Tag Adam Hancher

The Little Pioneer

jillrbennett Leave a comment

The Little Pioneer
Adam Hancher
Lincoln Children’s Books

Adam Hancher’s story, set in 19th century US, tells of one small wagon train heading off into the West and is inspired by the accounts of real-life pioneers.

Its narrator is a fiery-haired young girl who, following the death of her father, must leave everything familiar and head west to make a new life in California.

The long journey on foot, horseback and wagon with her mother, younger brothers and three other families is gruelling and full of challenges, not the least of which for the narrator at the outset, is getting used to the wild ways of their guide, Mr Reed.

However it’s not long before a treacherous swirling river forces her to change her opinion of the man and a firm bond is formed, not only between the narrator and guide but also with their fellow travellers.
Mr Reed actually becomes the girl’s saviour not once but twice during their time on the trail.

By the time their journey ends the narrator has learned SO much, not only about the wild and her fellow pioneers, but having had to stand being left alone, about herself.

The tale is beautifully told using language of the time, ‘Weary and footsore, we stopped to rest.’ but it’s Hancher’s superb artistry that make this such a compellingly beautiful book.
The girl speaks little about her loss but one senses it all around during their travels through the bleak landscapes of the journey. The dramatic, textured illustrations and Hancher’s switch of colour palette – that perilous Platte river crossing,

the family-like gathering around the camp fire …

and the bleak surrealism of the shady spot the narrator wakes in to discover her aloneness, speak for themselves.

Powerful, poignant and perfect for reading with young audiences many of whom will know little of those pioneering days, this is a book to share and savour.

For Your Information Shelf: Books Books Books / Taking Flight

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Books Books Books
Mick Manning and Brita Granström
Otter-Barry Books
Award-winning team, Mick Manning and Brita Grandström takes readers on an exploratory journey around London’s British Library, a library that holds over 150 million items in all, going right back to the earliest printed books and coming bang up to date with some printed this year.
First stop is the St Cuthbert Gospel, an ancient hand-made volume that was found in the saint’s coffin at Lindisfarne Priory some time after he died in the 7th century and which was sold to the British Library in 2011 for £9,000,000.
We’re also shown the Lindisfarne Gospels; a copy of Beowulf written in Old English …

and eighteen other landmark publications from the Hound of the Baskervilles to Alice in Wonderland, including the gigantic Klencke Atlas, dating back to the time of Charles 11, that needs six people to lift it …

handwritten sheet music and newspapers.
Mick makes the whole place sound absolutely fascinating and Brita’s visuals really bring each and every entry to life. I haven’t visited this enormous library for many years but reading their book sent me first to its website, http://www.bl.uk and from there to planning my next visit in the near future.

Taking Flight
Adam Hancher
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Adam Hancher tells in words and pictures , the amazing story of the Wright Brothers and how through determination and fearlessness, they brought their childhood dream to fruition.
From humble beginnings in Ohio, the boys, inspired by the gift of a toy helicopter from their father, worked tirelessly on project glider. Starting with observations of birds in flight, then working on designing and making, they built their first glider, which they then tested in one of the wildest parts of the US. The machine was a failure, so it was back to the drawing board to work on Mark 2.
Finally a powered machine was ready for testing and … yes, the first journey of a Wright flying machine took place.

It still needed perfecting however and patience was needed until in 1908, everything was ready but …

‘ … something was wrong.’

Fortunately the brothers had kept the promise they’d made to their sister never to fly together, so although Orville was badly injured, he recovered and meanwhile Wilbur had been hard at work flying and breaking records. Fame at last for the Wright Brothers and thoroughly deserved it was.
A mix of superb double page spreads of key scenes, single pages and small scenarios, Hancher’s illustrations really do evoke a sense of their late 19th century settings.
An inspiring, beautiful book for KS1/2 readers at school or at home.

I’ve signed the charter