Review by raluca_mihaila -- The Fisherman and his Foundl...
Posted: 22 Nov 2020, 06:38
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Fisherman and his Foundlings" by Phillip Leighton-Daly.]
An old fisherman lived alone near the sea after losing his wife to leprosy. He had a hard life but also a kind one, trying to help the victims of the sea or the orphans. He rescued a wounded merchild (a child-mermaid) without knowing she was bait planted by the merqueen, who wanted to add him to her victims. He managed to escape the merfolk’s trap, and he became very fond of the little mermaid. He dreaded her fate since he was getting older and weaker. She was in no condition to take care of herself on the land while returning home was not an option. Are you curious to see what he decided to do?
The book is very touching, and there are many similarities with The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen. It’s also a sad story, and the merfolk hate humans. However, the main message is not about sacrifice but kindness and generosity. That is a lesson that we should all follow, regardless of our age and life experience.
The presentation of the book is much convincing because the text is supported by beautiful illustrations that delight the reader and stirs the imagination. The artwork is exceptional, and sometimes we have a mix of text and drawing that is so much expressive and powerful.
I recommend the short read of 44 pages to children between the age of 6 and 12, but I must address some issues here. Although the story and the drawings are very suited for the intended audience, the vocable is not. There are some complicated words and some references (like the Roman praetorians) that children might not understand. However, that can be educational since it can inspire the little readers to expand their vocabulary and also to enlist the parents to help. Moreover, the book brings up some sensitive topics like death or crime, so I recommend parental guidance for the younger part of the audience.
Besides the point mentioned above, I was also bothered by the fact that sometimes the author misarranged the illustrations, and they didn’t match the text. But it was not a significant issue that spoiled my experience. Also, I only found one spelling error, so the editing is exemplary.
Given all the above, The Fisherman and his Foundlings by Phillip Leighton-Daly deserves a full rating of 4 out of 4. It is an excellent story that teaches children about the power of goodness and encourages them to experience a variety of emotions, including sadness and fear. Kids that love the sea and the adventures will enjoy this emotional tale. I would read the book while holding a seashell up to my ear, next to a sea-scented candle.
******
The Fisherman and his Foundlings
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
An old fisherman lived alone near the sea after losing his wife to leprosy. He had a hard life but also a kind one, trying to help the victims of the sea or the orphans. He rescued a wounded merchild (a child-mermaid) without knowing she was bait planted by the merqueen, who wanted to add him to her victims. He managed to escape the merfolk’s trap, and he became very fond of the little mermaid. He dreaded her fate since he was getting older and weaker. She was in no condition to take care of herself on the land while returning home was not an option. Are you curious to see what he decided to do?
The book is very touching, and there are many similarities with The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen. It’s also a sad story, and the merfolk hate humans. However, the main message is not about sacrifice but kindness and generosity. That is a lesson that we should all follow, regardless of our age and life experience.
The presentation of the book is much convincing because the text is supported by beautiful illustrations that delight the reader and stirs the imagination. The artwork is exceptional, and sometimes we have a mix of text and drawing that is so much expressive and powerful.
I recommend the short read of 44 pages to children between the age of 6 and 12, but I must address some issues here. Although the story and the drawings are very suited for the intended audience, the vocable is not. There are some complicated words and some references (like the Roman praetorians) that children might not understand. However, that can be educational since it can inspire the little readers to expand their vocabulary and also to enlist the parents to help. Moreover, the book brings up some sensitive topics like death or crime, so I recommend parental guidance for the younger part of the audience.
Besides the point mentioned above, I was also bothered by the fact that sometimes the author misarranged the illustrations, and they didn’t match the text. But it was not a significant issue that spoiled my experience. Also, I only found one spelling error, so the editing is exemplary.
Given all the above, The Fisherman and his Foundlings by Phillip Leighton-Daly deserves a full rating of 4 out of 4. It is an excellent story that teaches children about the power of goodness and encourages them to experience a variety of emotions, including sadness and fear. Kids that love the sea and the adventures will enjoy this emotional tale. I would read the book while holding a seashell up to my ear, next to a sea-scented candle.
******
The Fisherman and his Foundlings
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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