At 5 Minutes for Books, we are proud to feature books across many genres for children and adults. This week is all about highlighting children’s books, but if you’re more in the mood for some reflective essays right now, please visit our On Reading column.
Read the anchor post to find all of the Fall Festival of Children’s Books reviews and see how you can get involved as well.
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“What a different little book.”
Those were the words that escaped my lips every night after reading a few short stories from Toon Tellegen’s collection entitled, Far Away Across the Sea, newly published in the United States. Now lest you think that I mean these words in a negative tone, let me reassure you that in this case, different is quite lovely. Yes, lovely is a good word to describe the six to eight page tales, or even dreamy, or best yet, enchanting.
If you are woefully uninformed about the author Tellegen, as I was, let me share this information from the press release: “Toon Tellegen is one of Holland’s most celebrated writers for both children and adults. He started his literary career as a poet and began writing for children in the mid-1980s. A doctor for many years, he now writes full-time from his home in Amsterdam.” The fact that he began by writing poetry is clearly understandable when you read his elegant writing style, peppered with sophisticated and beautiful words, which are too often lacking in writing aimed at children.
As I read these stories aloud, I felt there was something decidedly European about the style of the writing, although I’m having difficulty clearly articulating what that means in relation to the tone… perhaps it makes sense that I was sometimes reminded of the tone of Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh stories in the dialogue and narrative. In content, the stories feature a diverse cast of wildlife, some familiar and some less-known, including Squirrel, Pike, Mussel, Ant, Elephant, and Spoonbill, among several others. Fantastic adventures abound- ones that defy easy explanation, but encourage creative thinking and delightful wondering.
Finely detailed small illustrations by Jessica Ahlberg are featured among the pages, with distinctive lines and muted colors, and perfectly capture the feeling of the text. The book itself is almost dainty at approximately 7″ by 5″, and even this format itself seems to lend itself to a particular specialness. The suggested age level for this dear little book varies according to the source, with the publisher recommending five and up, but I found that my newly turned four year old daughter was absolutely delighted with it, and my almost ten year old son snuck in for several readings, as well. My gut tells me that Far Away Across the Sea is the type of book that is so much better when read aloud, and I’m thrilled to have been able to share it with my own children.
In conjunction with our Fall Festival of Children’s Books, we’re happy to offer a giveaway of Far Away Across the Sea. Leave a comment here to be entered, U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only, please. Another copy will be included in our Grand Prize package as well! Winners will be announced on October 2.
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED.
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Dawn delights in sharing the love of the written word with her children, as well as sharing her own words with the world via her blog, my thoughts exactly.
I love enchanting stories and beautiful descriptive words, and since my husband is Dutch (by ancestry, not citizenship), it would be perfect for our family!
My four year old is just beginning to enjoy read-alouds that last from night to night… we’d love to add this one to our library!
I’d love to win this lovely book for my nieces Thanks so much for the chance
I would love this book. It sounds delightful! And thank you for offering it as a giveaway.
Books make the best present! I’d love it!
I’d love to win this one – it sounds excellent!
I’d love to win a copy!
I’d look to win this book. Thanks for the review.
My daughter will be four very soon, and this looks like the perfect book for us!
Definitely would like to be entered for this one!
What a charming book! Thank you so much!
wideeyedwren(at)gmail(dot)com
Please enter me. I love children’s books.
Sounds like a great book! Thanks for sharing and the chance to win!
Sounds like a delightful children’s book to love and share 🙂 Sign me up for the drawing!
I would like to enter this giveaway.
This book sounds charming, especially the illustrations. It reminds me of some of the books my mom read to me when I was young. I’ll be adding it to my “to read” list.
This book looks interesting. Thanks.
Would love to win this!
I would love to win this ‘different little book’ for my grandson. Please enter me, thanks.
[email protected]
I’ve been captured by your description of this title as more European – I’m interested in reading it with my 3 little ones :).
Ah, I didn’t know if I was conveying what I really meant by that assessment… I guess from my U.S, East Coast experiences, this book just FELT European in a way. And I didn’t read the press release about the book until afterward, so I was happy to see that the author was from Holland. 🙂
Please include me.
Thanks for the chance to win.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Cool! Count me in!
How fun!
Wow, what a great review!! you’ve really got me interested in this book 🙂 I’d love to enter, thank you for the contest!
I, too, am woefully uninformed…but am now certainly intrigued. 🙂 I’d love a chance to win this book. Thanks!
Interesting animal adventures with a twist, my kids will love it. Thanks!
Oh that sounds so cool. 🙂
I’d love to win this book 🙂
This looks like a wonderful book. Funny you should mention the reading aloud factor. My kids would have had a hard time reading the Winnie the Pooh series so instinctively I new they would enjoy them if I read them out loud and we all did!
Yes! This is just like that- beautiful, but intricate writing that is best appreciated when read aloud.
Sounds delightful and from the land of the master author Hans Christian Anderson!
I’d so love to read these aloud to my grandkids!
This sounds charming!
Sounds like a great book!
Sounds like a sweet book to be enjoyed again abd again
Sounds enchanting! It would be a wonderful edition to our book collection.
Yay for short read-alouds! We’re almost to that age… can’t wait!
This sounds like a wonderful book.
We’d really enjoy this book.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
I would love to win this to read to my grandson.
Love it!
Mel4Him777{at}gmail{dot}com
Congratulations Melissa! You’ve won a copy of this darling book- please email me your mailing info at morninglightmama (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks for entering!
Yeah, This is great news. I’m emailing you now.
I love this book! What sweet illustrations too. Thanks for a chance to own a copy!
I adore books that teach my kids a different way of thinking. This book did just that!
This sounds like a wonderful book to read in the evenings with our grandson…
someluckydog at gmail dot com
thanks for the chance, would be great for my nephew
nannypanpan at sbcglobal.net
Thanks for a chance to win!
I would love to be entered. Thanks!
You won me over with the two words: different and dreamy.
This sounds like a great book! My toddler has really fallen in love with books in the past couple of months so we are really working on expanding our selection for him and future kids!
Would like to win this lovely book.