pet. Themes in this book include home-and-away, animals/mythical creatures, and imagination; it also explores emotional growth, promoting appreciation and acceptance. The suggested age group for this title is 4-6 years old.

Plot outline

Sam has received her first pet: a little hamster who she finds boring as he “mostly eats and sleeps and hides.” Ignoring her new pet, Sam digs into a book entitled “Mythological Creatures” and begins to imagine what it would be like to own an animal with strange, exotic powers. The book progresses as Sam imagines what would happen if she owned a unicorn, hippogriff, sasquatch, gryphon, kraken, dragon, kirin, jackalope, phoenix, manticore, and more. As the book moves forward, Sam begins to grow more and more flustered as she realizes all of the troubles she would face if she owned such mythological creatures. Finally, at the finale of the story, Sam realizes that her hamster’s “not so bad . . . in fact, he’s rather sweet.” She now appreciates his “furry belly and his teeny tiny feet,” and is feeling content with her new pet.

This book is relevant to children’s development as it promotes language/literacy through rhyming, new vocabulary, and related illustrations of “sound” terms. For instance, in the text “Unicorns are pretty, but they’re also very shy” the words “very shy” appear smaller than the text preceding, showing the concept of being shy with being quiet – this technique can be presented verbally as a parent/adult reads the sentence to a child, using a quieter voice when reading “shy.” Other examples of this technique appear in the sentence “Jackalope needs sturdy reins for bumpy, jumpy rides,” with the typography reflecting the terms’ meaning (See two images above).

“If I Had a Gryphon” is successful in promoting cognitive/learning skills for children. The book begins with an unhappy and bored Sam and ends with the same framing - only now, after certain actions have transpired, Sam is shown as being pleased and content with her pet. The illustrations in the book establish a narrative pattern and this helps children understand how a story normally functions: with a beginning, middle, and end. Furthermore, at the beginning of the story, silhouetted images of the mythological creatures that will appear later in the book help children develop prediction/narrative skills (see image above).

Lastly, and possibly most importantly, this book helps children comprehend the idea of being grateful for what one has in life -- even the simple things. At the beginning of the story, Sam does not appreciate her small pet and wishes for something more interesting and exciting; however, by the end of the story, she realizes that these grander, more unusual animals come with many downsides that are not ideal in her everyday life. At the end of the book, Sam grasps the fact that her hamster is hers and hers alone, and that’s “enough for [her].” This is a significant concept to promote to children, as they (and adults, too), are often preoccupied with what they don’t have rather than what they do.

A framing/motivational technique that adults can use at the beginning of the book would be to ask one of the following questions: “Do you have a pet? Let’s think of some common pets! If you could have any pet in the world, what would it be?” These questions would allow a child to connect their own life to the story, as well as make emotional connections with the protagonist. An extension activity that a parent or adult could use to enhance the pleasure of the story would be to have print-outs of different animals, cut different sections (ie head, tail, feet/hooves) and have the child construct a new, unique creature. The child could name the creature and decide where in the world it hails from. This activity is hands-on, is not too information-heavy, and would engage a child’s creativity.

Overall, “If I Had a Gryphon” is a fantastic, rhyming read-aloud that taps into a child’s imagination while also tackling serious emotions and promoting literacy skills for those ages 4 - 6. The illustrations are engaging, colourful and dynamic, revealing new, fantastical beasts that a child may never have heard of and may be interested in learning more about. This title is enjoyable and entertaining for both children and adults, and would surely enhance a child’s growing library.