I'm back with Once by Morris Gleitzman

Sorry that I disappeared for a few months.  I know, I kind of disappeared for awhile.  I have a legitimate excuse though.  I've been busy moving.  So please be patient with me if it continues to be sporadic for awhile.

In between packing boxes and applying for new jobs and tackling a never-ending to-do list, I have managed to keep reading some good books as well.  Hopefully I'll eventually get caught up on here.

For now, here's a little tribute to a children's book set in WWII.  Once only took me a couple of hours to read, but it was good for readers in a wide range of ages and I personally enjoyed it.

For my book review of Once by Morris Gleitzman, click here.
To visit author Morris Gleitzman's official website, click here.

"The Silver Donkey" by Sonya Harnett

"The Silver Donkey" seems like a simple children's book at first.  It has a great, animal-related title with cover art that suggests a fairly young audience.  Within the book itself the main characters are primarily children, and the narrative is set up with a series of stories being told within the story (all related to a donkey).  It's a fairly simple storyline.  I think that I could read the book out loud to my five-year-old, and she would enjoy it.

If you dismiss this book as just a simple children's book, though, you'd be missing out.  I read and enjoyed it as an interesting approach to an important period in history (World War I).  The writing is simple, but charming.  I would highly recommend it, especially for children learning about the World Wars, but also for anyone who needs a piece of hope within difficult circumstances.

To find out more about Sonya Hartnett and her books, click here.

If you enjoy "The Silver Donkey", I recommend "Once" by Morris Gleitzman, "The Firefly Gate" by Linda Newbery, and "Remembrance" by Theresa Breslin.