The Wishflower Field: A Story from a Local Author

The Wishflower Field-Marie's Triumph by Jennifer Fallaw

Why did I read it?

Jennifer is a local author promoting her first novel. She thought of stopping by the Hayden Library for a book reading, and I wanted to read the novel to see what it was all about.

What happened?

Marie is tormented by frequent nightmares, and consequently, even ordinary things in her waking hours become terrifying. Even though her Mom stays in the room as she sleeps and tries to encourage her, nothing seems to make the monsters go away. But, Marie's Grandma might have a solution. Its a secret that has been passed down from one generation to another, and it might be just what Marie needs to conquer her fears and find the strength she has inside.

What did I like or not like?

Even though the novel is something of a modern fairy tale, filled with a magical dream land, there is quite a bit of realism behind the story. Jennifer's eldest daughter struggled with night terrors at a young age, and a happy visualization helped her dispel the fears. Marie lost her father to an accident, and Jennifer and her daughters lost their husband and father to an accident as well.

Another cool thing is why Jennifer started writing the story. After her husband passed away, she was wondering what to do next. Her daughters loved dandelions and called them wishflowers. These wishflowers were part of the solution for her daughter's fears, and she thought it would help other children as well. When a single dandelion was poking through her frozen lawn on a cold November morning, Jennifer thought it was about time to share her story with others.

If you want to connect with her, this is her Facebook page: http://facebook.com/Jen.Fallaw

Picture Book, Movie, or Novel?

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Why did I read it?

This is a book that has caught my eye for a couple years now. I heard it was a combination of text and pictures to tell the story, but I never found the time to read it. So, when one of my Master's classes required me to read all the Caldecott Medal winners from 1990-2009, I got to read it (it won the medal in 2008).

What happened?

Hugo works on the clocks at a Paris train station, without anyone realizing it is him. Technically, it is his drunken uncle who is supposed to be keeping the clocks ticking, but his uncle disappeared a while back. So, now its just Hugo, and the automaton that belonged to his father. Several years before, Hugo's father died in an accidental museum fire, and Hugo believes his father has left him a message in the automaton. Striving to get the automaton working again, Hugo steals from an old toy maker, who eventually catches him and takes the notebook that he was using to rebuild the automaton. Why did the old man want the notebook? Is there more to this old toy maker than Hugo knows?

What did I like or not like?

This was a fascinating book to read. In addition to mixing text and pictures, it also had elements of a graphic novel, picture book, novel, and a black and white movie. Apart from the interesting way it is written, the story itself is an interesting examination of dreams, purpose, film, magic, and family. I really enjoyed it!