Posts Tagged with Scotland

Tiger Skin Rug by Joan Haig – Book Review

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I really enjoyed this story by debut author Joan Haig. It conjured up a real sense of place in both Scotland and India. I love stories that cross genres. This provides an intriguing balance of family drama, real-world adventure and mystery mixed with magical realism. It is filled with some great description and action, with several twists and turns to keep your attention. There are also some important messages about family and what it means to belong. I would highly recommend for children aged 9+ years.

Lal and his brother Dilip have recently moved to Scotland with their mum, dad and Naniji from India. They are homesick. Their parents bought the house from an old lady together with the furniture. One day Dilip finds the tiger skin rug in the living room is real, and can magic into a real talking tiger.

“Something – what was it? – was rippling, across the tiger skin, rippling from underneath it. The ripples were growing…” (p21)

The tiger needs their help to  unravel some secrets and honour an old promise and in return for their help he promised to take them home. This takes them on a journey first to a closed-down auction house near Waterloo station, then to Coventry in search of a professor and onto India, as it turns out the professor is at a conference there.

There is a wonderful part in the first few chapters where local girl Jenny confuses the Scottish for ‘lassie’ (a girls or young woman) with the Indian drink ‘lassi’ (an Indian yogurt drink). The way that the author handles this helps the reader understand what it might be like to be in a new place and to explore ideas relating to belonging.

“My lassi filled me with happiness – cardamom, brown sugar and Indian sea-sides; tangy tastes of things I missed, the sweet and sour of home. Jenny liked her milkshake and gulped it down: maybe she was OK, after all.” (p19)

You do have to take a little leap in the part where they fly on a magic tiger rug all the way to India! But, once in India descriptions make you feel like you are really there. The shift to India has been made easier for the reader by the author’s decision to start the story in Scotland. This means the reader experiences India through the eyes of a child who knows it well but whom is also delighted to return. Which somehow makes it feel less foreign (for those that don’t know India) Though even Lal discovers there he has things to learn about the contrasts between the rich and the poor in India.

The children finally track down Menko Chatterjee (the University professor). and he and the children return to the Indian forest where he grew up. For a truly special ending and a few final twists. Danger still lurks and will the tiger get to complete his mission? You will have to read it to find out!

 

You can read my chat with the author here
You can buy the book from Cranachan publishers here.

 

Tiger Skin Rug – a short chat with author Joan Haig

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Welcome to my  post on the Tiger Skin Rug blog tour.  Joan Haig’s story is an exciting story about two siblings called Lal and Dilip, their new friend Jenny and a magical tiger. The Tiger needs their help to unravel some secrets and help a friend.  It begins in Scotland and during the story they also go to India. It struck me was how vividly the author conjures up a sense of place. From getting a sense of  the features of ‘Greystanes’ house in Scotland to feeling like you were in India.  I I was intrigued to know how the Joan Haig’s  life experience may have influenced her writing.  So I asked her a few questions.
a) What influenced or inspired you to write a story connected to and set in India?

” As a teenager I volunteered for four months with a charity working in an impoverished area of Hyderabad in Northwest India. It’s such a beautiful country with so many extremes. Then, ten years later, I researched and wrote an ethnography – a study of the culture – of the Hindu minority living in Lusaka, in Zambia. The families I worked with over five years told me stories of their migration, and I ended up researching and writing a lot about ideas of ‘home’ and ‘belonging. When I began to develop the characters for Tiger Skin Rug, it felt natural for me to write about a Hindu family moving to a new place.”

b) How did you research/find out about India?

“When I was in India, I travelled across the sub-continent, keeping a journal and writing screeds of letters home, packed with descriptions of the tastes, smells, sounds and colours I encountered. When I wrote Tiger Skin Rug, I revisited my old diaries and letters. The ethnography I wrote was for a PhD thesis – a big piece of work! – and involved a huge amount of research, which all helped in my fiction writing.”

c)  The house called ‘Greystanes’ that the siblings moved to in Scotland is quite distinctive. Was it inspired by ANY buildings you know?

Greystanes’ is based on two houses in Scotland that I know well – one of which is a very beautiful Anglo-Indian bungalow. Some of the descriptions also draw on childhood memories of my aunties’ house and their magical attic. There are a few other buildings across Scotland that fed into my thinking as I was writing – Dunrobin Castle is one.

Here is the author’s description of the house when they first arrive:

“Naniji let out a cackle of unexpected glee. The bungalow wasn’t an ordinary bungalow. It was huge and looming, with a deep verandah wrapped around its side like old houses in India, and a towering front door. The name ‘Greystanes’ was etched onto a pillar and a date – 1836 – chiseled into the stone above. ” p3

I also noticed how the patio doors in Greystanes house were used to good effect. With one character sometimes waiting outside to come in and the conjuring up of expectation and magic with the open or closing of curtains and/or a slight breeze blowing. Here are a couple of examples:
“I pressed in close to the glass. The wisps danced across the tigers skin. It was clear this time; this was no tick of the light….” p22
” The curtain flapped a little as if there was a breeze. I held my breath as the tiger began to shimmer and move.” p38
You can read my blog review here.
You can buy the book published by CranAchan Publishing here

Tam O’Shanter by Robert Burns

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Adapted by Richmond Clements and illustrated by Inko

 

Having Scottish connections and being a fan of manga art I jumped at the chance to join a blog tour for a graphic novel adaption of the famous poem Tam O’Shanter by Robert Burns which has recently been published by Cranachan publishing.

Who was Robert Burns?

Robert Burns is Scotland’s National bard (poet). His poetry and songs are famous across the world. He was born on the 25th January 1759 in Alloway, Ayshire in Scotland. There are links in the back of the graphic novel to the National Trust for Scotland website where you can find out lots of great information. Tam O’Shanter is one of Robert Burns most famous poems, partly because it is set in the village of Alloway where he spent his early childhood. The poem was first published in March 1791 in the Edinburgh Herald and Edinburgh magazine.

What is Tam O’Shanter About?

   

The Tam O’Shanter is a narrative story told as a poem. It is written in both Scots and English, and makes use of the linguistic qualities of each language to build the narrative and create the mood. The Scots does make it a more challenging read. However, once  I had an understanding of the basic premise and narrative structure of the poem I found Inko’s illustrations really helped to to bring it alive.

The story of Tam O’Shanter is structured around a journey or quest. It features Tarn who after a day drinking in an Inn rides his horse, called Meg through a storm and the village of Alloway to return to his home. It’s useful to remember this was set in 1759 so there were no cars or buses, so the only way to get home on a wild night was on horseback!  After leaving the cosy Inn, a slightly drunk Tarn sets out into the storm. On the journey he tries to keep up his moral by singing old Scotts songs. Eventually he comes across a scene in the ruined church of Alloway Auld Kirk. Where witches and warlocks are having a party. Unseen he gets more and more interested in watching the ‘winsome wench’ dance and her short skirt, which in old Scots is ‘cutty sark’. He is then chased by this ‘hellish legion’ of spirits and creatures over the Brig O Doon, which is a bridge that still exists today. Legend has it that evil spirts can not cross water. When Tarn is almost home his faithful horse Meg loses her tail to the witch. Finally, he arrives safely home.

The Manga illustrations by Inko

Being a relative newcomer to Robert Burns poem the Tam O’Shanter I found the National Trust for Scotland website really helpful. Inko is a UK based Japanese manga artist. Combining a famous classic poem with modern manga artwork was an ingenious idea by publishers Cranchan publishing. In Inko’s illustrations the colours used provide a great contrast between the warm cosy pub, and the dark story night.

This could be used to encourage children to come up with a list of feelings and emotions to describe the two settings, which would help them in understanding the poem. Also, there are many other ways the pictures could be used to encourage writing about other journeys on dark stormy nights.

Two important Scottish places that feature in the poem

Alloway Auld Kirk

The 16th century church was already a ruin when Robert Burns was born. You can visit the ruins of the church and the graveyard today.

   

The Brig O’ Doon

Is the original 15th century cobblestone bridge which crosses the River Doon. You can still visit and stand on it today.

I would highly recommend this for children aged 10+ years, and it would be of considerable interest to adults too. But, teachers who are interested in using this with 10-12 year olds, would need to look closely at the witch and wench scenes to decide it was appropriate for their class.

Support a bookshop near you and buy this graphic novel through Hive. 

 

Useful links to understand more about Tam O’Shanter:

National Trust of Scotland website:

www.nts.org.uk

In particular look up: Robert Burns Birthplace Museum.

Phtographs of Brig O’Doon and Alloway Auld Kirk today were taken from the National Trust for Scotland website.

This is a really useful article:

Blog post on NTS website, November 2018: Through thick and thin: interpreting Tam O’Shanter in Alloway.

https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/through-thick-and-thin-interpreting-tam-o-shanter-in-alloway

 

Blog Tour: Wilderness Wars, a conversation with Barbara Henderson

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I am delighted to have Scottish author Barbara Henderson back on my blog, having interviewed her about her first book Fir for Luck on my blog almost two years ago. Her third book is Wilderness Wars, an eco-thriller set on a remote Scottish Island. Which is a wonderful twist of several genres, survival on a remote island, family, and the developers ignoring the environment set the scene for what follows. The environment fights back and takes on a supernatural force of its own.  In all three of Barbara’s books she has shown that she clearly knows the natural environments of Scotland and has the skill to take her reader there. But, in Wilderness Wars she has absolutely nailed it. Striking a beautiful balance between character led prose and spot on description that you really feel like you are there, which combined with twist and turns and suspense is quite something.  The laying as the two main characters Em and Zac learn about themselves and begin to work out what is happening on the Island and the hints that perhaps something more than unlucky mishaps is going on is superb. I highly recommend it for everyone aged 9 years and above, including adults.

When I talked to you on my blog two years ago about your debut book Fir for Luck. You said one of your family holidays inspired the story, as you discovered a remote clearance village, which was the inspiration for your story.

  1. How have your family holidays to the Scottish Wilderness helped to inspire Wilderness Wars?

I am so lucky in that I live close to a lot of the types of places which helped to create the island world in Wilderness Wars. My base in Inverness can be annoying at times – any city is 2-3 hours away –  but you can drive for a very short time before you reach the sea, or the wilderness, or both. It’s one of the factors which drew us to the region. Holidays on Harris, with its white beaches and turquoise seas, Lewis, Mull, Iona, Skye, Islay, Assynt and Sutherland… all these played into the world I tried to create, and each memory contributed a little.

Some observations, such as seeing the seal move elegantly underwater from a hilltop, coral beaches and being dive-bombed by gulls are all directly lifted from holiday memories. I defy anyone not to be inspired by places like these – there is awe, but also a certain vulnerability as you realise how far you are from anywhere. Both are natural responses, and I hope that Wilderness Wars features a little of that balance.

In both Fir for Luck and Wilderness Wars there is a close connection with the characters to the land and they and their families depend on it for their survival. But, the context of Wilderness Wars is very different. It is not the people that are trying to stop them but nature itself.

  1. Tell me a more about the ways that nature fights back and how you selected the ways it does?

There is a lot more I could have done, a lot more facets of the wild world I could have included. The bottom line is, I wanted a slow escalation, so that initially, the setbacks for the building project would look like mishaps and accidents, before, without the reader realising it, we have moved into something a little bit more supernatural: the wilderness as a sentient force. So initially, the workforce on Skelsay have to contend with small accidents, freak weather, rodents, an inconvenient site for a protected species. If they run roughshod over these, as they do, there is an escalation until we are looking at the inevitable life or death showdown. I liked the fact that it begins with small, explicable things and I wanted to ask myself the question – if nature, as a whole, could fight back against our blinkered, short-sighted, selfish little meddling – what would it do?  It’s the classic Man-versus-Nature conflict, but with a bit of a moral twist.

In your opening chapters of Wilderness Wars you cleverly balance Em’s curiosity about the new environment she is going to live in, with another less friendly side, such as being pecked by seal gulls on the ferry and wild whether resulting in container being dropped in the sea.

  1. Can you explain more about how you balanced building up a picture of a ‘conspiring, sinister nature’ with Em and her friend Zac developing their understanding of the Island and a respect for the wilderness on the island?

It was really important to me that both sides should be shown – nature, respected and left to its own devices, is not a threat in the book. I love the wild landscapes and am definitely at my happiest and most peaceful when I am in such places. But in the book, the wilderness, threatened by thoughtless development and needless interference, certainly is dangerous.

It’s an element of the supernatural, designed to make a wider point about the way we make choices, questioning rather than scaremongering, I hope. The book ends on a very positive note, although I have to admit to terrifying myself with the chapters near the end.

But maybe Wilderness Wars can also be read as whatever you want it to be: a love letter to the wilderness, an adventure story in its own right, a book about integrity, isolation, friendship and finding your place in the world.

Goodness, that sounds a bit ambitious, but that’s my hope! Judge for yourselves readers…

 

Porridge the Tartan Cat and the Loch Ness Mess by Alan Dapre and why we love the Porridge series

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The Loch Ness Mess is book 4 in the Alan Dapre’s fantastic series about Porridge the Tartan cat. We love the character of Porridge and the funny madcap stories that involve plenty of mishaps and adventures really appeal to my nearly 7 year old son. We also love the rich vocabulary and language which is used through out the series and which really sets this book apart from many early readers.

Porridge is a cat who fell into a pot of Tartan paint as a kitten. The story is set in Scotland, Porridge lives with the McFunn family, the twins Ross and Isla, mum, dad and ‘gadget grandad’ and ‘groovy gran’. In the stories Porridge end’s up going on unexpected, ‘wacky’ an crazy adventures, which usually involve dealing with the chaos created by Fergus McFungus or Windy Wendy.

In the Loch Ness Mess, the McFunn family go on a fossil hunting holiday by the shores of Loch Ness. My son is fascinated by fossils and rocks so this definitely helped to hook him into the story. Not that he needed much encouragement as he already loved the character of Porridge! (from reading book one a few months earlier). The story gets off to an exciting start when Dad wishes he was a dinosaur and unexpectedly turns into one! So then all sorts of chaos ensues and Fergus McFungus want’s to capture dad. When Porridge falls into the loch he is rescued by Nessie ! To find out how Porridge, Isla and Ross get reunited, and if they can rescue their Dad and turn him back into a human you will have to read the book. This story is sure to appeal to children that like dinosaurs and monsters, but also kids that like neither and love a fun family adventure.

Along with great characters and original wacky and fun storylines, there are three more things make the Porridge stories special.

Firstly, are the great black and white pictures by Yuliya Somina really capture the story and characters and bring it to life. These included pictures of Porridge with different expressions interspersed with the text and full page action scenes.

Secondly, the rich vocabulary and language set’s this book apart from many other early readers. There are also some great Scottish phrases too, although less in Loch Ness than the first book. When my son shared reading the first book: “Porridge the Tartan and the Brawsome Bagpies” last summer we were surprised to discover that he wasn’t put off by words he didn’t know. In fact far from it he actually enjoyed the challenge.

Thirdly, at the back of the book is a spot the difference activity and some jokes. Whilst interspersed in the text are lots of Me-words. The author @AlanDapre explained in reply to my twitter post that this was a play on Meow, and that he thought it would be fun to see how many other Me words he could create. Here are a few examples:

Me- splosh

Me- drip

Me – yum

Me – yuk

Me – tremble

Me- sigh

My son loves these. They help to break up the text up, provide an opportunity for expression and add to the humour. I think they also help the reader to understand what Porridge is feeling particular moments in the story.

The Porridge stories will always have a special place in our heart. Because last June the first Porridge book showed my son and us what he was capable of reading. We shared reading the first two books in the series (he read a chapter and we read a couple of chapters) at the time the text level of these books was considerably above the rest of what he was reading. My son loves cats so that was a great hook to start with, but what kept his interest in the way that Alan Dapre writes and the pictures of Yuliya Somina which capture the story so well. It has been fascinating to see my son return the Porridge series five months after we read the first book, and to see just how far he has come in his reading journey in that time. This time he comfortably read ten chapters aloud straight off in one go, and indication that he has improved his stamina in this time, but also that these are stories that he wants to read.

Thank you to Floris Books for a copy of the book which I won on a Twitter competition @FlorisBooks.

Punch by Barbara Henderson

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Having loved Barbara Henderson’s first book Fir for Luck I was delighted to be asked to review her second children’s book, Punch. Drawn in by another great cover I couldn’t wait to get started, and what a cracking read it is. A fast paced and heartwarming story set in late Victorian Scotland.

It starts in Inverness in 1889, when orphaned Phin is ordered by his Uncle to collect some sausages late at night from their market stall. Whilst doing this Phin accidentally starts a fire in the market square and has to flee for his life. I love the dramatic start to this story, which is sure to draw in the reader. Barbara Henderson brilliantly captures the events as they unfold and the fears of Phin in those first few hours after the fire that changes everything.

“ It’s cold, really cold. Or maybe it’s the sweat running down my neck. Away, away from here, is all I can think.”  (p9)

As Phin runs from Inverness he bumps into an escaped prisoner called Mr Robertson, who needs Phin to help cover his escape.

“  ‘Listen, I willnae harm ye. But, they’ll be looking fer a man on his own, no’ a man and a boy. I’ll let you got once I am clear o’ them.’  His eyes dart up the hill and long the river, ahead and behind. ”   (p16)

I quickly warmed to both characters. On the run from the authorities they come across a travelling family called the Moffats. And this is how the story gets it’s name PUNCH. The Moffat’s travel across Scotland putting on Punch and Judy shows. The Moffat’s take Phin and Mr Robertson in, and teach them the tricks of the trade and soon they are an integral part of the show. But, all the while there is the added tension that they might be discovered by the police.

“The pot-woman answers, irritated: “You won’t go anywhere in a hurry. The sheriff officers have blocked the road ahead, they’re searching every cart and carriage. “ p43

In the story Barbara Henderson clearly shows her love of puppetry and there are wonderful insights into what putting on a Punch and Judy Opera was like in Victorian times. To find out more about this and what fired the authors enthusiasm for puppetry check out my interview here.

Punch is action packed with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader interested. Integrated into this on the run adventure is Phin’s personal journey. He is at first not sure about Mr Robertson, you begin to discover this is in part because of his own experience with his abusive Uncle. At the beginning Phin trusts no one, but he gradually begins to trust the adults around him. The relationship that develops between Phin and Mr Robertson is heartwarming to see and add’s something really special. Added to this is another layer as Phin begins to have memories of a more terrible crime. What is really clever about the way that Barbara Henderson has written the story is that you only begin to find out the true extend of this darker crime, as Phin begins to have other adults in his life, which cushion’s the impact for readers a little.

I would highly recommend this for all children aged 9 years and over, and for teenagers and adults too. Great for those looking for a fast paced, heart felt adventure, in the unusual setting of victorian Scotland.

You can BUY PUNCH from Amazon here

Read my Blog Tour interview with author Barbara Henderson here.

Punch Blog Tour: Interview with Barbara Henderson about here love and interest for Punch and Judy

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This is my stop on the Punch Blog Tour, a cracking new middle grade story from author Barbara Henderson.

 

   

 

1. What made you decide to link Phin’s story with Punch and Judy?

I am a self-confessed Puppetry fan! When I was four, I had a horrible accident, which rendered me bed-bound for weeks, on liquidised food and very, very bored! My two older sisters performed puppet shows for me then, and forever after, why would you do anything else with an open doorway or an empty cardboard box? Turning it into a puppet theatre is the obvious thing to do! Once I had time at home and my children were young, I set to work – the long summer holidays were the perfect time to try my hand at building a proper wooden booth, and i still have it. Soon I was taking bookings for children’s parties, festivals and all sorts of occasions – I was officially a puppeteer.

Once the children were at school and we had re-located once more, I went back to teaching – but my lovely booth has never been out of action since – I simply bring my puppets and my booth into the drama classroom with me, and it seems to work.

When I was looking to create the Victorian world which my character Phineas inhabits, there was a proper Eureka moment: here was an unusual, but historical context, and I already knew a lot about it – Victorian puppeteers travelled the length and breadth of the country! The perfect combo, and something to take the book out of the standard Victorian fare of poorhouses and child labour – although the book obviously touches on that.

2. Where does your interest and enthusiasm for Punch and Judy come from? 

My interest is a little wider than just Punch and Judy – I love marionettes, for example and own a pretty decent collection. Recently, I have got into shadow puppetry and even use it in some of my author events, as well as in the drama classroom. Puppetry is the perfect form of drama for those who may be a bit shy: It allows you to write, to make props and backdrops, to craft or customise puppets, to create music and sound effects and of course to use voice and movement in performance, but crucially – without being looked at! Punch and Judy style puppets always go down really well with youngsters, mainly because of the speed you can move glove puppets at, and also the potential for slapstick-type comedy. I love that it is the whole of ‘theatre’ in miniature – live, immediate and striking. I love performing, writing, making, painting, music – and I can do a wee bit of each without having to excel at any one area. Awesome!

 

3. Tell me more about the history of Punch and Judy and it’s importance in the Victorian era? 

I’m pretty sure that most modern children would be a bit bemused if they saw an authentic Victorian Punch show. For a start, they called them Punch and Judy opera, and the term puppeteer hadn’t even been invented yet. Those travelling and performing simply called themselves ‘showman’ and ‘Punch and Judy man’ – and yes there were very few women, although that changed in the early 20th century.

The plays would basically follow the same episodic structure: Punch would stay on stage and the performer would wear a swazzle, a small metal plate which was inserted into the roof of the mouth, and which distorted the voice to make it the distinctive Punch sound. One after the other, the characters would enter, and, by accident or design, Punch would kill them (I know! Modern parents would shudder!) until the devil comes to fetch him at the end. It may not sound like a barrel of laughs, but all this was delivered swiftly, with much chasing and slapstick-fighting. I found the research into this really fascinating. The Scottish records show that vast distances were travelled by these men and women, and that most diversified into being musicians, dancers and animal tamers, and some even travelled with dancing bears. Once I had read that, I had to include a dancing bear in Punch, surely!    

4. It is clear from the story how that you have done quite a bit of research on Punch and Judy, how and where did you carry out your research? Do you have any tips for children/young people wanting to find out more themselves?

My research process is pretty simple: I read around the subject a lot, just to get a feel. If a detail or a particular bit of research stays with me (as in, I don’t forget it immediately), then I can safely assume that others may be as interested or intrigued by it as me. For children’s fiction, you have to be so selective anyway – too much historical context can be a quick turn-off. I can only include as much detail as my readers are likely to care about!

I check out the historical timeline (after all, I can’t and shouldn’t doctor what actually happened) and then get busy with filling in the gaps with fiction. Sometimes this can be a lengthy process, as I often realise in the writing process that I have to know more. Any first draft often has notes like ‘(insert clever paragraph about soldieer recruitment)’ or whatever. 

But my secret weapon is the expert! I managed to locate THE go-to expert on Punch and Judy history in Scotland, cheekily made contact and asked if I could buy him a coffee. After a couple of hours enthusing on his pet subject with someone who genuinely wanted to know (me), he was willing to read the whole manuscript and give me feedback! Score!

There are many other places to find out more, too. The http://www.maskandpuppet.co.uk/ Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre, for example, and the http://www.thepjf.com/events.html Punch and Judy Fellowship. There is a fab puppet festival in Covent Garden every year too: https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/event/29422454-covent-garden-may-fayre-and-puppet-festival-at-st-paul-s-church-garden#oMMLwrsPRLkHRomR.97

You can buy the book PUNCH   here

Read my review of PUNCH here. 

You can find out more about the author Barbara Henderson on her website:   http://www.barbarahenderson.co.uk