A title that immediately drew me in at BEA last month was Sam Gayton’s forthcoming August US release of Lilliput featuring illustrations by Alice Ratterree from Peachtree Publishers . I’m happy to have it as my first Subcultured #Goodbooks feature; a new column where we showcase and discuss upcoming books, comics and graphic novels for all ages. It’s also one of my picks on our Staff Summer Reading list!
source: 4umi.com
Lilliput, as the name suggests, features the iconic Lilliput from Jonathan Swift’s 1726 satire Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships, or better known as the much, much shorter Gulliver’s Travels.
The plot is initially rather simple; Gulliver himself has returned to Lilliput. His goal? To collect a Lilliputian and take them back to London to prove that all the stories of his travels are true. His captive? Young Lily, a small Lilliputian only a few moons old. In Gayton’s world (and perhaps this applied to the original) Lilliputians lives are much shorter than ours, measured by the moon. Each day young Lily is held captive she grows older and older. After Gulliver sails back and takes her to his rented room above clock-maker’s shop , where he keeps Lily captive in a bird-cage while he finishes his (now famous) manuscript. Lily, proactive, headstrong and growing older and older by the day, plots to get back to Lilliput before everything she knew there is gone and the beginning of the book follows her various plans for escape. It’s not until a message she sends out on a mouse’s tail is found by the clock-maker’s “apprentice” a young boy named Finn does the story blossom and the true villain, the stinky clockmaker Mr. Plinker, is revealed.
source: amazon.com
Sam Gayton writes a wonderful story here, entrenched in the “shadows, mice, thimbles, feathers and candles” realm of children’s literature, often taking a turn for the dark. Here people are nasty and cruel, like the true villain of the book, Mr. Plinker. Mr. Plinker keeps young Finn as his apprentice and a literal watch-bound slave with a dangerous automaton strapped to his arm that squeezes him if he wastes time. Brought together by their plights, Lily and Finn find a deep connection and work together to escape both their captors.
Gayton’s prose is refreshing for the genre; dipping into very poetic and surprisingly mature metaphors and images, particularly relating to the almost fairy-like (but not quite) Lilliputians. Their tears for instance, are described as mists that hang about their heads and they have a vaguely magical way of learning information and reading minds when they look into people’s eyes. This inane “maybe” magic that Lily displays places Liliputians a bit more mystical category than your average Borrower, but not as overdone as a “garden variety” fairy. The effect is very memorable.
Amidst the whimsy there are indeed stark and scary moments that can prove to be quite jarring as we follow Lily and Finn’s struggles, from grizzly displays of Lilliputian bones to Lily being dropped into a dirty flea ridden sock and being bitten all over to her having to remove the cinching torture device from upon Finn’s wrist. These rather bloody and scary images require a discerning reader and places the book between both children’s and middle grade fiction. The end in particular takes a rather grizzly (if not not slightly overblown) turn.
The book is not 100% historically accurate either, feeling more like a Dickens novel at times than an early 18th century romp, and indeed has a certain “clockpunk” (pre Victorian era application of steampunk style sci-fi with an emphasis on clockwork automata) feel due to Mr. Plinker’s cruel automatons. This is emphasized by Alice Ratterree‘s delicate clockpunkish artwork and cover which feature the clock gears of the various clocks and devices Lily encounters.
However there is a touch of realism to the 18th century London too as seen in a Spanish hot chocolate house and shopkeeper who proves invaluable to Lily and Finn, and emphasis on the city being filthy. There is also topical commentary on orphanages and child slavery and servitude, etc. While the book does take some sinister and nasty Gothic turns which leaves the tone somewhat beguiling (especially the end which hurts the book), the book is ultimately still rather enjoyable and about kindness, and that’s a message and trait we should always encourage to have more than a thimble’s worth of. Overall Liliput is highly recommended for kids and tweens getting into meatier novels and can handle some scary (and surprisingly bloody) content. A by no means tiny first #goodbook.
Got any #goodbooks we should know about? Tweet your #goodbooks to us on our twitter; @sub-cultured or at my twitter, @maxlikescomics!
Max Eber
Staff Writer
max@sub-cultured.com
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For an (almost) mid-week break, I have another beautiful picture book from NorthSouth that I heartily recommend for kids of all ages and for those who love illustration. This time it’s Two Parrots, a fun American debut from Iranian illustrator and animation director Rashin. Her new book Two Parrots is inspired by a tale from Rumi. Rumi, or Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī (Persian: جلالالدین محمد بلخى) was a 13th century poet, theologian, and Sufi mystic (basically a really amazing guy). Rashin, or Rashin Keiriyeh, born in Iran and already prolific children’s book illustrator with over forty-five books under her belt is well known overseas. This however, is her first release in America!
Featuring beautiful illustrations that pull from traditional Persian art but are presented with a fresh, friendly folk-art spin, the colors green and red dominating the piece, Two Parrots is overall a neat little book. Rashin’s art fits the simple but whimsical story about a merchant and his pet parrot, who is unhappy about living in a cage.
Rashin’s body of work is already massive; she’s also worked in animation and is just an immense talent. America has just gotten the first taste of her with some editorial work, this and her follow-up; her own version of There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly coming this fall. I hope this first translated debut and There Was An… means a lot more of her books released in countries like South Korea, Spain and France will be coming over to the States in the near future. Publisher NorthSouth always excels in releasing fun, engaging books with a global mindset. If you have kids or enjoy illustration, their artful, whimsical titles are always always worth checking out. I’m always excited to explore their catalog and look forward to reviewing more titles from them for you in the future! Again, hopefully that entails even more Rashin.
See you all real soon!
Max Eber
max@sub-cultured.com
Twitter: @maxlikescomics
Hallow-Reads | The Line by Rob Ferreri
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So we here at IhoGeek love apps. All sorts of apps. Touchy flashy screen pressing apps.
I’ve been keeping tabs with some apps particularly for kids from Famloop, a relatively new children’s reading and game app company for Ipad and Apple products founded in 2011 from a team of original Google employees. In their relative short existence they’ve put out quite a number of fun and engaging interactive reading apps for kids including a series of beautifully illustrated and adequately fun adaptations of the classic Punky Dunk the Kitten series which my own seven year old cousin enjoys quite a bit and a second app called “Agent Magic” a talking detective mouse who revisits the Punky Dunk stories and adds extra interactive elements good for helping kids learn and practice small observation and motor skills. My cousin enjoys them and we’ve played them quite a few times when I’ve babysat. They also have a really fun take on the Wizard of Oz with the first of a series called “Oz Tales”, an app which features a blonde (like the book!) Dorothy that utilizes some great voice interactive elements.
Now most of these offerings are for older kids, in the 5-9 range. Famloop has now partnered with DK Publishing to produce interactive flap book aps for tots. The new read-along titles; adaptations of Sophie la Girafe® Colors and Peekaboo! Woof! Woof! Joining other Sophie aps and interactive Peekaboo! books.
These colorful, simple titles are great for wee people and Timelords ages 0-3 alike help develop vocabulary, coordination and identification. You follow Sophie as you learn all her friend’s favorite colors and be entertained by the new ways digitized animation can bring to a book.
I think the blending of mediums really work well and the use of digital e-readers for “flap” books actually increases what you can do with your kid as it offers more puzzles like the pieced apart lil dino above along with traditional “check underneath” interaction.
A quick little blurb for some quick and cute little books. If you know someone who has a kid check these out, let us know what you think of them!
My one complaint which has been brought to my attention; they unfortunately don’t seem to have Android support or apps; something I am keen to personally inquire about. OS exclusion isn’t fun! Like teaching kids developers should learn to play fair!
Have a great week!
Max Eber
Staff Writer/The Doctor
max@ihogeek.com
Twitter: @maxlikescomics
Hallow-Reads | The Line by Rob Ferreri
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This week for kids and their parents alike I have three fantastic children’s books everyone should check out.
Whimsical, gorgeous and unique with compelling art these three books cover all age groups; you are guaranteed a satisfying read for bedtime or for summer reading. Happy Summer!
Journey
by Aaron Becker
Journey by Aaron Becker is an adventure through a lonely girl’s rampant imagination (or is it?) when her family pays her no attention and she finds escape in a magic crayon. Built from the same classic foundation of children’s storytelling as Where the Wild Things Are and most notably Harold & The Purple Crayon, Journey is perfect for all ages as there is no dialogue. Its story and its narrative is told simply through artist-author Aaron Becker’s beautiful full page watercolor and pen illustrations as you follow the little girl through fantastic lands and architecture as she manipulates her experience along the way with her crayon. Her adventures culminate in the little girl going up against a cruel Emperor and the rescue of a mysterious purple bird.
Timeless, the book is just as evocative as it’s literary ancestors of fifty years ago and can stand the test of time just as they have due to it’s simple yet universal plot. And yet it does make small commentary on modern family life, particularly the effect of electronics on people and familial interaction. Poignant and sweet Journey above all teaches kindness and the importance of imagination and finding others that think and feel the same way you do. Many kids will relate to the feeling our protagonist feels despite the complete lack of dialogue. Looking forward to seeing this book becoming a perennial favorite and a future children’s classic.
Maude: The Not-So-Noticeable Shrimpton
by Lauren Child, illustrated by Trisha Krauss
A book for kids about ages five to eight who enjoy Edward Gorey style fables Maude is a quirky story about the eccentric and attention-grabbing Shrimpton family and then their not-so attention grabbing middle daughter, Maude. Each family member has a special attention getting skill be it their beauty, dancing, singing, humor, their taste in hats or even their majestic mustache, that is except for Maude. She’s the odd-one in the family.
Can you see Maude?
Maude’s skill is that instead of being attention getting or extroverted, she has the uncanny ability to disappear and hide. Maude’s unnoticeable nature is seen as a disappointment in the family, that is until her family buys her an animal for her birthday present; it’s something Maude did not ask for. A lesson in introversion being just as an acceptable thing to be if not better than being extroverted and attention getting all the time, Maude is a darkly humorous tale that shyer kids and adolescents, middle-childs, or ones with a quick wit and a nasty sense of humor could easily relate to and enjoy. Trisha Krauss’ stylized mod artwork further creates a funny off-kilter and artful feel; the Shrimpton’s are a very stylish family. Wickedly dark, easy to read with fun various fonts and formatting and interesting art make it morbidly enjoyable.
Bluffton: My Summers With Buster
by Matt Phelan
Matt Phelan illustration from ‘Bluffton: My Summers With Buster.’
A graphic novel for ages ten to fifteen to ninety-two Bluffton is a warm and poignant look at the sleepy resort town of Muskegon, Michigan around the turn of the twentieth-century. Matt Phelan creates a gentle and cinematic-like story in soft watercolors following the fictional resident Henry Harrison as his life is turned upside down when a troupe of vaudeville performers comes to take a summer retreat by their lakeside community in 1908.
Matt Phelan’s young Buster Keaton. Got the stare down.
Young Henry in his new-found curiosity for the bizarre world of vaudeville (particularly a zebra) that has interrupted the sleepy daily flow soon thereafter meets a young stone-faced performer his own age named Buster. Yep, Buster Keaton of future slapstick silent film fame. Based loosely on true accounts of Buster Keaton’s real-life lake-side summers, Phelan’s heartfelt friendship between Buster and Henry and their subsequent summertime fun, disagreements and reconciliation over a period of three summers is a perfect coming-of-age story and teaches the importance of dreams, individualized personal aspirations and keeping inspirational influences in your lives. And of course appreciate summers to their fullest. Brimming with comedic moments, the graphic novel has threads of more serious issues too considering the life of a child in show-business urged on by family, but in all it is a book is full of genuine heart and feeling. Bluffton is a nostalgic look at slice-of-life Americana and a fine placid introduction to the graphic-novel medium for readers of a younger age. Highly recommended for reading over a period of nights if reading together or to another, or great for helping readers branch out into more independent and sophisticated reading. If your children dislike novels, try this instead. Adults are urged to take this lovely trip back in time too, I found it extremely enjoyable and may find itself considered a classic as well. Extremely special.
Let me know if you’ve read these books yourself or with your child in the comments! Let me know what you think!
Until next week!
Max Eber
Staff Writer/The Doctor
max@sub-cultured.com
Twitter: @maxlikescomics
Hallow-Reads | The Line by Rob Ferreri
Hallow-Reads | Grim Vol 1: Teen Spirit by Nicholas Meece
Book Review | ‘Leech Girl Lives’
Review | Put Me In The Story – Star Wars: The Force Inside
REEDPOP Opens New Chapter For BookCon With Star-Studded Chicago Event!
