Review: Momma Loves Her Little Son

Momma Loves Her Little Son
By John Carter Cash
Illustrated by Marc Burckhardt
Little Simon Inspirations
March 2009
32 pages

John Carter Cash’s first children’s book is a touching ode to that very special bond between mothers and sons. Momma and son sail far away to China, then climb a rainbow, and fly over the earth back to a familiar riverside and back home again. Cash’s poetic prose reads like the lyrics of a soothing ballad.

Every illustration is a two-page spread of Marc Burckhardt’s watercolor paintings. His magical artwork contains exquisite details and vivid colors conveying the real action and emotion in this story. A child who doesn’t yet know how to read words can easily understand the story by reading the pictures. Burckhardt is a gifted picture book illustrator who knows how to bring prose to life in a whole nother dimension. I hope he will illustrate more children’s books.

Momma Loves Her Little Son is a comforting bedtime story that Momma can read aloud then leave with son so he can discover his own story in the enchanting pictures.

Copyright (c) 2009 by Peggy Tibbetts

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Review: Wild Ink

Wild Ink: How to Write Fiction for Young Adults
By Victoria Hanley
Cottonwood Press, Inc.
September 2008
240 pages

Most readers will find that reading Wild Ink is like attending a workshop dedicated specifically to writers who write for young adults. For me, reading Wild Ink was almost like being at an author schmooze. Among the pages, I re-connected with several good writer friends and I even bumped into my agent. I ate my lunch with all of them.

Amid the plethora of writing books in the world, this one stands out because of Victoria Hanley’s talent as both teacher and author. Do the exercises in Chapter 1: Finding Your Writing Self, and you will know whether you really want to write for teens. Only then will you be able to face Chapter 3’s Obstacles and Demons. While Hanley presents a realistic picture of today’s publishing industry she is generous with advice, compassion, and humor.

This book is not just for beginning writers because of all the interviews with writers, agents, and editors. While Hanley features such well-known authors as Chris Crutcher and Lauren Myracle, she also includes some “not yet published” in the YA genre authors, like Coleen DeGroff and Olgy Maria Aleu, plus interviews with self-published authors, like Becky Clark Cornwell. These writers’ stories give this book a feeling of “we’re all in this together”.

As a professional for 30-plus years in the field of children’s literature, I am impressed with Hanley’s thoroughness, accuracy, and honesty. All writers whether beginners or experienced professionals, published or unpublished, will find themselves in good company.  I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Copyright (c) 2009 by Peggy Tibbetts

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